Einhorn’s tactics may be debatable, but it did get Apple to open up on Thursday night.
Apple issued a press release reiterating its plans to return $45 billion to shareholders through the next three years. It also pointed out that it will have accomplished $10 billion of that once its next quarterly dividend becomes payable on Valentine’s Day next week.
Einhorn is right about Apple being able to dig even deeper than it’s currently doing. Even if the majority of its $137 billion in cash and marketable securities is tied up overseas, Apple’s stock has corrected sharply since peaking last year above $700. If growth investors are concerned about the margin-crunching nature of Apple’s near-term future, it’s time to start wooing income investors to take their place.
5. Please follow me to your table
OpenTable Inc (NASDAQ:OPEN) had better save room for dessert.
The online dining reservations leader continues to grow, posting another quarter of better-than-expected growth on Thursday night. The stock didn’t pop higher since its guidance for the current quarter and all of 2013 came in a bit light, but let’s go back to the more important metrics of the concept’s popularity.
OpenTable’s flagship North American business closed out the quarter with 19,801 eateries in its system, and that’s a slight sequential uptick and a healthy 15% increase over the past year. OpenTable also seated 29.9 million diners during the quarter, 21% ahead of the foodies it helped feed a year earlier.
Critics love to argue that OpenTable is too expensive for restaurants, and that operators will eventually cut ties with the platform. Well, seeing the number of diners growing faster than the number of restaurants implies that the average restaurant is landing more diners through OpenTable.
Why mess with the menu that’s working?
One more smart move
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The article This Week’s 5 Smartest Stock Moves originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Rick Aristotle Munarriz.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Aristotle Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, LinkedIn, OpenTable, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, LinkedIn, and Walt Disney. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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