Dataset Preview
The full dataset viewer is not available (click to read why). Only showing a preview of the rows.
The dataset generation failed because of a cast error
Error code: DatasetGenerationCastError
Exception: DatasetGenerationCastError
Message: An error occurred while generating the dataset
All the data files must have the same columns, but at some point there are 5 new columns ({'low', 'open', 'volume', 'high', 'close'}) and 2 missing columns ({'content', 'title'}).
This happened while the json dataset builder was generating data using
zip://data/price_data/AAPL.jsonl::/tmp/hf-datasets-cache/medium/datasets/64631397719403-config-parquet-and-info-jackzhousmu-trading-agent-76efc962/hub/datasets--jackzhousmu--trading-agents-data/snapshots/9229805bb81e3d81f06bb2d2389813ec7f4799bc/data.zip
Please either edit the data files to have matching columns, or separate them into different configurations (see docs at https://hf.co/docs/hub/datasets-manual-configuration#multiple-configurations)
Traceback: Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/datasets/builder.py", line 1831, in _prepare_split_single
writer.write_table(table)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/datasets/arrow_writer.py", line 714, in write_table
pa_table = table_cast(pa_table, self._schema)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/datasets/table.py", line 2272, in table_cast
return cast_table_to_schema(table, schema)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/datasets/table.py", line 2218, in cast_table_to_schema
raise CastError(
datasets.table.CastError: Couldn't cast
timestamp: timestamp[s]
open: double
high: double
low: double
close: double
volume: double
to
{'timestamp': Value('timestamp[s]'), 'content': Value('string'), 'title': Value('string')}
because column names don't match
During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/src/services/worker/src/worker/job_runners/config/parquet_and_info.py", line 1339, in compute_config_parquet_and_info_response
parquet_operations = convert_to_parquet(builder)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/src/services/worker/src/worker/job_runners/config/parquet_and_info.py", line 972, in convert_to_parquet
builder.download_and_prepare(
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/datasets/builder.py", line 894, in download_and_prepare
self._download_and_prepare(
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/datasets/builder.py", line 970, in _download_and_prepare
self._prepare_split(split_generator, **prepare_split_kwargs)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/datasets/builder.py", line 1702, in _prepare_split
for job_id, done, content in self._prepare_split_single(
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages/datasets/builder.py", line 1833, in _prepare_split_single
raise DatasetGenerationCastError.from_cast_error(
datasets.exceptions.DatasetGenerationCastError: An error occurred while generating the dataset
All the data files must have the same columns, but at some point there are 5 new columns ({'low', 'open', 'volume', 'high', 'close'}) and 2 missing columns ({'content', 'title'}).
This happened while the json dataset builder was generating data using
zip://data/price_data/AAPL.jsonl::/tmp/hf-datasets-cache/medium/datasets/64631397719403-config-parquet-and-info-jackzhousmu-trading-agent-76efc962/hub/datasets--jackzhousmu--trading-agents-data/snapshots/9229805bb81e3d81f06bb2d2389813ec7f4799bc/data.zip
Please either edit the data files to have matching columns, or separate them into different configurations (see docs at https://hf.co/docs/hub/datasets-manual-configuration#multiple-configurations)Need help to make the dataset viewer work? Make sure to review how to configure the dataset viewer, and open a discussion for direct support.
timestamp timestamp[us] | content string | title string |
|---|---|---|
2015-05-01T06:45:50 | Tim Seymour spoke on [CNBC's Fast Money Final Trade](http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000375583) about **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)). He would buy it between $118 and $122.
Jon Najarian thinks that **Skyworks Solutions Inc** (NASDAQ: [SWKS](/stock/swks#NASDAQ)) could reach $100 and he wants to buy it.
Karen Finerman is a buyer of **Golar LNG Limited (USA)** (NASDAQ: [GLNG](/stock/glng#NASDAQ)). She expects to see growth in the liquefied natural gas space.
Guy Adami said that **Freeport-McMoRan Inc** (NYSE: [FCX](/stock/fcx#NYSE)) had a nice move higher and he thinks that it is going to continue to trade higher. | Fast Money Picks For May 1 |
2015-05-01T08:41:23 | Sporting his **Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** Watch in an [interview with Re/code](http://recode.net/2015/04/30/ford-ceo-we-wont-take-a-back-seat-to-google-and-apple/), **Ford Motor Company (NYSE: [F](/stock/f#NYSE))** CTO Raj Nair indicated that there is room for the auto company to work closely with Apple and **Google Inc (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ))** in developing car software. Yet, the CTO strongly indicated that Ford would play the lead role by saying, "We want to make sure that you are not pushed into a decision on a $40,000 car based on your $200 smartphone."
In its next version, Ford's main system, SYNC, will operate on **BlackBerry Ltd's (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ))** QNX. The software, however, will include new apps and functionality to interface with both Google's Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay. Those systems will be secondary to SYNC.
Earlier this year, Ford opened a Silicon Valley Research and Innovation Center led by a former Apple engineer. The company plans to have 125 software and user experience engineers, as well as business development, IT and marketing positions by the end of 2015.
Year to date, Ford gained 2 percent. The stock has been stable over the past 52 weeks, trading in a $5 range between $13.26 and $18.12. | How Ford, Apple and Google Fit Together in the Car |
2015-05-01T10:10:01 | In a report published Friday, Wunderlich analysts maintained a Buy rating on **Time Warner Cable Inc Inc** (NASDAQ: [TWC](/stock/twc#NASDAQ)), while reducing the price target from $190 to $180.
Time Warner Cable reported improved 1Q subscriber activity at +692K PSUs. The subscriber activity was "a moonshot relative to its condition a year ago, but with lower-than-expected pricing partially off lower on-boarding promotional pricing for new relationships," the analysts pointed out.
The company guided to near flat 2015E OIBDA (vs. $8,229mm in 2014) with an increase to the $9.0bn vicinity in 2016. "We had anticipated Q1's higher expense revelation but were admittedly disappointed by pricing with 2015 sales now $175mm light of our prior estimates," the report by Wunderlich said.
The analysts expect more bullish cable product roadmap sentiment around next week's INTX 2015 NCTA (National Cable Television Association) show in Chicago next week.
Time Warner's Maxx initiative introduced all-digital content and the user experience is now closer to what one enjoys with the X1 platform introduced by **Comcast Corporation** (NASDAQ: [CMCSA](/stock/cmcsa#NASDAQ)). Moreover, the company's Xbox One app now offers live streaming for approximately 300 channels.
"We expect TWC to be fairly amenable to working with OTT providers while rationally preferring to retain the primary user interface (UI) and billing relationship," the analysts wrote. The next development on the OTT front could come from Apple CEO Tim Cook, stating that **Apple Inc** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) may provide detail on its TV ambitions in June.
The EPS estimate for 2015 has been reduced from $8.37 to $7.69, while the EPS estimate for 2016 has been raised from $9.20 to $9.31. | Wunderlich: Time Warner Cable Worth $180/Share On 'Organic-Only' Basis |
2015-05-01T10:59:13 | Apple, IBM Partner With Japan Post To Serve An Aging Japanese Population
On Thursday, **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) [announced](https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2015/04/30Japan-Post-Group-IBM-and-Apple-Deliver-iPads-and-Custom-Apps-to-Connect-Elderly-in-Japan-to-Services-Family-and-Community.html) that it would be partnering with International Business Machines (NYSE: [IBM](/stock/ibm#NYSE)) and **Japan Post Holdings Co.** to serve Japan's elderly population. The three are planning to improve the quality of life for senior citizens in Japan through the use of Apple's iPads and Microsoft software.
**Adding Technology**
Japan Post, which owns the majority of the nation's post offices and several large banks, created a Post Office Watch service in 2013, in which postal service workers checked in with elderly Japanese citizens and reported back to their families on their condition. Now, the Watch will add technology into its service.
**iPads For The Elderly**
The iPads will boast state of the art technology designed specifically to help monitor users' health and maintain their connection to friends and family they otherwise wouldn't see. IBM has designed a suite of software to assist with healthy living by reminding users to take medication, exercise and eat properly.
In addition to the iPad's traditional features like Facetime, Messaging and Mail, the devices will also include IBM created programs that do everything from alerting the user of community activities to facilitating grocery services.
**Apple And IBM Forging A Future**
The deal represents a major step forward for Apple's partnership with IBM, which is expected to bring Apple's devices into the workplace, but has also been touted as a new opportunity for both firms to start a global initiative. Caring for aging populations has long been a concern for countries across the world, so the success of this program in Japan could push other nations to implement a similar system to support their own elderly generation. | Apple, IBM Partner With Japan Post To Serve An Aging Japanese Population |
2015-05-01T13:59:19 | Skyworks Solutions Inc.'s (NASDAQ: [SWKS](/stock/swks#NASDAQ)) semiconductors
will continue to gain content share in high-end smartphones in 2015 while its growth in broader markets for connectivity should top 20 percent, an analyst said Friday.
Woburn, Massachusetts-based Skyworks gained about 6 percent recently to $97.75; Late Thursday, the company beat the quarterly consensus and offered a better-than-expected outlook.
Canaccord's T. Michael Walkley said the company's 58 percent fiscal second-quarter revenue growth, to $762 million, stemmed from better business with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) and Samsung Electronics (OTC: [SSNLF](/stock/ssnlf#OTC)), as well as a 27 percent increase in non-handset related markets.
Walkley raised his target on Skyworks about 6 percent to $108, reiterating a Buy rating.
SkyWorks' "leading position" in non-handset markets is "under-appreciated" by investors, in the view of Bank of America's Vivek Arya, who sees a big opportunity or the company in the so-called Internet of Things connectivity market.
Arya forecast total revenue growth of between 12 percent and 14 percent in 2016 and 2017, and maintained a Buy rating and $115 target.
But others are less convinced, with Equal Weight ratings on SkyWorks maintained Friday by both Harsh Kumar of Stephens as well as Barclay's Blayne Curtis.
