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Which Big Tech Stocks Rank Best: AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, MSFT Or FB?

Loading the player… Four of the five largest tech stocks by market cap remain down for the year after an early-February market rout tied to the price of oil, economic concerns and some not-so-good earnings reports. Facebook ( FB ) is the only one that now has a year-to-date gain. It’s also one of two in the pack with best-possible ratings. Google owner Alphabet ( GOOGL ), Amazon.com ( AMZN ), Microsoft ( MSFT ) and the biggest, Apple ( AAPL ), are the four down for the year. Amazon is down the most, about 18%. Facebook stock fell 1.6% Tuesday to close at 105.46, marking a second day above its 2015 close, 104.66. Facebook handily topped views in its fourth-quarter earnings report in January, with mobile ad growth helping push up its revenue 52% to almost $6 billion. This is the debut year for Facebook’s Oculus Rift VR headsets. At Mobile World Congress in Spain this week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg called artificial intelligence the next big frontier. He unveiled an alliance with Samsung to bring streaming 360-degree video to Samsung’s Gear VR headsets, part of a push for “social virtual reality” powered by Facebook’s Oculus division. Of the five largest tech stocks by market cap, Facebook and Alphabet get a best-possible 99 Composite Rating from IBD. The others are in the 70s and 80s.  

Strong Video, Instagram Sales Outlook Boost Confidence In Facebook

Citing higher expectations of revenue growth from video ads and Instagram ads at Facebook ( FB ), Rosenblatt Securities on Tuesday reiterated its buy rating on the social networking leader. Rosenblatt analyst Martin Pyykkonen also maintained a price target of 125 on Facebook stock, which was down 1%, near 106, in midday trading on the stock market today . Facebook is off 10% from its all-time high of 117.59, set on Feb. 2. Facebook’s revenue-growth visibility should increase this year, Pyykkonen wrote in his research note. By year-end, he estimates, Instagram will account for about $1 billion in revenue, or about 10% of Facebook’s total revenue. He says that Facebook will also benefit long term from growth for its Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset business. “Facebook is introducing better analytics and measurement guidelines for advertisers, which we think is a healthy and natural evolution in the business to drive higher return on investment for large brand and performance-based advertisers,” Pyykkonen wrote. “Our positive outlook for video ads across Facebook’s core platform (and increasingly on Instagram with the wider upcoming ad-selling rollout) is based mostly on volume growth.” This month, Facebook doubled the length of video ads on Instagram to 60 seconds. Many Virtual-Reality Rivals For Facebook Pyykkonen also says that Facebook’s virtual-reality business is broader than just the high-end gaming market. He sees Facebook’s Oculus Rift headset and controllers as positioned for the mass market. Facebook this month said that PCs optimized for its Oculus Rift headset are around the corner . Alphabet ( GOOGL ), meanwhile, is working on VR eyewear through its Google Glass platform. Alphabet already offers a virtual-reality experience through its Cardboard VR headset, designed mainly as a companion for YouTube videos. Apple ( AAPL ), too, is getting its VR game primed via acquisitions, most recently of Flyby Media, an image-recognition company. Apple has not yet announced a VR device, but it has filed a patent for a head-mounted display apparatus. Microsoft ( MSFT ) also is pursuing virtual reality with its HoloLens headset. Microsoft HoloLens enables holographic computing that can be used for applications from creating movie creatures to designing cars. Facebook last week continued to show that it’s king of social media, posting  fourth-quarter earnings that soundly beat expectations on booming mobile ad revenue. Facebook reported ad revenue of $5.84 billion, up 52% from Q4 2014. And mobile advertising revenue shot up 69%, accounting for 80% of total ad revenue. It marked Facebook’s strongest revenue growth in five quarters.

Amazon Stock Retakes Critical Level; Netflix Trips Bearish Signal

Loading the player… Leading tech stocks have lagged so far this year, as the overall market has not performed well. But now that the market is pivoting higher, it’s worth taking a fresh look at those big-cap tech names. Let’s check back in with the FANG stocks: Facebook ( FB ), Amazon ( AMZN ), Netflix ( NFLX ) and Google parent Alphabet ( GOOGL ). Amazon gapped up almost 5% to retake the critical 200-day line in slightly below-average volume. Shares breached that level in the days following Amazon’s last quarterly report, when its results missed estimates. The stock is now trading less than 20% below its all-time high, reached at the end of last year. The e-commerce giant on Monday raised the minimum order threshold for free shipping, amid a rise in shipping costs. Customers who are not Prime members must have orders of at least $49, up from the prior minimum of $35. The move could push more consumers to buy Amazon’s $99 annual Prime membership. Netflix gained 3% Monday, but its 50-day and 200-day lines are converging, which is very bearish. Volume was lighter than average. The technical sign comes as the stock has underperformed over the last several months. In January, Netflix announced a global expansion, and it’s continually adding new original content. But some analysts say that Hulu could challenge Netflix as it expands and invests in its own content. Facebook shares moved 2.5% higher Monday in average trade after regaining support at its 50-day line last week. The stock broke out of a base on earnings last month, but it reversed lower off of a new all-time high shortly after, as the market continued to sell off. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said over the weekend at this year’s Mobile World Congress that virtual reality is “the next platform.” The company’s Oculus Rift headset is priced at $599 dollars, cheaper than the just-announced $799 dollar price tag for the competing HTC Vive. Meanwhile, Alphabet rose 1% in below-average volume. The stock is trading below its 50-day line and about 10% below its high reached in early February.