“Merrill Lynch’s Richard Farmer has raised his price target on Apple Computer (AAPL) to $102 form $88, citing strong holiday iPod sales, which he says ‘could create upside to 4Q results.’ He also sees near-term catalysts in next week’s Macworld trade show in San Francisco – Steve Jobs will give his keynote on Monday [sic: it’s Tuesday] January 9 – and the release of December quarter results on January 17,” Eric Savitz (Barron’s) blogs.
Savitz reports, “Farmer notes that data from market research firm NPD for the first three weeks of December suggest very strong demand for iPods in the December quarter; he raised his forecast for iPod sales in the quarter to 17 million from 15.5 million. He raised his December quarter estimates to $6.5 billion in revenue and profits of 81 cents a share, from $6.3 billion and 77 cents.”
Savitz reports, “As for Macworld, Farmer has a few theories on what will be announced:”
• He notes that Jobs previewed better-than-expected iPod results at Macworld last year, and says “we would not be surprised to see the same this year.”
• At a minimum, he expects a demonstration of new feature in Mac OS Leopard, “possibly including a virtualization implementation of the current Boot Camp feature which allows the use of both Mac OS and Windows.”
• An update on the iTV product “is likely,” he says.
• New Mac Pros and displays “are also possible.”
• He says there could be previews of a wide-screen video iPod; new “ultraportable” Macs; and the much-discussed Apple cell phone. “However, we would be surprised to see detailed information on all of these areas,” he writes.
• New digital content partnerships “would not be a surprise.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Apple’s Schiller: No virtualization in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, ‘our solution is dual boot’ – July 10, 2006
Apple CEO Jobs: 2007 ‘likely to be one of the most exciting new product years in Apple’s history’ – January 03, 2007
Analyst: Reasonable consensus estimates leave Apple ‘room to surprise on the upside’ – January 03, 2007
Soleil reiterates ‘Buy’ on Apple Computer, hikes price target from $90 to $100 – January 03, 2007
S&P upgrades Apple to ‘Strong Buy’ with target price remaining at $110 – January 02, 2007
Morgan Stanley ups Apple Computer price target to $110 – December 13, 2006
Caris & Co. initiates Apple Computer coverage with target price of $100 – December 07, 2006
Prudential raises Apple Computer target price to $87 – December 07, 2006
Am Tech/JSA Research reiterates ‘Buy’ on Apple Computer, raises price target to $99 – December 04, 2006
Needham ups Apple target to $115, forecasts Macs capturing 8.3% worldwide market share by 2016 – November 30, 2006
Jim Cramer: Apple Computer is the ‘buy of the century’ – November 29, 2006
Bear Stearns raises Apple price target to $100 – November 29, 2006
S&P reiterates ‘Buy’ on Apple Computer, raises price target to $110 – November 29, 2006
Apple shares rise to record as Mac, iPod sales surge – November 28, 2006
UBS ups Apple Computer target price to $108 – November 28, 2006
ThinkEquity reiterates ‘buy’ rating, raises Apple price target to $110 – November 27, 2006
Analyst sees strong sales of Apple iPods over three-day kick-off to holiday shopping season – November 26, 2006
Banc of America raises Apple Computer price target, reiterates ‘buy’ rating – November 24, 2006
Expert: ‘Apple will be a triple-digit stock in a matter of months’ – November 21, 2006
and these guys get paid for this ?
Between now and the start of MacWorld, be prepared for more and more folks to regurgitate the same guesses that everyone has been spouting for weeks. Nothing new here, just a different mouth saying it.
It’s like Cold Reading – make it vague enough and you’ll never be wrong.
LMAO. Windows to be featured prominently at MacWorld
Monday is the 9th? Hmmm…. Wonder if he got some of the other “facts” wrong?
….so the Keynote is on Monday January 9th eh? someone needs a new desk calendar…
Seems like we heard great expectations from Steve Jobs last year too. In his defense, I think his passion & drive is much greater than technology (hardware wise) can develop. Thnx Steve, keep up the passion & good work!