SkyWorks pricing and margins "may reset more in line with other mobile suppliers" within a couple of years as the supplier base expands, Curtis said.
Brean's Michael Burton said the "biggest surprise" for investors is SkyWork's forecast for a wider-than-expected June-quarter margin.
Margin in the recent period came in sequentially flat at 46.7 percent but the company forecast a June quarter margin of of 48 percent.
Burton maintained a Buy rating and $110 target but boosted his earnings estimate 3.6 percent to $5.12 a share. Analysts on average expect $4.92 a share | Analysts See More Growth For Skyworks Solutions Inc. |
2015-05-01T14:29:33 | With some **Apple Inc (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** enthusiasts arguing that the Apple Watch will end up as one of the most successful products of all time, here’s a look at the kind of competition the watch is up against, according to [24/7 Wall St](http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/05/08/the-best-selling-products-of-all-time-2/2/). Below is a list of the 10 best-selling products of all time.
**10. Toyota Corolla**
**Toyota Motor Co’s (NYSE: [TM](/stock/tm#NYSE))** Corolla is the best-selling car model in history, selling more than 40 million units since its introduction in 1966.
**9. Michael Jackson’s *Thriller***
*Thriller* is the best-selling album of all time, selling 70 million copies worldwide.
*8. **Harry Potter***
J.K. Rowling’s smash hit book series is the highest-selling series of all time with over 450 million units sold. *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* has sold more than 107 million units alone.
**7. iPad**
Much like the Apple Watch, the iPad had plenty of skeptics when it first debuted. However, Apple has now sold more than 250 million units of the popular tablet.
**6. Mario Bros. Franchise**
According to Nintendo, more than 262 million units of the “core” Mario Bros. game have been sold around the world.
**5. Rubik’s Cube**
Comparably much simpler to construct than many of the other products on this list, the iconic toy that debuted in the 1980s has sold more than 350 million units worldwide.
**4. Star Wars**
Although **The Walt Disney Co (NYSE: [DIS](/stock/dis#NYSE))** now owns Lucasfilm, the rights to the first six Star Wars movies are still owned by **Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (NASDAQ: [FOXA](/stock/foxa#NASDAQ))**. Those six movies, including special editions and re-releases, have grossed a grand total of an inflation-adjusted $4.6 billion worldwide.
**3. Lipitor**
**Pfizer Inc’s (NYSE: [PFE](/stock/pfe#NYSE))** popular cholesterol drug happens to be the top-selling drug of all time, accounting for more than $141 billion in sales for its parent company.
**2. PlayStation**
**Sony Inc’s (NYSE: [SNE](/stock/sne#NYSE))** PlayStation gaming console is the best-selling console in history. Since the release of the original PlayStation in 1995, Sony has fended off competition from the likes of **Sega**, Nintendo and **Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ))** and managed to sell a whopping 400 million units.
**1. iPhone**
Nobody could have predicted the way that the iPhone would take the world by storm when it launched less than a decade ago. Apple has sold more than half a billion iPhones, and sales numbers continue to grow. | The Top 10 Best-Selling Products In History |
2015-05-01T14:52:27 | *This article was originally published on Moneyball Economics, home of the world's most [unique economic commentary](http://www.moneyballeconomics.com/).*
Ty Cobb was a famous baseball player. Infamous, really. He set 90 Major League baseball records, some of which continue today. He was skillful but also mean; he had a reputation for playing dirty. Cobb was known for spiking other players: sharpening his cleats and sliding into them. Nobody much liked playing against him.
**Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) is the Ty Cobb of corporate America. Like Cobb, Apple has set some impressive records. Nine years, a trillion dollars in sales, and almost no taxes paid. Apple risks having a legacy of tainted success and isolation.
### The Apple Way
There’s a story I heard about electronics company Sharp. The company was about to go bankrupt and default on some major debt. This put Apple at risk, since Sharp was a major source of Apple’s LCD screens. The story goes that rather than come to Sharp’s aid, Apple instead approached the bankers and offered to buy the factory assets after bankruptcy – for pennies on the dollar of course. Talk about kicking someone when they’re down! True or not, when I share that story with others who have dealt with Apple, they shrug their shoulders and say that they aren’t surprised. That’s the Apple way.
Related Link: [Vice Spending Is Slowing, Except For Pot Sales](http://www.benzinga.com/news/15/04/5441235/vice-spending-is-slowing-expect-for-pot-sales)
Business is not a popularity contest, but when the winner-take-all, cripple-the-other-guy approach goes too far and begins to damage the economy, it’s time to rein things in.
The issue at hand is the way Apple’s relentless greed has undermined the US economy and damaged its future industrial competitiveness. All so Apple can make $5 more per phone.
After oil and cars, smartphones are the US’ biggest import. Almost $100 billion of phones was imported in 2014 (per the Census Bureau). Half of them were Apple iPhones.
The trade in smartphones cuts two ways:
* It is singlehandedly keeping afloat the economies of China, Taiwan, Korea and Vietnam.
* The flip side is that it is steadily hurting the US economy, as I’ll show in a moment.
### The Winners’ Circle
*Korea*: Roughly half of Korea’s IT exports are cell phone handsets or semiconductors. Thus Korea’s total exports are growing only as long as IT exports do. For Korea, with a slowing economy, the smartphone is the only thing standing between them and a big recession.
*Taiwan*: It’s the same story but even more so because Taiwan’s portfolio of exports is more tied to high-tech (unlike Korea which also sells ships and cars). Taiwan’s economy depends on exports which in turn depend on smartphone sales.
*China*: While China has a much larger and more varied economy than Korea or Taiwan, its growth is also now driven by smartphone exports to the US. China’s total exports to the US now rise and fall on the US consumers’ appetites for the next phone.
### The US’ Loss is Everyone Else’s Gain
It’s like an unintended Marshall Plan for the 21st Century. The US is transferring $100 billion a year to three Asian economies, creating over a million jobs and helping them accelerate up the high-tech manufacturing ladder so that US jobs are now in jeopardy. In other words, the standard complaints about corporate America off-shoring production. But there’s a twist: the high-tech competitive advantage that we are losing has bigger, costlier consequences.
“Hold on a minute!” you might say. Assume that handing a $100 billion+ high-tech industry to Asia can’t possibly be in the US’s long-term economic interest. Why blame Apple? For starters, because Apple started the hollowing out of American semiconductor dominance and made certain that the critical jobs and manufacturing went offshore. Secondly, with 50 percent of the US smartphone market, Apple is the only company which can make an impact, but it won’t because that means losing $5 per phone.
### Apple Undermining US Manufacturing
Nine years, a trillion dollars in sales, and almost no taxes paid. That’s just the starting point for wondering about Apple’s actual contribution to the US economy.
Apple’s success drags down the US GDP. The behemoth that is Apple sold almost 200 million phones last year, none of which were made in the US or used components made here. Instead of exporting $100 billion in iPhones, the US imported $50 billion. That $150 billion swing matters in terms of balance of trade, GDP and jobs. If you wanted to improve the US economy, there’s no better place to start than with Apple and smartphones.
Apple undermines the US manufacturing base. Assembly matters and manufacturing matters more. There was a time when Apple could have assembled phones and tablets in the US, but that would mean spending an extra $5 per phone since that’s approximately the extra labor cost to build that $700 phone here instead of in Vietnam or China. Assembly may not be a competitive, value-add step but it does employ a lot of people.
Unfortunately, it would also cut Apple’s profits by $1 billion, shrinking the company’s annual net income from $45 billion to $44 billion. Apple wouldn’t notice a drop in profits of $1 billion because it’s not putting its cash to use: Apple has $200 billion in cash conveniently parked outside of the US, not doing anything. On the other hand, assembling in the US would employ tens of thousands of people. A bit more productive use of capital, I believe.
Semiconductor manufacturing is more important in the grand scheme of things. It’s a fact that higher-skilled high-tech jobs create more wealth for an economy because they lead to innovation and new product development. Again, Apple could have its chips made in the US, by **Intel Corporation** (NASDAQ: [INTC](/stock/intc#NASDAQ)) for example. Instead, Apple turned to **Samsung** (Korea) and **TSMC** (Taiwan), going offshore to save another few dollars.
With a healthy dose of Schadenfreude, one notes Apple’s struggles to compete with Samsung, its past and present chip manufacturer. When Apple turned to Samsung to manufacture chips, the company also transferred vital intellectual property. Samsung learned everything it needed to know to design its own chips and phones. Apple saved ~$2 billion per year. In return, Samsung gained $100 billion a year in smartphone market share.
But while Apple’s greed makes it penny wise and pound foolish, it’s the US that pays the price. Shifting manufacturing of the most cutting-edge chips has permanently eroded our manufacturing base and high-tech competitive edge.
Should the US offer a $1 billion annual manufacturing subsidy to Apple? Well, it actually already does, except the amount is closer to $15 billion. As part of Apple’s ‘Zen and the Art of Freeloading,’ Apple has found arcane tax rules that funnel sales through Ireland and dodge US taxes. The Senate found that in 2011 Apple paid the IRS just $2.5 billion in taxes on $128 billion in sales. Before someone points out that Apple’s success boosts US employment by a few thousand workers, the US economy would get much more of a boost if Apple didn’t work so hard to dodge its fair share of taxes.
### Intel And US Economy Struggle Together
Intel, on the other hand, is a positive contributor to the US GDP. Intel’s factories are largely US based. Its $50 billion in annual sales means more US exports and fewer imports, the exact opposite of Apple.
Sadly, Intel is struggling. Its sales have been flat for four years in a row and the company’s product line doesn’t fit consumer demand. The PC world continues to stagnate and Intel’s semiconductor offerings are not used in the tablet, smartphone and wearable device world.
