3G costs

AAPL sold 1-million 3G iphones this past weekend. At $199 per phone that works out to be $199-million in 3-days. We've learned that the previous iphone was costing Apple $246-$281 (depending on the model) to manufacture. Well, not only has Apple improved the technology behind the fancy phones, they also likely cut their production costs in half. The current 3G model could be coming in at around $100-$160 (depending on the model) to manufacture, according to speculation from a tear-down specialist company (they speculate b/c they have yet to actually tear down the new 3G).
So, that brings the profit margin, after manufacturing costs, to around $99,500,000.00 in 3-days. Not a bad weekend's work.

re-update

For posterity I'm updating the action of AAPL stock so as to follow up from this post and this post. The 30-min chart is a good near-term summary.The weekly isn't broken yet. It will likely be up to the overall strength (or lack of) in the broad markets to determine what will happen here.

update...

After my post about Apple stock yesterday, check out what today's price action did to the charts. It's fighting to stay alive that's for sure.
The 30min chart MACD diverged and went bullish while making a run at the triangles upper trend line.
The daily got support off of the 50EMA (around $174) and the MACD looks poised to cross over.This weekly chart is looking nice if it can accelerate above the handle at $185.

Is Apple Finished?

Apple stock is languishing, along with many big tech names. With three successive lower momentum highs, the stock looks like it could be gearing up to roll over and test the 200EMA back at the $156 level. Perhaps much will depend on what happens in the broad market in the short-term.
The weekly chart demonstrates a steep cup w. handle pattern which could portend higher prices in the weeks/months to come. While on the same weekly chart we see the MACD fast and slow lengths converging. A crossing of these lengths = short bias, should the lengths diverge there could be some bullish optimism.The daily chart seems to have an extended cup w. handle pattern drawn out as well. The negative aspect of it being that the handle has become over-extended which could allude to the stock price rolling over. Looking at an intra-day (30-min) chart we have a MACD about to cross down, along with a triangle/wedge pattern taking shape and resting on support. Perhaps the near-term price of Apple stock will correlate with the Nasdaq and whether we see more selling. But, it's not looking to bullish for Apple at this point.

3G

Apple's WWDC (WorldWide Developer's Conference) starts on Monday. Expectations over which include the 3rdGen iPhone. The new version is likely to include:
-GPS services-Thinner casing
-Improved virtual keyboard
-And, hopefully, a reduced pricetag.
From PC World online: "AT&T is readying its 3G network to handle potential traffic from the iPhone. AT&T this week announced that it had upgraded its 3G wireless network to reach downlink speeds of up to 1.7M bps, a 20 percent increase over previous speeds."
Apple estimates shipping 10 million iPhones in calendar 2008 (10 million x $400each = mo money).
"A number of network providers worldwide recently signed deals with Apple to offer iPhones, including Softbank in Japan, Telefonica in Spain, and Telecom Italia.The company hopes to boost iPhone adoption through iPhone 2.0, the phone's software platform that Apple might announce at WWDC. During an earnings call in April, Apple officials said the company plans to deliver iPhone 2.0 software as a free download in late June.The iPhone 2.0 includes an SDK (software developer kit) that allows developers to write applications for the iPhone, including push e-mail support through the Microsoft Exchange mail server."

iwantone

Is a price cut in store for the iphone with the intro of the next generation model? They did it with the ipod; cut the price nearly in half after releasing a few generations and working out the kinks. Before you know it, everyone and their grandmother will own an iphone.

AAPL Q2

Apple's 2nd Quarter earnings were a record-breaker. Apple "...generated $4 billion in cash flow from operations in the first half of fiscal 2008, yielding an ending cash balance of $19.4 billion... Looking ahead to the third quarter of fiscal 2008, we expect revenue of about $7.2 billion and earnings per diluted share of about $1.00." They also decided to cut out the middleman and buy a boutique chip maker P.A. Semi inc.. Currently shares are down about 3% after-hours, go figure.

AAPL Cup?

AAPL got hammered today before their Q2 earnings release tomorrow afternoon. A theory I read on the selling says that while their Q2 earnings are expected to be strong, "Apple famously gives very conservative financial forecasts that it usually ends up easily beating. Still, some have a sneaking fear that, this time, low-balling executives will turn out to mean what they say."
Which I suppose means that Apple will show strength in their Q2 numbers but nothing stellar? It seems like pretty drastic selling (compared to Google's price action prior to earnings) which I'm sure scares a lot of people who were looking to go long. It will be curious to see what happens tomorrow (my guess is sideways chop), but I can't wait to see what happens after hours tomorrow.
So, if this chart does reflect a cup w. handle, it can be measured in different ways, one of which would show us just now going into the handle stage of the pattern. It makes my head spin.
So, we could see the whole cup w. handle pattern failing.

Apple's Cup Half Empty?