How many thousands of times does Apple have to say they won’t have Windows virtualization before people start listening?
Magic 8-Ball on Macworld Expo: Windows virtualization in Leopard, iTV, Mac Pros, Displays, more.
• Mr. 8-Ball notes that Jobs previewed better-than-expected iPod results at Macworld last year, and says “Signs point to yes.”
• At a minimum, Mr. 8-Ball expects a demonstration of new features in Mac OS Leopard, “Without a doubt.”
• An update on the iTV product “Most likely,” Mr. 8-Ball says.
• New Mac Pros and displays “Concentrate and ask again.”
• Mr. 8-Ball says there could be previews of a wide-screen video iPod; new “ultraportable” Macs; and the much-discussed Apple cell phone. “Don’t count on it,” he writes.
• New digital content partnerships “As I see it, yes.”
Don’t pass the koolaid,
Windows isn’t featured at MacWorld, Windows programs on a Mac are featured.
You see, switchers think that their old Windows programs are important for the first month or so that they own their new Mac.
Then they realize how unneeded their old Windows programs really are.
Shortly after that they wonder why the hell they didn’t switch years ago.
Why don’t you get off of Microsoft’s payroll and switch to a Mac. You’ll feel much cleaner.
Hey, WAY off topic, but after a bit about the “iPhone” core LoopRumors got shut down. Anyone know anything about that?
January 9 is a Tuesday.
Looks like the guys at Merrill Lynch are reading MDN.
As RS said, Apple has stated they will NOT feature a Windows virtualization thing in Leopard. Apple has said it will always stick with a Dual Boot option and that there are other companies that offer virtualization software.
MW: needed, as in virtualization is not needed
Yea, but Apple (Jobs) used to say NO to video capabilities being added to the iPod at one time.
No video on iPods
If you want to know how good analysts are, there’s no better way than to examine their previous recommendations.
Merrill Lynch advised investors in 2003 to sell AAPL when it was trading at $14.77.
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/949/
Anybody who sold on their advice would be immensely disappointed, even more so since the stock split. That $14.77 would have been worth about $170 today.
What’s the point of listening to analysts who can be so spectacularly wrong ?
The Keynote on tuesday will suck for us whom live in Ohio … we’ll be hung over from the Ohio State game … who decided to play the game on a Monday night?
@OneRing
Maybe it’s not Win virtualization. Maybe they do away with windows all together and run Win apps natively.
Can you hear the angels singing?
Just a thought.
-c
MW: ‘ones’ (and zeroes to rule them all)
It will be another (or is it 3rd in a row) ho-hum Macworld, with the biggest hype going to “incredible, fantastic, unbelievable, record breaking sales of Macbooks and iPods” whines the scraggly-bearded Steve to another standing ovation.
When was the last time the Steve introduced something really new and innovative at Macworld?
He summed it all up in an order of likelihood I consider reasonable. And forgive them for not seeing APPL’s potential back at $14. Analysts spew out there wisdom every few weeks because that’s all the future they can see coming. Anything further is pure speculation and would only be worth Mac rumor sites.
I wouldn’t put my money on a phone right now either, but some hints towards one d’be great, don’t you think? I’ll need a new one sometimes next year. Should I wait, Steve?
Re: Don’t pass the koolaid – “LMAO”
Since you’re all ass, no amount of laughter is going to help you reduce your ass content.
Apple’s said officially, and about a hundred times by my count, that they’re not interested in developing virtualization software in their OS, or WINE-like capability. They seem to be Parallel’s biggest fans, and like dealing with the relatively uncomplicated nature of BootCamp for themselves.
Obviously, Jobs could change his mind on that without warning, but I don’t know whether that time is now. They’ll have a lot of work to do just getting Leopard ‘Mac Ready’, let alone ‘Windows Ready’ too. Maybe as a 10.5.5 addition? I just don’t see it happening at launch.
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