A big part of Intel’s problems is that it faces competition from the very companies that Apple directly employs (Samsung, TSMC). The result is falling production and a loss of competitive edge, both of which directly reduce the US economic strength. Last year Intel canceled a new factory in Austin. That was the first tangible sign that market share loss to TSMC and Samsung was taking a toll on Intel: lower demand for Intel products meant no need to expand production. Fast forward to this month: Intel’s latest earnings announcement included a steep reduction in capital spending – a 15 percent cut.
Intel tried to spin the CAPEX cut as a harmless thing when in fact it is a big blow to the company’s future. Intel’s entire competitive edge is determined by its ability to out-produce the competition and to be the technology leader. Ultimately Intel is just a manufacturer. Its issues are the typical problems plaguing economies of scale that come with improving production yield.
In the semiconductor world, yield is a real estate game. Semiconductors are built on 300mm silicon platters (aka wafers) and the manufacturing process follows a modern form of the lost wax casting technique: light-sensitive chemicals are layered on the silicon and ‘melted off’ via light. This creates channels that get built up like a layer cake and eventually become the transistors and resistors. The smaller you make that wavelength of light, the smaller the channels and the more transistors you can pack on that wafer. I call it a real estate game because it’s the equivalent difference between building 10-story and 40-story apartment buildings: same land, more money.
Intel has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to shrinking the light wavelength. It can crank out more chips per wafer, and has more factories to do the cranking. This enabled Intel to control the pace at which the industry shifted to smaller wavelengths. For Intel, it meant profit maximization because the company effectively dictated pricing and timing.
Well, not any more. Today, Intel faces stiff competition from Samsung and TSMC, both of whom can produce at similar volumes and using similar cutting-edge technologies. That’s really what the CAPEX cut meant: Intel has lost control. It’s incredibly difficult to regain control when you have not one, but two aggressive rivals.
### How The US Has Fallen Behind
The big problem here is that the US lacks an industrial policy. China, Taiwan and Korea’s governments very clearly understand the economic importance of high-tech design and production. The US government… not so much. China fully understands the importance of high-tech jobs and especially semiconductors: it has ear-marked $10 billion in direct subsidies (or investments, as they euphemistically deem them). This isn’t steel or cement. Whoever produces the semiconductor chips has an edge with high-tech devices, and that means trillions of dollars.
I’m not suggesting that the US become protectionist. In some ways this is just another industry where our trading partners subsidize and incentivize local design and development and penalize foreign imports and production, all while the US government does nothing.
Except this time it is different. The US’ ability to make more or fewer cars was an economic and jobs issue. The US’ ability to stay competitive in the semiconductor space is a national security issue. Semiconductors are the engines for high-tech products, like super computers. Having the most powerful super computers is the linchpin of the US national security platform. (This is why it’s also an area of prime focus for the Chinese government.) With high-tech determining the economic growth of every country, enabling another nation to be more competitive makes no sense.
What is the burden of having Apple be the best it can be? Nine years, a trillion dollars in sales, and almost no taxes paid. And while Apple helps Samsung and TSMC build factories in China, Intel is shuttering factories in the US.
I have no issue with corporate greed per se; more often than not there’s a balance with the public good (lower prices, better products and services). When things become imbalanced, it falls on us, as a society, to re-align things. We need to step in here.
### What to Do?
First, boycott Apple products. If you buy an Android phone you can take comfort in knowing that some of that money comes back to the US via Google, which does a lot to support the US economy. Second, let’s encourage Congress to close the tax loopholes that let companies like Apple hide from taxes. Third, don’t support a one-off tax moratorium on cash brought in from offshore. These companies are dying to bring the money back anyway. They dodged taxes to get it offshore, and now they want to continue dodging them to bring it back? No way. | When Will Apple Stop Screwing The US Economy? |
2015-05-04T08:00:09 | The bull market that begun post the financial crisis hasn’t seen a meaningful correction till now and this seems to be a growing concern among many investors.
Among them is legendary activist investor and Chairman of **Icahn Enterprises LP** (NASDAQ: [IEP](/stock/iep#NASDAQ)), Carl Icahn. He was on Wall Street Week recently to discuss the markets and the hedging strategies he is using to safeguard his portfolio from a possible correction.
### The Concerns
“I am very concerned about the market,” Icahn said. “I think you have a situation where this market keeps going up and up with zero interest rates and that’s what really pushing it and yet a lot of the economic news isn’t all that good and also perhaps more importantly earnings aren’t good.”
“So, here you have a market trading at 17-18 times multiples, the S&P and you wouldn’t buy a stock that trades at 18 times that you believe has earnings [go down 3 percent].”
### Hedging
On being asked whether he has hedged his portfolio for a correction, Icahn said, “We are very hedged”.
### You Can’t Hedge Apple That Much
Icahn was asked what instruments or methods are used by his firm for hedging. He replied, “It’s really difficult to do a great job hedging because we got these long positions. With Apple you can’t really hedge that much, but I feel so secure with Apple. Maybe [I hope I am not going to be wrong] that if it goes down I just buy more.”
### The Junk Bond Market
He continued, “So, I don’t worry, but a lot of the companies…I hedge and I tell you there’s way to hedge and this is we do these derivatives and it gets a little arcane, but what I really this is its what’s even more dangerous than the actual stock markets is the high-yield market, in other words the junk bond market.”
According to Icahn the junk bond market is “ridiculously high”. | Carl Icahn: "I Am Very Concerned About The Market" |
2015-05-04T08:09:26 | In a report published Monday, Jefferies analyst Sundeep Bajikar argued that **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))'s Apple Pay service is likely to be one of the most "compelling killer" apps for the Apple Watch.
"We think the convenience of using Apple Pay on Apple Watch with or without a tethered iPhone, while ensuring a higher level of security and privacy as compared to using physical credit cards, is likely to gain traction as a smarter way to pay," Bajikar wrote.
Bajikar continued that "Apple Pay 2.0" with browser-based payments and loyalty card support would further increase the "relevance" and "persistence" of Apple Pay. In fact, the analyst noted that by the end of 2016, roughly 90 percent of the global iPhone installed base would be Apple Pay compatible.
According to Bajikar, the Apple Watch is also well positioned to become a convenient and secure "repository" of "electronic credentials" including airline boarding passes, membership cards, hotel room key.
However, despite the positive opinion of Apple Pay, the analyst stated that the service is unlikely to be an "earnings per share needle mover" for Apple. Rather, the convenience of Apple Pay could drive increased adoption of Apple products, including iPhone and Watch.
Finally, Bajikar pointed out that Apple Pay will see increased competition from **Samsung Electronics Co Ltd**'s similar offering, Samsung Pay. The company has already stated it will roll out Samsung Pay in the U.S. (and Korea) in the bottom half of 2015 and is described as "triple secured" through fingerprint authentication and other advanced security features
Bottom line, since Samsung Pay integrates both near-field touch (NFC) and conventional magstripe-based payment technologies, it could potentially see broader adoption than Apple Pay that is NFC-only compatible.
Shares of Apple are Hold rated with a $135 price target. | Jefferies Sees Apple Pay As A 'Compelling Killer' App For Apple Watch |
2015-05-04T09:08:50 | **Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** is facing its first lawsuit over its HealthKit and Health App from a company that developed a portable, secure device that carries a patient's medical history, [according to Patently Apple](http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2015/05/inventors-of-medical-apps-sue-apple-over-healthkit-and-health-app.html). The company, LMG 3, was awarded the patent in 2007 and had been marketing the device to major health care institutions.
LMG 3's main complaint revolves around Apple's assertion that it "solved" a major problem, which LMG 3 solved in 2002 and 2003 with the creation of its device. In fact, the complaint quotes Apple's Senior Vice President Craig Federighi and Engineer Justin Rushing as evidence. The article notes that "despite Mr. Federighi's proclamation, the only ‘revolution' at work was that big players in the electronic and health industries had finally woken up to the patient-records crisis described in the Asserted Patents."
Apple has not yet responded to the lawsuit, which was filed in New Jersey District Court on Thursday, April 30. | Does Apple's Big Health App Infringe on This Company's Patents? |
2015-05-04T10:52:13 | *Joel Elconin is the co-host of [Benzinga's #PreMarket Prep](https://soundcloud.com/bztv), a daily trading idea radio show.*
S&P 500 index futures were trading higher by 11 points at 2112.50 in Monday's session. The index has followed through on Friday's rally, eclipsing the pair of highs at 2102.50, reaching 2115 so far in today's session and not backing off much from that level.
All of its top 10 components are in the green except for **Microsoft Corporation** (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ)), which is trading lower by $48.54. The index is being lead by **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), whose shares trading higher by $0.80 at $129.75 and **Berkshire Hathaway Inc** (NYSE: BRK.B) 'B\ shares which are trading higher by $2.10 at $145.46. Earlier Monday, the company reported a Q1 beat for EPS $1.72, which were up 20.2 percent and for revenues at $49.7 billion, up 44 percent year-over-year.
The all-time high for the index stands at 2119.75 that was made on April 27.
Shares of the **SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust** (NYSE: [SPY](/stock/spy#NYSE)) were up $0.88 at $211.60. | S&P 500 Index Futures Trading Higher |
2015-05-04T11:10:35 | The Internet of Things has seen a flurry of innovation over the past few years as firms look to automate more and more aspects of the public's life. One of the most talked about developments in the growing push for automation has been self-driving cars, something several companies claim they will have up and running within the next decade. Although critics say a driverless car is still far from becoming a reality, some investors are looking to get in on the ground floor by investing in companies that are developing this type of technology.
**Big Names**
**Google Inc.** (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) has been a big name in driverless technology; the company recently announced that it was working to begin testing its version of a self driving car as early as the end of 2015. **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) has also been [rumored](http://time.com/3709763/apple-car-lab/) to be working on its own self driving prototype. In February, **Sony** (NYSE: [SNE](/stock/sne#NYSE)) tested the driverless car waters by [investing](http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/5e4ac168-b4c4-11e4-b2b0-00144feab7de.html?siteedition=intl#axzz3ZAJA6hDd) more than $800,000 into a Japanese startup that focuses on developing autonomous vehicle technology.
