Editor’s Note: Related tickers: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK), Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Viacom, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIAB), International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM)
Apple slowdown threatens $30 billion global supplier network (WashingtonPost)
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s slowing sales are rippling through a supplier network that has long benefited from the company’s ability to churn out iPhones and iPads. Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS), a maker of audio chips that gets 91 percent of its sales from Apple, this week reported an inventory glut that suggested slowing iPhone sales, and forecast fiscal first-quarter revenue below analysts’ estimates. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Apple’s top supplier, this month posted its biggest revenue decline in at least 13 years, indicating slower sales of smartphones, tablets and computers. Apple’s breakneck growth to $156.5 billion in revenue last year, from $24.6 billion in 2007 when the iPhone debuted, supports an ecosystem of at least 247 suppliers across the globe. They relied on Apple to deliver $30.1 billion in orders in the latest reported quarter, according to supply-chain data compiled by Bloomberg. As a result, many are now vulnerable after building up inventory in anticipation of continued growth, according to Michael Hasler, a lecturer at the University of Texas in Austin.
At $385.10, Apple Inc. ex-cash has never been so cheap (CNN)
In the fall of 2000, when you could buy Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) for $7, the stock’s value measured by how much profit it was generating for each outstanding share — the famous PE ratio — hit an all-time low of 5.76, according to Wolfram Alpha (see chart below). On Friday morning, when the stock touched $385.10, Apple’s value hit a new low. With $137.1 billion in cash and marketable securities as of December, Apple’s PE ratio ex-cash hit 5.42. That’s almost certainly a modern record for a company of this size, profitability and growth rate.
Apple Stock Falls to One-Year Low on Supplier News (ABCNews)
Shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) fell below $400 for the first time in a year and half on Wednesday, after a supplier hinted at a slowdown in iPhone and iPad production. The stock was down $21.89, or 5.1 percent, at $404.35 in early afternoon trading. Earlier in the day, it hit $398.11, the lowest level since Dec. 2011. The decline means Apple has —for now— lost its position as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company to Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), which has a market capitalization a few billion dollars above Apple’s $380 billion price tag. Late Tuesday, Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS), which supplies audio chips for the iPhone and iPad, said sales of a particular chip are slowing down as an unnamed customer moves to a newer component.
Apple Jitters Weigh on Asian Suppliers (WSJ)
Worries about falling sales at Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) spread to Asia Thursday, weighing on shares of the U.S. company’s suppliers. Apple’s shares fell 5.5% overnight after iPhone supplier Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS) warned of a large inventory write-down because of “a decreased forecast for a high-volume product” from a customer. Cirrus Logic didn’t identify the customer, but it was enough to worry investors looking for signs of falling iPhone and iPad sales. In Wednesday’s trading, Apple shares fell briefly below $400 for the first time since 2011.
Apple was reportedly in talks with Goodreads for iBooks integration (NDTV)
It appears that book-recommendation service, Goodreads had been in talks with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to integrate its service with the latter’s iBookstore, before being acquired by Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN). A report by The Wall Street Journal suggests that Goodreads and Apple were in talks on bringing Goodread’s reviews and ratings appear within iTunes’ iBookstore when users searched for a book title. The report cited people familiar with the talks to inform that the talks didn’t reach a conclusion, and when Apple executives tried to reach Goodreads again, it had got close to Amazon which insisted that it stopped talking to other companies. The report also suggests that an Apple executive not part of iBooks approached Goodreads to explore ‘other options’ but Goodreads refused.
Penguin offers to scrap Apple ebook deals to end EU antitrust case (NDTV)
British media group Pearson’s Penguin unit has offered to scrap e-book deals with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) that imposed price restrictions on Amazon and other retailers, EU antitrust regulators said on Friday. The concessions, if accepted by the European Commission, would make Penguin the fifth book publisher to settle with regulators, ending a 16-month long investigation without any finding of wrongdoing or fine. Regulators were concerned such pricing deals could hold back development of the e-book market, with higher prices for consumers. Amazon has the biggest share of that market.
For BlackBerry Users, Still No Skype (WSJ)
Even for diehard BlackBerry fans eager to defend their favorite smartphone-maker in the months since it launched a new phone this year, one question has been nagging: “Where’s Skype?” When Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) unveiled two smartphones in January, one of the few surprises at the launch event was that Skype would be available on the phones. Analysts took this as a sign that RIM’s outreach efforts to developers and big-name third party companies was gaining traction. But nearly three months later, Skype is still unavailable for the new BlackBerry Z10. Since the launch event, RIM has said Skype will be available “in the coming weeks.”
Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) to Launch new devices with BB 10 OS (PRCarbon)
It’s been speculated that the Canadian smartphone maker Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) is working to launch two or three additional BlackBerry 10 models before the end of the year. Moreover, the enthusiasts could see a mid range version of the Z10 and the Q10, in addition to A 5 inch Z10 like device. It’s obvious that the QWERTY and touchscreen phones are familiar market for BlackBerry. However a 5 inch smartphone or a tablet would be completely new ground for the phone maker. A big screen BlackBerry device would be up against some strongly established and serious competition. The new device is being named as phablet that could launch at the end of the year. Thorsten Heins, the chief executive officer of BlackBerry is zealous to take the new BlackBerry 10 operating system to new peaks. In a recent press interview Heins talked about a forthcoming addition to the smartphone range.
Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) 10 update introduces whole host of new features (USMarketBuzz)
Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) has added a whole lot of new features to its new operating system, Blackberry 10. Its new update which will be sent out to developers this week has some additions such as a higher-quality HDR option for photo takers, PIN-to-PIN messaging available within the BlackBerry Hub, and an improved text picker. …The new features have been listed out by blog site Crackberry. Users will be able to turn off alerts for specific apps, use the power button to unlock the screen at the lock screen, and paste phone numbers directly into the dialpad. New help demos and walkthroughs will also be available to help people learn about BlackBerry 10.1.
Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) Z10 grows, iPad share jumps to 82% (USMarketBuzz)
Ad network Chitika has focused on adoption of the new Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) Z10 phone and the present state of tablets in North America through the two reports published over the last two days. The new competitor to Android and iOS is getting 5.3 percent of the overall BlackBerry traffic, reflecting doubling in usage since the release of the new phone in US just 20 days back. This is great but these figures need to analysed. The network has informed that BlackBerry-based Web traffic constitutes about 1 percent of total mobile Web traffic on its network. Also, since the demand for phone is growing, this is a little slice of the insignificant share.
Vodacom Revealed Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) Q10 South Africa Launch Date (CrazyJoys)
It’s been reported that Vodacom has revealed the date of launch for Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)’s Q10. According to Vodacom, the BlackBerry Q10 will be available on the Vodacom network in early May 2013, said by a spokesperson of Vodacom recently. Network carrier firm further said that the exact pricing information and launch date will be announced soon. At the end of January 2013, BlackBerry had officially unveiled its first two new devices to run on the new BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system (OS) that come up with the touchscreen-only. BlackBerry Z10 launched in South Africa during February 2013.
