
NASDAQ:AAPL
At this price, you are paying only about 15X earnings. If you think they have growth above average, seasonally this is one you want to own as they are going to sell a lot of new phones, etc. and you will have a good quarter. He is seeing Wall Street targets in the $110 range, which is 10%, making it still worth holding. If you are back at $90, you would feel a lot more excited.
Apple’s New Product Event: Ultimately, what Apple is trying to do, is to re-establish some growth in the business. They have a history of trading up into these events and then back off a little afterwards. It will really depend on what they come out with. There are high expectations for some new products. Payments could potentially be quite interesting, depending on how the business model works. This is something that a lot of companies have been trying to do, and Apple probably has a critical mass to drive. He would expect them to deliver some very great products. An investment in this company is just an investment in some very secular long-term themes towards wearables, wireless data, etc. Stock has been behaving well into the news and is in a strong sector.
(A Top Pick Aug 26/13. Up 45.52%.) Thinks Sept 9 is going to be a big deal. We are going to see some new products and are also going to see a new business or two. Thinks they still have the brightest and best research department in all of technology. Had more cash allocated to research over the last 2-3 years. If you don’t own, he would buy half now and half after Sept 9th.
He has been a long time holder of this stock. Even though it is at an all-time high, if you look at the fundamentals it is not expensive. They are spinning off a tremendous amount of cash. Post Steve Jobs they have done a 180 in terms of capital allocation. Very, very shareholder friendly by buying back shares at a rate of about 6% float per year. This is an all round good investment.
Can’t disagree that they have great products and that they have executed incredibly well. Not an expensive stock. Make almost 40%-50% of their revenue from one product, the smart phone. Have not come out with any game changers for the last little while. Unless they come out with some game changing it is much more financial engineering they are doing, such as buying back stock and increasing their dividend.
Sometimes it is hard to stick with what is working. Just about to release a new iPhone. There is growth in the BRIC countries. They have the watch device. There is a JV to provide enterprise services. It is behaving very well and has strong dividend growth and strong free cash flow. Great balance sheet.
(A Top Pick July 17/13. Up 61.67%.) Had a 7 for 1 stock split. Thinks the market has refocused. Has gone from euphoria when the iPhones were being introduced, followed by the doldrums when people were pricing the company for extinction. We are now moving back towards the euphoria phase with a new product cycle that is about to hit us. There will probably be an iWatch. Have returned $78 billion to shareholders in the last 1.5 years. Have another $50 billion or so, to satisfy their commitment. Thinks the stock can go higher from here. Still represents excellent value.
Thinks the new watch is going to be amazing because he thinks it is going to be part of the whole point of sale transaction. It’s on your body and the biometrics is going to work and will just scan your watch when you walk out of the store. Feels the company is transforming the whole shopping experience. The ApplePay is a really, really big deal and the watch is going to sync with that.