**Components**
Big name companies aren't the only ones who stand to benefit from a driverless car revolution. Companies like **Mobileye NV** (NYSE: [MBLY](/stock/mbly#NYSE)), which designs sensors that alert drivers of possible collisions and **STMicroelectronics** (NYSE: [STM](/stock/stm#NYSE)), which makes Mobileye's sensors, are also great plays in the autonomous vehicle space. Dutch navigation company **TomTom** (OTC: [TMOAF](/stock/tmoaf#OTC)) could also see a[major revival](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/04/us-tomtom-autos-idUSKBN0NP0DZ20150504) with the advent of driverless cars as the company's extensive location data could become a necessity for firms looking to roll out automated cars. | Here's Where To Invest If You Believe In Self-Driving Cars |
2015-05-05T07:44:35 | **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) is reportedly pushing music labels to stop Spotify from streaming free, ad-supported music. If true, Apple could be looking to diminish the service's user base, which includes more than [45 million free listeners](https://press.spotify.com/us/information/) and more than 15 million paid subscribers.
Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry said he does not know if Apple is trying to do that. But he is not a fan of free services.
"Nothing can be free forever," Chowdhry told Benzinga. "Either you pay for advertisement or you pay for subscription. The days of doing free stuff is almost over. We have seen the results from many companies. Basically, what free says is, your product is so d\*\*\* bad, nobody will buy it."
Chowdhry said that free services will have more users, but he's still against the concept. He said that if consumers aren't willing to work for free, why should they expect to take the work of others without paying?
"I don't think companies can live off the charities of shareholders," he said. "I think this is a natural progression of realization that free is not an option. You also have to have a product that's so good people are willing to pay at least $0.99."
Related Link: [Apple's 'Massive' Quarter Shows The Company Is A 'Juggernaut Across The Board'](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/04/5447632/apples-massive-quarter-shows-the-company-is-a-juggernaut)
### 'You Gotta Prove It's Actually True'
Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, wasn't quick to believe the report on Apple's behind-the-scenes behavior.
"You gotta prove that it's actually true," Udall told Benzinga. "I don't think Apple would secretly work behind the scenes to kill all free streaming music. It doesn't make sense, especially since they're putting more efforts into iTunes Radio. Everything I hear is with the Beats subscription, you're gonna have a free and paid version of that."
According to [The Verge](http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/4/8540935/apple-labels-spotify-streaming), one music industry source referred to Apple as a "cutthroat" organization. Udall was not bothered by this assessment.
"Businesses are in the business to make money, and if you're not somewhat cutthroat, you'll get run over," he said. "I've never once said Apple isn't somewhat cutthroat."
Udall might accept Apple's behavior while doubting the validity of the report, but he said he would be "flat-out mad" if Apple kills ad-supported music.
"I think that'd be a mistake," said Udall.
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | Is Apple Really Trying To Stop Spotify From Streaming Free Music? |
2015-05-05T08:23:38 | In a report published Tuesday, Pacific Crest Securities analysts maintained an Overweight rating on **Qorvo Inc** (NASDAQ: [QRVO](/stock/qrvo#NASDAQ)), with a price target of $80, ahead of the company's earnings report.
"We see a favorable risk/reward ahead of earnings and would be opportunistic buyers of QRVO," the analysts said. Qorvo share price has plunged 12.8 percent so far this quarter, versus a 1.3 percent gain in the SOXX. Following the downturn, the company's share price already reflects:
1. Weakness in smartphone demand in China
2. Market share loss in Samsung's GS6 to **Skyworks Solutions Inc** (NASDAQ: [SWKS](/stock/swks#NASDAQ))
3. Improved positioning on MediaTek’s second-generation LTE SoC, which is ramping this quarter
The analysts expect Qorvo to announce in-line results and guidance. However, there could be significant improvement in the company's fundamentals in 2H15, with content gains expected at **Apple Inc** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) of over 10 percent and Qorvo could benefit from "the ramp of LTE, as it will be fully ramped at MediaTek."
"Longer term, we continue to believe Qorvo remains extremely well positioned to benefit from increasing content opportunities from RF complexity and the shift to LTE," the report mentioned, while adding that there could be "outsized earnings growth" from more than $150 million in cost synergies from the merger of **TriQuint Semiconductor** (NASDAQ: [TQNT](/stock/tqnt#NASDAQ)) and **RF Micro Devices, Inc.** (NASDAQ: [RFMD](/stock/rfmd#NASDAQ)). | PacCrest Reiterates Qorvo At 'Overweight' |
2015-05-05T11:56:36 | IHS Technology recently published a report in which it argued that the Apple Watch has the lowest ratio of Hardware Costs to Retail Price than any other **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) product.
Wayne Lam, IHS Technology, [was on CNBC](http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000376564) Monday to discuss how the firm came at figure of $84 for the hardware costs of Apple Watch.
### The Highlight: Unique Design
“These are just a snapshot of the hardware cost, actual physical component cost,” Lam said. “So, there are other costs that are absolutely going to be baked in. We don’t want to use this as an indicator as to the gross margins of what Apple gets in terms of the product, but what we found is a really unique design.”
“The design of the Apple Watch differs quite a bit from other smart watches especially from the Android space and it has shares more in common with a implantable medical devices than it does with consumer devices.”
He continued, “So, really novel designs, really interesting cost points. Lots of emphasis and attention towards user interface, lots of costs around the display, sensors and of course enclosure and this is the lowest model of course the stainless steel model and the gold model would be substantially higher in terms of costs.”
### The Difference
Lam was asked how different the components of Apple Watch are from components of other smart wearables in the market. He replied, “I think its philosophy and design. The other smartwatches on the market right now are really taking a smartphone design and shrinking it to your wrist whereas the Apple design is more a piece of fine Jewellery.” | IHS Technology Analyst Explains Why Apple Watch Is 'Unique' Even After Having Lowest Ratio of Hardware Costs to Retail Price |
2015-05-05T12:08:15 | Automated assistants that respond to smartphone users' voice commands have been around for years, with developers improving the services constantly in order to make their offerings "smarter". These intelligent assistants are able to learn from their users by remembering search options and adapting to their pronunciation, leading many to believe that the tech field is bordering on developing machines whose capacity to make decisions closely mimics that of a human.
**The Smartest Machine**
**Apple Inc.**'s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) Siri, **Microsoft Corp**'s (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ)) Cortana and **Amazon.com Inc.**'s (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ)) Echo have been battling it out to create the automated assistant that makes the most helpful companion. While each service boasts its own benefits, they all lack something that Facebook says it will be able to provide— advanced artificial intelligence.
**Facebook Sets Its Sights On Common Sense**
**Facebook Inc.**'s (NASDAQ: [FB](/stock/fb#NASDAQ)) artificial intelligence research department says it is working on a [new brand of assistant](http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/05/01/at-the-heart-of-facebooks-artificial-intelligence-human-emotions/) that will have common sense rather than a scripted list of responses. The company says it is developing an assistant that can recognize activities in photos and videos and understand emotions.
**Machine Learning**
Yann LeCun, Facebook's director of artificial intelligence research told the Wall Street Journal that the company's research centers on "machine learning", a way of providing a computer with a high volume of data and mathematical algorithms that will help it correlate things like emotions and human interactions. Because Facebook's social network is so far reaching, the company has a huge volume of data with which to develop this type of artificial intelligence.
**Still A Pipe Dream**
While LeCun is optimistic about Facebook's progress so far, the company isn't expected to roll out this type of offering any time soon. However, if the project is successful it will represent a massive step forward for the tech community. | Facebook Working On An Automated Assistant With Common Sense |
2015-05-05T12:33:19 | **TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.** (NYSE: [AMTD](/stock/amtd#NYSE)) just released its April [Investor Movement Index](https://imx.tdameritrade.com/imx/p/imx-pub?a=AMG&referrer=) (IMX).
*Source: TD Ameritrade*
The index dipped to a new two-year low of 4.63 in April as TD Ameritrade clients lowered their exposure to U.S. equity markets.
According to the brokerage firm, the IMX “is a proprietary, behavior-based index created by TD Ameritrade designed to indicate the sentiment of individual investors’ portfolios. It measures what investors are actually doing, and how they are actually positioned in the markets.”
Increased buying activity was seen in shares of **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), **Starbucks Corporation** (NASDAQ: [SBUX](/stock/sbux#NASDAQ)) and **AT&T Inc.** (NYSE: [T](/stock/t#NYSE)) during April.
**Walt Disney Co** (NYSE: [DIS](/stock/dis#NYSE)), **Alcoa Inc** (NYSE: [AA](/stock/aa#NYSE)) and **Visa Inc** (NYSE: [V](/stock/v#NYSE)) were also highlighted as popular buys among dividend-paying stocks at the firm. | TDAmeritrade's Investor Movement Index Out For April |
2015-05-05T13:40:19 | Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) senior vice president of retail and online stores was the highest-paid female executive in the U.S. last year, according to a Bloomberg report.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-05/apple-s-ahrendts-emerges-as-top-paid-u-s-woman-with-83-million
The 54-year-old executive, Angela Ahrendts, got paid $105.5 million in 2014, including a sign-on bonus and make-whole grant for awards left behind at her former employer, according to Bloomberg.
Ahrendts joined Apple a year ago from Burberry Group plc (OTC: [BURBY](/stock/burby#OTC)), a fashion retailer where she was chief executive.
First runner-up on Bloomberg's list is Oracle Corp.'s (NASDAQ: [ORCL](/stock/orcl#NASDAQ)) Safra Catz, who obtained 2014 compensation of $71.2 million as chief financial officer.
Catz, 53, was named co-chief executive after Oracle's fiscal 2014 year ended.
Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: [YHOO](/stock/yhoo#NASDAQ)) Chief Executive Marissa Mayer's $59.1 million 2014 paycheck won her third place on Bloomberg's list.
