Microsoft Corp (MSFT)

Microsoft has just purchased LinkedIn (LNKD-N). If they can incorporate this into Microsoft Dynamics and CRM, with the ability of business to talk to business, there are definitely some synergies. Looks like the market doesn’t like this acquisition. Chart shows a pretty significant price gap in 2015, and since then has traded in the range between $50 and $55. If it breaks down much below $50, it would trigger a pretty important technical breakdown, that would target something around $40. If this doesn’t hold the $50 area, there could be trouble.

They are paying a lot for the LinkedIn (LNKD-N) acquisition. Typically, in these cases, the acquirer is the loser. This has struggled to find growth and they have to find it through an acquisition. Whether growth going to come through this acquisition and at such a lofty price, is still up for debate. Would like to see some synergies actually occur.

This was one of the more traditional tech companies that found religion with their new CEO and transitioning to a cloud-based business. This takes a while. They have had some good success, but have also had some issues with some costly acquisitions that may not pan out.

We have a fairly gentle uptrend with an attempt to re-test the highs. It is holding. As long as we stay above $45 it looks bullish.

He likes this. For years and years, this lumbering beast, ineptly managed by the 2 founders, finally got wise and brought in a CEO who understands the Cloud. They have so much room to improve their margins and increase their cash flow, and they are doing it.

A good stock and has a reasonable yield. They are trying to reinvent the company, and it looks like they are having some success. He wouldn’t have any qualms about picking this up.

(Top Pick May 19/15, Down 1.98%) It was doing its job. Model price is $49, 53% upside and he still owns it. They are migrating to a mobile chip. All they need to do is innovate. 3.25% dividend.

(Market Call Minute) A great way to play the space so hang on to it.

A perfect company for a buy and hold strategy, and where you have to pick your spots where valuation is important. He started buying this in 2012 at $24+, when it was trading at 8X earnings. Still reasonably attractive and likes its exposure to Cloud computing and its potential. The runway is massive as only 10% of storage is online.

(A Top Pick Jan 29/15. Up 21.51%.) He is continuing to buy this. They are executing very well and have some great products. The Surface was outselling iPad over the holidays. Their Cloud business is doing well. Thinks there is potential for them to do very, very well. Probably worth in the $60 range.

One of the world’s largest software companies and now an emerging global leader in Web services. Trading at 17X earnings. $7 a share in cash on the balance sheet. Dividend yield of 2.72%.

They have increased their dividend nicely over the years. They are reporting their numbers tomorrow afternoon.

Investors are looking for the cloud to be the savior as the PC market is a failing market. But the Cloud has not contributed meaningfully to their revenue. He shies away from it because the stock price reflects success with the cloud, which is highly competitive.

This topped out in 2000, and only recently made a new high going back over the last 15 years. They have their dominant operating system for PCs. Microsoft Azure is a cloud-based enterprise business, and grew 100% for them last year. They are now selling their desktop software as a subscription service, making it a much more predictable business. 3% dividend yield.

(A Top Pick Nov 27/14. Up 19.36%.) Feels this is a changed company because of the new CEO. They have some great products. Throws off lots of free cash. A good story. Thinks it has upside to around $65.