Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray Cos., talks about Apple Inc.’s fiscal second-quarter results, strategy in China and the company’s product lines:
“New product categories” is probably the biggest headline and, ultimately, the buyback is what it is, but for Apple to be a grwoth story they’ve got to continue to innovate. I think there’s just been this belief that Apple’s innovation period is in a lull or even stalled out and I think that’s probably the biggest takeaway [from today’s earning and conference call] that we’re going into a good year…
There is a cheaper phone coming… but that cheaper iPhone doesn’t play into Tim Cook’s “new product categories” comment. Historically, they have talked about “new products” and being excited about future “new products,” but they haven’t talked about “new product categories…”
I think they clearly want to do more in TV. When we talk to other players in the TV industry, they’re convinced that Apple’s going to do something there. The timing’s always been the question. This is something that people have been talking about for a long time…. So, I think that;s one thing. The second is wearable technologies. We have a little bit less insight into what’s going on there, but they hired the guy who ran wearable technologies for Motorola about a year and a half ago… And the last thing, if you want to call this a “product category,” is this idea of mobile payments. Basically, turning your phone into a digital wallet, so you don;t have to wait in line as much or worry about receipts and loyalty programs. — Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster
He speaks with Emily Chang, Cory Johnson and Jon Erlichman on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West.”
Direct link to full video here.
Samsung photocopier is also ready.
Isn’t he one of the analyst of late who has been bearish on Apple?
But he’s bullish on a Apple television.
He’s bonkers on Apple television.
Gene is one of the biggest Apple Bulls!
Not lately. Just like the rest of them, he jumped on another bandwagon. I hope he comes back though.
He’ll be back. They’ll all come crawling back. After their puerile version of Peewee’s big adventure, they’ll realize the the big dog is (1) not dying from their ineffectual nips at the ankle, (2) will continue to dominate the advancement of all commerce for the foreseeable future. Vermin, all of them.
as pygmies throwing stones at a giant.
Munster is better than some analysts and worse than others. His statements in this interview were reasonable. But I don’t put much stock in analysts, in general.
Isn’t it amazing how bullish some bearish analysts suddenly become when Apple suddenly starts “conforming” to Wall Streets expectations…..
Apple is making a rational response to an overheated situation, not overreacting but acknowledging basic market sentiment and salting the tail without altering its course in any strategic way. Lovely when you have the assets to disarm a showdown without needing to bother with altering your flight path.
Apple beats the Street.
Meanwhile, Microsoft pounds sand….
I think he’s correct. The pause is so that Apple can get it right the first time (as with iPhone and iPad) but there’s new stuff in the works that will open new categories and new growth opportunities.
So borrowing money to pass out to shareholders is innovation? Apple worked it’s ass off to get debt free and now the clueless are leading the company back into debt.
They won’t have net debt, they’ll borrow in the US instead of repatriating overseas cash, which would be more expensive to do given the US tax structure.
Could they borrow in the U.S. from an international bank and then pay it back in, say, Germany, with their overseas cash? Probably not, huh?
Does that mean that they will pay off the debt using offshore funds? is that legal?
Last time I checked, borrowing money from banks is good for the economy (as long as it’s repaid). What’s everyone so excited about this for?