Other women with notable paychecks last year included Lockheed Martin Corp.'s (NYSE: [LMT](/stock/lmt#NYSE)) Chief Executive Marillyn Hewson at $36.7 million; Mylan NV (NASDAQ: [MYL](/stock/myl#NASDAQ)) Chief Executive Heather Bresch, at $40 million, and Martine Rothblatt, co-CEO of United Therapeutics Corp. (NASDAQ: [UTHR](/stock/uthr#NASDAQ)), with $33.3 million in awarded pay. | Apple Inc.'s Retail VP Is Nation's Best-Paid Female Executive |
2015-05-05T13:57:25 | **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) has a market cap of $749 billion, far outpacing most companies in the tech space. **Google Inc** (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)), for example, has a market cap of $368 billion. **Microsoft Corporation** (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ)) is at $395 billion.
**Tesla Motors Inc** (NASDAQ: [TSLA](/stock/tsla#NASDAQ)), the automaker investors can't stop talking about, is worth $29 billion. That's a far cry from Apple's worth, but Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry thinks that could change if Tesla is able to fulfill its vision.
"If Tesla executes well, I will not be surprised [if] in this century, Tesla will come to be the most valuable company ever created -- even more valuable than Apple," Chowdhry told Benzinga. "Because they are tackling huge, huge, big, big, problems very boldly."
Chowdhry said that not every Tom, Dick and Harry can spend $5 billion to build a Gigafactory. Most entrepreneurs are only capable of building an app out a garage.
"I think the worst for Tesla is over," he added. "I think the trend of the conference call could be upbeat. I think they [can] now reach 1,200 cars a week, which is good. [It] tells me they will maintain their guidance, which is very positive."
This is important because Chowdhry said the consensus is that production will fall short of expectations. He believes Tesla co-founder Elon Musk will maintain the estimate of 55,000 automobiles in 2015, but he expects the firm to produce 60,000 to 62,000 units.
Related Link: [5 New Tesla Products Coming In The Next 5 Years](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/04/5458655/5-new-tesla-products-coming-in-the-next-5-years)
### 'Multi-Product Company'
"I think if you look at Tesla, it is a multi-product company," said Chowdhry. "It's a technology company. There are three aspects: one is automobiles. That's one business unit. The second business unit is batteries for residents, commercial and utility."
Tesla's third unit has yet to be announced, but Chowdhry expects the company to [sell its own](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/04/5457688/this-could-be-teslas-next-billion-dollar-industry) supply chain management software to other businesses.
"Each one of [these business units] is important because it expands [Tesla's] market," Chowdhry added. "Each one of those units will have its own customer adoption rates. The stationary battery itself is a $200 billion market! If they execute well, the results will be huge."
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | How Tesla Will Surpass Apple And Become The 'Most Valuable Company Ever Created' |
2015-05-06T07:09:50 | Some consumers are still waiting for **Apple Inc.'s** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) long-awaited smartwatch. The hype and anticipation was supposed to come to an end on April 24, but the company reportedly had a [number of supply issues](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/04/5442423/did-apple-send-mixed-messages-about-its-apple-watch-laun) that prevented Apple from selling its newest device in its own stores.
A report by [The Wall Street Journal](http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-watch-faulty-taptic-engine-slows-roll-out-1430339460?mod=trending_now_4) indicated that a faulty Taptic Engine could be to blame for Apple's troubles. In a note to investors, Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry said that this issue has been solved and referred to the story as "old news."
Even so, Apple has another problem to deal with: some consumers have found that the watch [does not work](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/30/us-apple-watch-tattoo-idUSKBN0NL0EU20150430) properly on tattooed skin. Other users claim that it has [caused a skin rash](http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2483686,00.asp). Analysts don't seem too worried, however.
"I think the watch is going to be huge," Tigress Financial Partners analyst Ivan Feinseth told Benzinga. "All you have to do is go to the store and look at the watch, play with it and test it out and you will understand the impact that it will have."
Many analysts expect Apple to sell 20 million watches during the first 12 months at retail. Feinseth said that would be just a few percentage points of Apple's total market penetration for the existing iPhone 5 and [iPhone 6](http://www.benzinga.com/topic/iphone-6) user base.
"But 20-25, 30 percent of iPhone users could adopt and use the watch," he said. "That's about 100 million watches. So you're talking about a real product line. That's a very important product line."
Related Link: [Apple's 'Massive' Quarter Shows The Company Is A 'Juggernaut Across The Board'](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/04/5447632/apples-massive-quarter-shows-the-company-is-a-juggernaut)
### 'Love And Respect'
Consumers might be [upset with Apple](http://www.benzinga.com/news/events/15/04/5441713/apple-watch-release-confuses-customers-who-couldnt-buy-it-in-stores), but this shortage is unlikely to diminish consumers' overall feelings about the company.
"Consumers' love and respect for Apple's innovations, as proven by the success of [the] iPhone, will carry over to Apple Watch," Phani Pandrangi, chief product officer at [Kii](http://www.kii.com/) (a mobile backend provider), told Benzinga. "[This is] especially driven by these two underlying points -- enabling new interaction patterns and making normal uni-functional (but daily use) devices super functional without losing ease of use or beauty."
Pandrangi said that consumers will also "gravitate" toward the Apple Watch "because of the enormous developer and app ecosystem that Apple already has."
"Consumers just know that there will be a ton of apps for Apple Watch," he said.
### 'Better Than The Naysayers'
Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, has not adjusted his [expectations](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/03/5319245/expert-why-apple-watch-will-be-apples-most-upgradeable-p) for the Apple Watch.
"Overall, it's going to do way better than the naysayers say," Udall told Benzinga. "I'm still sticking to my numbers until proven wrong. It's not a demand issue, it's a manufacturing issue."
Udall expects Apple to sell 15 million Apple Watch units during the first 12 months at retail.
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | Apple Watch Is 'Going To Be Huge' Despite Ongoing Supply Issues |
2015-05-06T10:06:02 | Of 11 models, Consumer Reports named the **Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** Watch as its [best pick among smartwatches](http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/05/apple-watch-comes-out-tops-in-consumer-reports-smartwatch-tests/index.htm). Consumer Reports said, "Apple's sapphire screen and easy pairing give its models the edge."
The tests checked each watch on durability, health functionality, readability in bright and low light, ease of use, and ease of interaction. The Apple Watch with the sapphire face stood out in the durability test as it was scratch resistant to most tests. The Apple Watch Sport performed no better than other brands' models with Gorilla Glass.
The **Sony Corp (NYSE: [SNE](/stock/sne#NYSE))** Smartwatch 3 fell to the bottom of Consumer Reports' list because of its performance in the water-resistance test. Consumer Reports also noted that there were "several Android-compatible models and one multi-OS-compatible smartwatch" that received good ratings as well, though they declined to name them.
Apple is marginally higher in early trade on Wednesday, up 0.2 percent to $126.09. Year-to-date, the stock has gained 14.2 percent. | Apple Watch Tops Consumer Reports' Smartwatch Tests |
2015-05-06T10:37:22 | *Joel Elconin is the co-host of [Benzinga's #PreMarket Prep](https://soundcloud.com/bztv), a daily trading idea radio show.*
S&P 500 index futures were trading lower by nine points at 2075 in Wednesday's session. The index followed through in its pre-market and after-hours rally, reaching 2093.75 before reversing course.
So far, the decline has reached 2070.50 and has rebounded back over 2073. The current low coincides with its April 30 low (2070.25). All of the top 10 components are down, except for **Exxon Mobil Corporation** (NYSE: [XOM](/stock/xom#NYSE)), which was clinging to a $0.10 gain at $88.72. The biggest component is the biggest loser, **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), which was trading lower by $2.00 at $123.80.
If the index surpasses its current, there may be additional support at is April 17 low (2064.50).
The **SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust** (NYSE: [SPY](/stock/spy#NYSE)) was down $0.83 at $208.09. | S&P 500 Index Futures Trading Lower In Volatile Session |
2015-05-06T12:27:51 | According [to **Bloomberg**](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-05/home-depot-to-become-largest-retailer-to-accept-apple-pay), **The Home Depot Inc (NYSE: [HD](/stock/hd#NYSE))** is in the process of negotiating a deal to bring **Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** mobile payment platform Apple Pay to each of Home Depot’s more than 2,000 stores. If the deal is finalized, Home Depot would become the largest retailer yet to accept Apple Pay.
**Mobile initiative**
Home Depot spokesman Steve Holmes said this week that bringing Apple Pay to Home Depot stores could be the next step in Home Depot’s push to add multiple new mobile payment options. Home Depot already accepts payment via **eBay Inc’s (NASDAQ: [EBAY](/stock/ebay#NASDAQ))** PayPal platform.
**Apple Pay gaining traction**
Home Depot would become the latest and largest of a group of big-name businesses that accept Apple Pay, including **Macy’s Inc (NYSE: [M](/stock/m#NYSE))**, **Whole Foods Market Inc (NASDAQ: [WFM](/stock/wfm#NASDAQ))**, **Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ: [SBUX](/stock/sbux#NASDAQ))**, **Discover Financial Services (NYSE: [DFS](/stock/dfs#NYSE))** and **The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE: [KO](/stock/ko#NYSE))**. Apple is now accepted at over 700,000 [total locations](http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-pay-partners-news/).
**Holdouts**
Despite growing adoption of Apple Pay, several retail giants are still holding out for “Current C,” the mobile payment platform currently being developed by **Merchant Customer Exchange**. Merchant Customer Exchange is a company created and owned by a consortium of retailers, including **Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE: [WMT](/stock/wmt#NYSE))**, **Target Corp (NYSE: [TGT](/stock/tgt#NYSE))**, **CVS Health Corp (NYSE: [CVS](/stock/cvs#NYSE))** and **Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE: [BBY](/stock/bby#NYSE))**.
In addition to CurrentC, **Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (OTC: [SSNLF](/stock/ssnlf#OTC))** recently announced that Apple Pay will soon be getting competition from Samsung Pay, the mobile payment platform expected to launch in the second half of 2015.