I'm sure most trader's can identify this stock's chart based solely on its blatant cup-w-handle that's been setting up these past two weeks. The lack 0f volume on the second half seems to urge caution going into next week. Though U-shaped volume isn't a requirement for this pattern it does give more strength to, and confidence in, the move. It also makes me wonder whether a re-test of the $156-range is in the cards. Of course, the majority of counter-trend moves (meaning bullish moves in an overall bearish market) have mostly occurred under relatively light volume. We shall see.

spaces

Why Microsoft is looking to replace vista with v. 7....Because the competition is already there.

AAPL disappoints

Apple stock is down after hours over $19 after their earnings announcement. They posted a 57% increase in fiscal first-quarter net income. But the company's second-quarter outlook fell short with expected earnings of 94 cents a share versus Wall Street expectations of $1.09 a share. Bummer. The after-hours reaction seems a bit harsh, but considering what's going on in the overall market people need to streamline their holdings.

Apple keeps selling

Apple longs are in the house of pain after today. Not sure if it has presented a good buying opportunity or is going to correct into the 200-EMA. I didn't buy into any on Monday 'cause of the gap-up and lack of follow-through. There might be more down side to this stock over the course of the week and their earnings announcement next Tuesday should give us better footing. It's a tough call. They have the product lines, they have the cash, they have a promising future. The more it sells off though the more I want to buy into it.
I think the problem is that people don't know how great these products are unless they go mess around with them at a local Mac retail store. Check out all of the other macworld developments.
Here too.

Time to bite on Apple?

I'm thinking Monday morning is time for me to start buying into AAPL. The last 3 tests of the 100EMA proved to be good long opportunities. Those three tests also coincided with extreme oversold conditions. It seems the lack of new product enthusiasm coming to next week's macWorld has stimulated the most recent sell-off and can be the reason for a continued price decline should buyers not get excited at the '08 macworld expo. 3G iphone?!? We shall see.

upgrade

I updated my macBookPro to Leopard and am fiddling with TimeMachine and VMWare. I'm really digging the VMware, more so than when I was working with Parallels. I haven't gotten around to working on Tradestation while running in VMware, it's just a matter of time though (probably next week while I'm working on my own, faster, connection) and I'll keep this blog updated once I do. I did sit in on today's eotPro trading room while running my mac but I was signed into the trading room in windows via internet explorer. Great stuff.

Guess Who?

yep...Apple's $15.4 billion Cash Hoard...

....this is where I would insert the Brewster's Millions video clip, but it's not on youtube. Someone needs to get on it.

$200 AAPL any day now

You know nearly every holiday wish list across this country (if not the developed world) includes an iPod, iPhone, or (if you're really lucky) a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 160 GB MacBookPro with Bootcamp installed. Of course they're expecting first quarter '08 upside. Forget about RIMM, and let the feeding frenzy on AAPL stock commence.
MacWorld '08 is a month away and it's always exciting to see the new and improved products on the horizon. Consumers are expecting a lower-priced 13" laptop model their hoping will entice new buyers into the OSX platform. The 3rd generation (already) of iPhone is expected. The MacMini is expected to be kept around and upgraded. And of course there's the new iPod upgrades for the nano, shuffle, and touch models.
Pre-MacWorld = run-up in stock price. Post-MacWorld = stock price deflation.

Vista v. Leopard (Round 1)

Let the comparison commence...Harry McCracken from PCWorld states: "Compared to Windows Vista, Leopard is a meatier, more polished, more immediately useful, less annoying OS upgrade." Meanwhile, if you're looking for a laptop that runs Windows Vista you might consider getting yourself a...well, a mac! Also from PCWorld; "The fastest Windows Vista notebook we've tested this year is a Mac. Try that again: The fastest Windows Vista notebook we've tested this year--or for that matter, ever--is a Mac. Not a Dell, not a Toshiba, not even an Alienware...the MacBook's score is far more impressive simply because Apple couldn't care less whether you run Windows."

iCha-ching!

I'm off for a little vacation, to beautiful sunny Lincoln, Nebraska. I'm sure I'll post just as much as I have been lately. Maybe I'll even get some work done. Meanwhile, I can't pass it up this article where AAPL sold it's 1millionth iPhone, already!! That's a pretty amazing figure if you think about it. One million, $500-a piece, cell phones sold in two months! Crazy!

Preventing an Angry Mob

Yesterday Apple's circus show led to the announcement that the iPhone's price would be cut by $200. You could tell a lot of sheeple out there that just had to buy an iPhone for $600 two months ago are now pissed. All those people then felt like Jeff Spicoli yesterday(and Steve Jobs would be Mr Hand) wishing they could say "You Dick!" to Mr. Jobs' face. To remedy the situation Jobs announced an offer for a $100 store credit for all those loyal followers who were duped into buying an iPhone upon it's release. I don't know if there's anything in the Apple store that you could get for $100, but you have to do something to save face.

AAPL

Apple took a nose-dive just after 10:00a.m. (PST) today, as everyone sold on the news. In case you haven't checked out the Jobsfest held today check out this link on Engadget that showcases the presentation. The powerpoint presentations are enough to get you enamored with Apple's products. Some of the highlights include; a reduced price iPhone, 160Gb iPod, touchscreen 8Gb & 16Gb iPod Touch, color iPod shuffle, wifi enabled iPod...check out the engadget summary.