posted 04-25-2000 11:09 AM         

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> "one-third of iMac buyers are first-time computer owners. That suggests a future of ever-expanding sales as new Mac-addicts upgrade and first-timers take the plunge."

To me that suggests that iMac buyers are people who don't know any better and buy one or two Apples before moving on to Windows PCs. Apple is like AOL... they lure beginners with fancy colors and training wheels, but quickly lose them to the competition.

posted 04-25-2000 10:15 AM         

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Worth magazine ranked Steve Jobs #6 on its top CEOs list. Here's what they said:

"While most of the tech world was whipping its horses in pursuit of the next new thing, Jobs got Apple back in the hunt (and moved himself up from fifteenth on last year's list) by focusing on the first new thing: the first computer on every new buyer's desk. Apple's breakthrough iMac drew a lot of attention for its candy-colored casing, but the real triumph was the machine's success in capturing 18-to-24-year-olds while they're forming their lifelong brand preferences. Jobs, who has always believed that consumers, not businesses, are the most important market for computers, loves to point out that one-third of iMac buyers are first-time computer owners. That suggests a future of ever-expanding sales as new Mac-addicts upgrade and first-timers take the plunge. HIDDEN STRENGTH: Yes, Jobs is one helluva product design guy. But he also gets high marks for his stewardship of Apple's finances. He has done the dirty, vital work of cutting costs and rewarded shareholders with a more than 650 percent increase in Apple's market value, to $17 billion. Jobs is also doing all right in his other gig, CEO of Pixar. Toy Story 2 became the studio's third consecutive smash, grossing more than $241 million since its debut last Thanksgiving. BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY: Don't try to start the next revolution, just crank out smart, affordable consumer products, like wireless communications and networking add-ons for the new iBook laptop. Jobs really did change the world back in the 1980s when he introduced the Macintosh, "the computer for the rest of us." To persist in that vision, and not go off in search of the next big thing, shows admirable restraint. TIME MANAGEMENT TIP: Avoid ground transportation. Jobs covers the 57 miles between Pixar, in Richmond, California, and Apple, in Cupertino, by helicopter. MANAGEMENT STYLE: It only looks casual. Jobs still makes shareholder presentations in running shoes and sports shirts, but he keeps his eye on every decision. PERSONAL STRENGTHS: Passion, persuasiveness, and charisma (the notorious Jobs "reality distortion field"). WEAKNESS: "He's a better creative force than a manager," says an unnamed Pixar employee. FINANCIAL REWARD: His Apple salary is $1 a year, but the board of directors recently awarded him a $40 million Gulfstream V jet and options to buy 10 million Apple shares worth about $1.2 billion. The jet was especially useful in his never-ending quest to one-up best pal Larry Ellison, another avid collector of zillionaire toys. His 65 percent stake in Pixar is worth about $1 billion."

posted 04-20-2000 11:28 AM         

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I was barely right, but I was right.
They passed the whispers and announced a stock split. Sales jumped 27%.
Gross margins in the second quarter were 28%, a jump of 26% from the year-ago quarter. The increase was due to lower freight costs and lower DRAM pricing.

The numbers sound good to me
Apple is actually down a couple points on the news, which is somewhat suprising to me.
The good report was certainly somewhat priced in to the stock price, but not totally priced in I don't think.

posted 03-02-2000 03:54 PM         

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techbull,
you cited this quote
"Steve Jobs is one of the all-time masters of illusion, and he has gotten the best of some very smart people."
Its called being a leader...
Jobs (and Apple) doesn't need Gates as much as Gates needs Jobs though. If it weren't for Apple the Microsoft trial might be over already. Plus, where do you think Microsoft got the idea for Windows?

As much as some people don't like Macs, they do fill a few distinct niches in the computing market.

posted 02-23-2000 12:26 PM         

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Here's a quote from Andy Neff, a Bear Stearns analyst, "We believe the big picture is that Apple has transitioned from fighting to survive to a growth company and that multiple engines are driving the growth, including hardware, software, 'beyond the box' services and international markets."

More importantly, the new OSX is coming out soon, and it'll blow everyone away! Mark my words. People who have seen the demos are touting it already. They are becoming a real force to be reckoned with in the pc/internet access market I think.

posted 01-21-2000 04:12 PM         

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I agree, Jobs deserves everything they've given him. It's kind of like NBA salaries. On the surface they seem obscene and totally unjustified, but when you look at how much money an actual superstar actually brings in, the salary seems like a bargain.

Bring the same argument to Apple: the share price has moved from the low- to mid-teens level in mid-1997 up to today's level of $113 or so, and the market capitalization for the company has moved up from about $2 billion (today is has more than that in cash at the bank!) to just under $20 billion over the time period that Jobs has been back at the helm. So in a sense, they gave him a potential immediate profit of around $200 million (plus the Jet), and he was directly responsible for bringing in $18 billion. I think Jobs is getting the raw end of the deal here; Apple owes him some more money!

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