**Huge potential in mobile payment**
The world of mobile payment is rapidly expanding and has staggering potential. According to Forrester Research, $67 billion of mobile payments will be made this year. | Home Depot Adding Apple Pay Option |
2015-05-06T13:09:54 | **Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE: [BABA](/stock/baba#NYSE))** traders are scrambling to decide how to play the company’s earnings report coming prior to the market open on Thursday. Fundamental and technical traders have been pouring over countless metrics for days trying to determine how the market will react to the latest numbers from the e-commerce giant.
**Similar Patterns**
One website, **EidoSearch**, takes a unique approach to predicting future stock movement. The EidoSearch software focuses on identifying time periods in the past when stocks have traded most similarly to recent trading action.
**Three closest matches**
Alibaba’s stock has only traded publicly in the U.S. for a little more than seven months, but EidoSearch identified the three one-month stretches that most closely resemble the stocks last month of trading.
Based on the similarities in the trading patterns, EidoSearch projects a share price of $80.49 for Alibaba on May 9. The projection includes potential upside to $84.51and potential downside to $77.49.
**Past projections**
Benzinga has reported on a pair of other pre-earnings EidoSearch projections this earnings season. Prior to **Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** earnings, EidoSearch projected a $135 share price by May 1. Apple closed trading on May 1 at a price of $128.95.
EidoSearch’s pre-earnings prediction for **GoPro Inc (NASDAQ: [GPRO](/stock/gpro#NASDAQ))** of $45.44 by May 4 fell short of the stock’s actual May 4 closing price of $49.74.
**Short track record**
Thursday’s earnings report will be Alibaba’s third since going public in the U.S. It’s first two reports produced mixed results. The stock jumped 4.2 percent following its November earnings report. However, Alibaba shares plunged more than 8.7 percent on the day following the company’s most recent quarterly report in January.
Alibaba shareholders are hoping that this week’s numbers will provide a much more positive outcome this time around. | Alibaba Has Traded Like This 3 Other Times In Its Short History |
2015-05-06T17:36:51 | **Tesla Motors Inc** (NASDAQ: [TSLA](/stock/tsla#NASDAQ)) could be on its way to becoming the next big tech company.
Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry was especially impressed by the firm's first quarter results.
"I think they beat on every metric -- the deliveries, as well as the production and the guidance is also slightly better," Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry told Benzinga. "The company said they would be making 55,000 cars by the end of the year. I think based on the improved production capacities that they have put in place. I think they could do, in the second half of the year, production could ramp up even more, and I think they can do better than that."
Chowdhry estimates that Tesla will end up producing 60,000 to 62,000 cars in 2015. He said the consensus was that the automaker might reduce production guidance, but that wasn't the case. He said the Model X is still on schedule, so that element was pretty much in-line with expectations.
"I think the wild card, from a positive angle, is the batteries, which I think none of us have factored into our models," said Chowdhry. "I think, starting in October, it's more of a fourth quarter play, but it's more of a 2016 play. The addressable market is close to $200 billion."
Chowdhry concluded by saying that Tesla is solving "big, big problems very boldly."
"The investment thesis on Tesla is beautiful," he said. "You cannot say the same for software companies, like Salesforce.com, or social networking companies."
The only other company Chowdhry holds in similarly high regard is **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)).
Related Link: [Tesla Q1 Earnings Live Blog](http://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/15/05/5484266/tesla-q1-earnings-live-blog)
### Powerwall Made An Impact
Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, wasn't as impressed with Tesla's results. He said that without the battery announcement and the commentary provided in Tesla's release, the stock would be down a minimum of 15 points.
"If this stock had to get by or exist without that battery announcement and commentary, I think you'd see the stock hugely lower," Udall told Benzinga.
Despite this, Udall is becoming a fan of Tesla.
"I've been saying all along, if Tesla becomes a battery company…you have to value the stock much differently," he said. "I like companies that have the potential to create and expand huge, total addressable markets. The battery market is a huge market."
Udall also thinks Tesla needs to release the Model X on time as promised. He thinks it is imperative for the company to offer another vehicle in its lineup.
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | Tesla's Q1 Results 'Beat On Every Metric' That Mattered |
2015-05-07T07:14:21 | **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) has been rumored to be working on a larger iPad for [more than 18 months](http://www.benzinga.com/news/13/11/4052990/apple-rumor-mill-strikes-back-promises-large-ipad-in-2014). The giant tablet was once thought to be a hybrid between the iPad and the MacBook Air, but Apple quashed those rumors when it unveiled the [12-inch MacBook](http://www.apple.com/macbook/).
There were times when Apple was expected to release a larger iPad -- an iPad XL, if you will -- in the first half of the year. According to [Bloomberg](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-04/apple-said-to-delay-larger-ipad-production-on-panel-challenges), the product was ultimately delayed until fall.
[AppleInsider](http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/05/03/apples-129-ipad-will-feature-bluetooth-stylus-force-touch-nfc-more-source-says) recently reported that the device will include Force Touch, a Bluetooth stylus and a USB-C connector. The report lacked one key element, however: information on a potential release date.
"The timetable for release for this device is unknown," AppleInsider wrote.
That doesn't mean Apple won't release a 12-inch iPad in 2015. In fact, if all the rumors are true, the company should be very close to production.
"I think it is coming," Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry told Benzinga. "I think the timeframe of the launch could be September and people will start getting it in the month of October."
Read on to see the three reasons why Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, thinks a large iPad is headed to retail.
Related Link: [How Tesla Will Surpass Apple And Become The 'Most Valuable Company Ever Created'](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5473931/how-tesla-will-surpass-apple-and-become-the-most-valuabl)
### 1. Business Users Need A Larger Display
Udall told Benzinga that business users "want a product [with] a bigger display."
"Did we really need a 4.5 to 5.5-inch iPhone?" he questioned. "The old one did work just fine. I love the iPhone 5S, [but] the bigger screen is definitely nice. I was an Android user for about 18 months to two years because I like those larger screens. I think the iPad is sort of the same."
Udall said he wouldn't want to work all day on the current iPad, but there are many individuals who use it instead of a laptop or some other device.
"There are millions of people, like drug reps, who basically do their entire job on an iPad," he said. "I think anybody using the iPad, especially if you use it all day for business purposes, a bigger iPad would just make more sense. It would give more functionality, a bigger screen. If you want to show a group of people the screen to display something, it's just easier to see."
### 2. Business Applications Lend Themselves To A Larger Screen
"I think for business applications, it kind of lends to that, too," said Udall. "So whether you're doing spreadsheets, Word file displays, any sort of presentation, things like that, that bigger screen matters."
In time, Udall believes Apple will eliminate the iPad Mini. When the 12-inch iPad arrives, the standard, 10-inch model would become the smaller unit, minus the "Mini" branding.
"Here's the reason: the biggest iPhone right now is not much smaller than an iPad Mini," Udall explained. "Between the big iPhone and iPad Mini, you don't get that much variation."
Udall said he is "almost positive" this is going to happen. He also speculated that Apple may release a phone that is one size bigger in the next year or two, which would be another blow to the iPad Mini.
### 3. IBM Partnership
Lastly, Udall pointed to Apple's partnership with **International Business Machines Corp.** (NYSE: [IBM](/stock/ibm#NYSE)).
"IBM is specifically writing business apps for the iPad," he said. "I'd almost guarantee you IBM is saying, 'Hey, we're gonna put in all this time and energy, we've got this partnership, we want to make it flourish, let's make sure we have a screen size to take advantage of all these business apps."
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | 3 Reasons Apple Will Finally Ship A 12-Inch iPad In 2015 |
2015-05-07T13:22:36 | **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) has successfully attracted a number of [top-tier companies](http://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/15/04/5419626/22-fintech-apps-coming-to-apple-watch) in the fintech space. Many of them were [very excited](http://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/15/04/5438285/apple-watch-ignites-fintech-community-inspires-new-apps) about the [Apple Watch](http://www.benzinga.com/topic/apple-watch), the iPhone maker's first wearable device.
Not every company is on board, however. There are a few that have not built an app for the Apple Watch -- and some of them may not build one at all:
### 1. Estimize
"We won't be making an Apple Watch app," Leigh Drogen, co-founder and CEO of [Estimize](https://www.estimize.com/), told Benzinga. "While I believe the Apple Watch will be revolutionary, I don't believe that it will greatly benefit 99.9% of market participants to be making decisions or executing trades based on apps built for it."
Drogen said he is "sure the brokers will love it because they will use it to get people to trade more."
"More, but probably not smarter," he added.
Related Link: [3 Reasons Apple Will Finally Ship A 12-Inch iPad In 2015](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/15/05/5484099/3-reasons-apple-will-finally-ship-a-12-inch-ipad-in-2015)
### 2. TipRanks
Uri Gruenbaum, co-founder and CEO of [TipRanks](https://www.tipranks.com/), told Benzinga that the company does not have any plans to develop an Apple Watch app "anytime soon."
"We'd like to see if this develops into an interesting enough market before we allocate resources," he said.
### 3. WeSwap
Jared Jesner, founder and CEO of [WeSwap](http://www.weswap.com/), told Benzinga that the company is not making an Apple Watch app.
### 4. GovBrain
[GovBrain](http://www.govbrain.com/) is not currently working on an Apple Watch app, but founder Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, told Benzinga that it would be "cool to put our 'doomsday' financial crisis app on a wearable for market participants to get that early warning of [an] asset bubble or crisis in global finance."
### 5. LendVantage
Charles Benard, co-founder and managing partner of [LendVantage](https://www.lendvantage.com/), informed Benzinga that his company is not currently developing an Apple Watch app.
### 6. Vuru
When asked if [Vuru](http://www.vuru.co/) is working on the Apple Watch, President Niles Lawrence replied, "Not for a little while."
