ThinkEquity analyst: Apple sell-off due to ‘inexperienced traders,’ nothing new in options story

“Investors expressed some concerns Thursday regarding the latest reports about options grants made to Apple Computer’s enigmatic chief executive officer Steve Jobs,” Paul R. La Monica reports for CNNMoney.

La Monica reports, “Despite the fact that Jobs’ name has surfaced more prominently in the most recent accounts of Apple’s options problems, Wall Street analysts largely shrugged off the news and said that it’s highly unlikely that Jobs would be forced to leave Apple. ‘Any time a CEO is at risk of being, for lack of a better word, forcibly removed, then investors should be concerned. But do I believe that Steve Jobs’ job is at risk? That’s an unequivocal no,’ said Jonathan Hoopes, an analyst with ThinkEquity Partners.”

“Hoopes said he did not think that there was much in the way of significant new disclosures about Apple in the past few days and blamed the sell-off on the inexperienced traders working the holiday week,” La Monica reports. “He added that since the company has previously announced that it is investigating the matter and is planning on restating results, investors shouldn’t fear any major bombshells.”

La Monica reports, “‘Is there anything new here? I don’t think so. Are people more aware of it today? Sure. But there is limited liquidity in the markets due to the holidays,’ Hoopes said. ‘You got a Christmas present to buy the stock yesterday and if it’s down again today, you have another Christmas present.'”

Full article here.
The Chicken Littles sure do leave a lot of cash lying around, don’t they?

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