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | 6 Fintech Apps NOT Coming To Apple Watch |
2015-05-07T14:04:16 | Shares of home fitness equipment maker **Nautilus Inc (NYSE: [NLS](/stock/nls#NYSE))** have surged more than 20 percent this week after the company released exceptional Q1 earnings, handily beating consensus estimates. While the market cheered Nautilus’ bottom and top line numbers, Benzinga had a chance to speak to CEO Bruce Cazenave and CFO Sid Nayar about the business behind the blowout numbers and what the company has in store for the remainder of 2015.
**What caught Wall Street off guard?**
According to Cazenave, the Bowflex Max Trainer was a major driving force behind the Q1 earnings beat. Since the Max Trainer was launched last January, it has consistently outperformed both internal and external sales expectations.
In addition to Max Trainer strength during the quarter, the company successfully navigated the West Coast port strike better than many of its peers. While the company is not completely out of the woods yet, Nautilus anticipates that any remaining port-related backlog issues will completely dissipate by the end of Q2.
**Riding the healthy lifestyle wave**
Global awareness of the benefits of healthy eating habits and routine exercise has never been higher, and Nautilus has been well-positioned to capitalize on increasingly health-conscious consumers.
Benzinga asked if Nautilis’ recent success is due more to company-specific performance or the overall strength of the fitness business.
“The one industry source that tracks wholesale shipments into retail and to consumers showed that the market was only up about three or four percent last year,” Nayar explained. “I guarantee you the industry is not growing at a 35 percent rate,” he added, referencing the company’s year-over-year revenue growth in Q1.
“Our success has to do with the focus we put on products and the way we take consumer insights and translate that into a great product package with the features people want.”
**The market doesn’t lie**
Clearly the market has recognized Nautilus’ performance as exceptional within the fitness and sporting goods space. While fitness names like **Nike Inc (NYSE: [NKE](/stock/nke#NYSE))**, **Under Armour Inc (NASDAQ: [UA](/stock/ua#NASDAQ))** and **Lululemon Athletica Inc (NASDAQ: [LULU](/stock/lulu#NASDAQ))** have drastically outperformed the market in the past year, none of them come close to the 135 percent gain that Nautilus shareholders have enjoyed.
**Pioneering the next wave of fitness innovation**
While shareholders are still celebrating Q1, Nautilus management is looking toward the future, including the company's smart technology initiatives. With the next generation of TreadClimbers coming later this year, Nautilus continues its focus on increasing the connectivity of its products, incorporating **Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** HealthKit and **Google Inc’s (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ))** platforms into its product designs.
Nautilus is also continuing to innovate with its ST560 “smart” dumbells. “The reason it’s smart is because it’s going to basically tell you what to do and how to do it correctly, including digital integration and tutorials for more advanced training sessions,” Cazenave told Benzinga.
With its next wave of devices, Nautilus will be looking to incorporate and expand on many of the innovations that have made the Max Trainer such a huge success. | Benzinga Speaks With Nautilus CEO About Big Earnings Beat |
2015-05-07T14:46:26 | The Harris Poll Reputation Quotient (RPQ) is a metric that Harris Poll uses to measure the public opinions of some of the most recognizable companies in the world. The RPQ is based on responses to poll questions asking respondents to score major companies base on emotional appeal, products and services, vision and leadership, workplace environment, social responsibility and financial performance.
Here are the 10 companies that received the highest RPQ scores [this year](http://www.harrisinteractive.com/vault/2015%20RQ%20Media%20Release%20Report_020415.pdf):
**10. Google Inc (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ))- 80.4 RPQ**
Google received its highest marks for its workplace environment, and its RPQ this year came in even higher than last year’s 78.4.
**9. Apple Inc (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))- 80.7 RPQ**
Apple’s position has steadily dropped in the reputation list since it took the top spot back in 2012, but it still receives extremely high ratings for it vision and leadership.
**8. Publix Supermarkets- 80.7 RPQ**
2015 is Publix’s first time in the top 10 on the Harris list, and it arrived there on the strength of its customer satisfaction ratings.
**7. L.L. Bean- 80.8 RPQ**
L.L. Bean is the top retailer in the 2015 Harris reputation list, scoring its highest marks for emotional appeal and workplace environment.
**6. Kraft Foods Group Inc (NASDAQ: [KRFT](/stock/krft#NASDAQ))- 80.8 RPQ**
After coming in 12th on the list in 2013 and 2014, Kraft made a big jump in 2015, scoring high marks in all areas of the survey.
**5. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [JNJ](/stock/jnj#NYSE))- 80.9 RPQ**
Many Americans likely associate a number of household products with J&J, which has been an American institution since it was founded in 1887.
**4. Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: [COST](/stock/cost#NASDAQ))- 81.7 RPQ**
Costco must keep its customers happy when they are all paying an annual membership fee to shop there. The company landed in the top five in three of the six categories.
**3. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (OTC: [SSNLF](/stock/ssnlf#OTC))- 82.0 RPQ**
Samsung’s reputation has leapfrogged that of its main competitor, Apple, in recent years. In 2012, Apple was at the top of the list, while Samsung was 13th. This year, Samsung slides seven spots ahead of Apple.
**2. Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ))- 83.7 RPQ**
Amazon’s RPQ number came in slightly lower than last year’s number of 83.9, but the company’s reputation was still the highest-scoring among all public companies in 2015.
**1. Wegmans Food Markets- 84.4 RPQ**
Wegmans on ly has locations in six states, but the regional grocery chain has a stellar reputation for food selection, customer service and workplace environment, enough to earn the company the top spot in the 2015 Harris reputation list.
*Disclosure: the author holds a short position in Amazon.* | These 10 Companies Have The Best Public Reputations |
2015-05-07T17:29:40 | The crowded world of Internet video content may soon be adding another name. The [Wall Street Journal](http://www.wsj.com/articles/spotify-laying-plans-to-enter-web-video-business-1431012726) reported on Thursday that music streaming service **Spotify** is negotiating with digital media players and looking for a potential video content partner.
**Spotify originals?**
According to the report, Spotify has been in contact with both companies that specialize in providing content for YouTube and several well-known traditional media companies. Spotify has [discussed both](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/07/us-spotify-video-idUSKBN0NS1X520150507) acquiring third-party content and finding a partner to created new, original content.
**Streaming music struggles**
Spotify’s core business, streaming music, is already an intensely competitive space. Spotify music rivals include **Pandora Media Inc (NYSE: [P](/stock/p#NYSE))**, **Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** Beats, and Jay Z’s recently revamped **Tidal**.
Such a competitive environment makes for tight margins. Although Spotify has 60 million users, its music business has yet to turn a profit.
**New rivals**
A transition into video would bring about a whole new set of rivals for Spotify, and the company would be attempting to gain share in a crowded space by essentially starting from scratch. **Google Inc’s (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ))** YouTube remains the gold standard when it comes to ad-supported online video content, but other top players include **Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: [FB](/stock/fb#NASDAQ))** and **Twitter Inc (NYSE: [TWTR](/stock/twtr#NYSE))**.
If Spotify intends to go with a subscription model, similar to its premium music service, it would be entering into **Hulu**, **Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: [NFLX](/stock/nflx#NASDAQ))** and **Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ))** territory.
Not only would Spotify have to deal with established competitors, new names are continually popping up in online video. Just yesterday, social news site **Reddit** announced that it is launching a video division as well.
*Disclosure: The author holds a short position in Amazon.* | Spotify Planning Leap Into Web Video Business |
2015-05-08T07:34:13 | Analysts at **Axiom Financial** recently released a report following up on several news stories about **Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** new Applebot web crawler for SIRI and Spotlight Suggestions. According to Axiom’s report, Apple is expanding its internal search group to pave the way for the creation of its own search engine.
If Apple intends to make a major push into the search business, they would be taking on the gold standard in search, **Google Inc (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ))**, as well as competitors **Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ))** and **Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ: [YHOO](/stock/yhoo#NASDAQ))**.
**What is a web crawler?**
Web crawlers like Googlebot and Applebot are not actually search engines themselves. They are Internet bots that “crawl” through numerous web pages and catalog web content into an easily-searchable database.
When an Internet search is performed on Google or Bing, the search engine quickly searches the web crawler’s database rather than performing a lengthy search of the entire Internet, allowing for search results to be generated almost instantly.
**What does Applebot mean for Google?**
According to Axiom, Apple will likely drop Google as the default search provider on iOS and OS X sometime this month. While on the surface, this move seems like it could have a severe impact on Google, analysts point out Apple’s disastrous attempt to transition from Google Maps to its own home-grown mapping system in the past.
In addition, analysts add that new search entrants will find it difficult to compete with Google’s entrenched position as the top search provider.
**What does Applebot mean for Yahoo?**
The creation of an Apple search engine could actually have a much more severe impact on Yahoo than Google. Past statements by Marissa Mayer have indicated that Yahoo has been angling for a search partnership with Apple. If Apple intends to move forward into search on its own, one major possible Yahoo catalysts falls by the wayside.
**Outlook**
Despite the bad news for both Yahoo and Google, analysts remain positive on the stocks. Axiom has Buy ratings on both names. | Apple Gearing Up To Take On Google's Search Engine |
2015-05-08T08:27:36 | In a report published Friday, Brean Capital analysts maintained a Buy rating on **Yelp Inc** (NYSE: [YELP](/stock/yelp#NYSE)), with a price target of $58.
Yelp is considering a sale of the company. “Without debating the legitimacy of the speculation, in this note we wanted to offer a list of 10 potential buyers for the company,” the analysts stated.
In the report Brean Capital noted ten potential buyers for Yelp:
* **Alibaba Group Holding Ltd** (NYSE: [BABA](/stock/baba#NYSE))
* **Amazon.com Inc** (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ)),
* **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))
* **Facebook Inc** (NASDAQ: [FB](/stock/fb#NASDAQ))
* **Google Inc** (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ))
* **Groupon Inc** (NASDAQ: [GRPN](/stock/grpn#NASDAQ))
* **Microsoft Corporation** (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ))
* **Priceline Group Inc** (NASDAQ: [PCLN](/stock/pcln#NASDAQ))
* **Rakuten Inc**
* **Yahoo! Inc** (NASDAQ: [YHOO](/stock/yhoo#NASDAQ))
Yelp is the operator of the “largest crowd-sourced local business directory globally, with 77MM cumulative reviews (since its 2004-launch) and an audience of 142MM monthly users (as of 1Q15),” the analysts mentioned.
Yelp’s current stock valuation does not reflect the true value of the company’s business. “We believe shares of Yelp are worth materially higher than they are currently trading at and recommend investors purchases shares with the potential of a sale as a catalyst for the stock,” the analysts said. | Brean Says Buy Shares Of Yelp Whether Its For Sale Or Not |
2015-05-08T11:34:37 | International communications technology and services provider **Ericsson (NASDAQ: [ERIC](/stock/eric#NASDAQ))** is filing lawsuits against **Apple Inc (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, according to the [company’s website](http://www.ericsson.com/news/1920053). After more than two years of attempting to reach an agreement with Apple on a global license for Ericsson’s patents, the company has decided that the courts will now settle the dispute.
**Ericsson’s stance**
According to Kasim Alfalahi, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson, the company’s patience with Apple has run out. “Apple continues to profit from Ericsson’s technology without having a valid license in place,” Alfalahi said in Ericsson’s statement. “We are confident the courts in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands will be able ro help us resolve this matter in a fair manner.”
**The details**
The lawsuits center around 2G and 4G/LTE standards and other technology that Ericsson claims is “not standardized.” This technology also includes semiconductor design and non-cellular wireless communications technology.
**The litigation continues**
Apple originally filed a suit against Ericsson back in January, claiming that Ericsson’s royalties for the use of non-essential LTE technology were excessive. Ericsson countersued Apple in Texas only hours later, seeking up to $750 million per year in royalties for patented wireless technology.
**Apple’s response**
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment [to Bloomberg](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-08/ericsson-sues-apple-in-europe-over-mobile-phone-patent-royalties-i9f7h7r9) on the new lawsuits, and instead directed them to an Apple statement issued in January that states that Apple “has always been willing to pay a fair price” to secure patent rights.
In a [past complaint](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-14/apple-sues-ericsson-to-reduce-royalties-on-phone-patents-1-) against Ericsson, Apple has said that the company “seeks to exploit its patents to take the value of these cutting-edge Apple innovations,” and accused Ericsson of “abusive licensing practices.” | Ericsson Files 3 New Patent Suits Against Apple |
2015-05-08T12:13:46 | Xerox Corp. (NYSE: [XRX](/stock/xrx#NYSE)), once a member of the "nifty fifty" in the go-go 1960s, will continue to trend negatively in the next 12 months, an analyst said Friday.
Norwalk, Connecticut-based Xerox has failed to stabilize a decline in its documents business while efforts to spark growth in its services unit haven't born fruit, Tigress' Ivan Feinseth said.
Feinseth downgraded Xerox to Underperform, from Neutral, noting a 12-month sales decline of nearly 7 percent and narrowing margins.
Xerox is off 18 percent in the year to date, but Feinseth said he still has "valuation concerns" about its share price.
Xerox changed hands recently at $11.36, up $0.35 cents.
"We have fundamental concerns about the direction of the company and management's execution," Feinseth said.
The company last month cut its 2015 profit forecast on currency concerns, and said full-year revenue will fall 1 percent.
Xerox, once a leader in photocopying, famously invented the computer mouse and made big strides in graphical user interface technology and the personal computer during the 1970s.
But the technology was sold to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), which released its Macintosh computer in 1984. | Tigress Sees Xerox Corp. Turnaround Going Nowhere |
2015-05-08T13:34:12 | Shares of **Yelp Inc** (NYSE: [YELP](/stock/yelp#NYSE)) continued to surge on Friday. Shares gained momentum on Thursday after [The Wall Street Journal](http://www.wsj.com/articles/yelp-is-exploring-a-sale-1431018383?mod=e2tw) reported the company is exploring a sale and has hired investment bankers to field potential offers.
The publication did not mention any specific companies that could be interested in acquiring Yelp.
Axiom Capital's Victor Anthony [argued on Thursday](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5491053/axiom-not-so-many-bidders-for-yelp) that the list of potential acquires for Yelp is short. Anthony added he was "hard pressed" to see why **Google Inc** (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ)) or **Facebook Inc** (NASDAQ: [FB](/stock/fb#NASDAQ)) would have any interest in acquiring the company. This makes sense as both Google and Facebook offer a replicate service of Yelp's business review model.
Anthony continued that **Yahoo! Inc.** (NASDAQ: [YHOO](/stock/yhoo#NASDAQ)) could see revenue growth from a Yelp acquisition, but doing so fits poorly with its stated strategy.
**Not The First Time Yahoo Presented As Potential Buyer**
Tech Crunch [reported]( http://techcrunch.com/2010/10/01/the-ugliest-girl-at-the-dance-how-yahoo-destroyed-yelps-google-acquisition/) in an article in 2010 that Yelp was in the final stages of negotiations to sell itself to Google for $550 million, but the deal was taken off the table after Yahoo reportedly offered $200 million more than Google had offered to acquire Yelp.
Yelp asked Google if to match Yahoo's offer, but Google declined.
Yelp's management team was apparently not interested in working for Yahoo. Regardless, Yelp's Board of Directors has a fiduciary duty to accept an offer that maximizes shareholder value, creating a conflict of interest between what is best for shareholders and management's wishes.
Interestingly enough, Yahoo's current CEO Marissa Mayer was an executive at Google during its failed takeover of Yelp.
Yelp's decision to continue operating as a stand-alone company appeared to be a smart move given its market share currently stands at around $3.71 billion.
A few years later, Re/code [reported]( http://recode.net/2014/01/28/buy-aol-a-more-likely-scenario-for-yahoos-mayer-is-a-big-local-search-acquisition-to-spur-growth/) in early 2014 that "most intriguing" for Yahoo (and most pricey and therefore most unlikely) would be an acquisition of Yelp. However, shares of Yelp were trading above the $5 billion valuation mark – likely preventing a deal from happening as Yahoo would likely have to pay a premium to the $5 billion valuation.
**Yahoo Now Joins A Lengthy Crowd Of Potential Suitors**
Christine Short at Estimize sent Benzinga a recent crowd update from the [Mergerize platform.]( http://www.mergerize.com/companies/yelp/acquirers) She noted that "the crowd had previously expected Yahoo to be the top candidate; however, more recently, traders have been predicting Google, Facebook and **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) have been viewed as potential bidders.
Furthermore, Bloomberg reported that SunTrust Robinson Humphrey's Robert (Bob) Peck suggested on Thursday that shares of Yelp could be worth $66 per share in a takeout. Peck also added **Amazon.com, Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ)), **Priceline Group Inc** (NASDAQ: [PCLN](/stock/pcln#NASDAQ)), **eBay Inc** (NASDAQ: [EBAY](/stock/ebay#NASDAQ)), **Alibaba Group Holding Ltd** (NYSE: [BABA](/stock/baba#NYSE)), **Tripadvisor Inc** (NASDAQ: [TRIP](/stock/trip#NASDAQ)) and privately owned Uber to what is now a long list of potential buyers. | Is Yahoo Still The Leading Suitor For Yelp? |
2015-05-08T15:42:01 | **Nike Inc** (NYSE: [NKE](/stock/nke#NYSE)) left the wearable device space some time ago. However, according to Mark Parker, Nike CEO & President, the company might have exited the space itself, but it’s still focussed on connecting with consumers digitally by collaborating with technology companies like **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)).
[Parker was on CNBC](http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000378000) Friday to talk about Nike’s plans for wearable technology and its collaborations with other companies.
### Wearabales
“We remain committed to digital connections with consumers, not only in tracking and sensing,” Parker said. “Through partner relationships, but also just the complete digital ecosystem – how we connect with consumers in terms of commerce, how we connect with consumers through communication."
“And then certainly sport experiences that we create, so this going to continue to be a really important part of our future and really central to our brand.”
### Nike + Apple
On Nike’s partnership with Apple Parker said, “It continues, it continues and we are excited about the potential that the Apple-Nike relationship has. ‘Nike + Running’ is actually an app that can show up in your watch and it’s a great experience, if you haven’t tried it, you should.”
“We have over 60 million users on our community, digital community, using our apps. we are continuing to develop apps and experiences. We are working with Apple, but with other partners as well.”
Parker also revealed that one can expect more products from the partnership between Apple and Nike. | Nike CEO: Excited About Potential Of Apple Nike Partnership, But Working With Other Partners As Well |
2015-05-09T10:59:02 | It's not uncommon for **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) to dominate a week's worth of tech headlines. This week **Tesla Motors Inc** (NASDAQ: [TSLA](/stock/tsla#NASDAQ)) took center stage and dominated the space.
### Tesla Made Its First Acquisition, Confusing Impatient Investors
Hasty investors jumped the gun and bought a colossal amount of shares in **Riviera Tool Company** (OTC: [RIVT](/stock/rivt#OTC)) after it was revealed that Tesla had planned to acquire the company.
There was just one problem: that wasn't the company Tesla had acquired.
In reality, Tesla [acquired](http://www.benzinga.com/general/education/15/05/5493898/a-fools-game-riviera-tool-company) Riviera Tool, LLC, which has a similar name but is not publicly traded. It does, however, [own the assets](http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2015/05/08/tesla-motors-riviera-tool-penny-stock-finra-trading-halt/26971439/) that once belonged to Riviera Tool Company, which added to the confusion.
Related Link: [Is Apple Really Trying To Stop Spotify From Streaming Free Music?](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/15/05/5474213/is-apple-really-trying-to-stop-spotify-from-streaming-free-music)
### Tesla Beat The Street Where It Mattered Most
Tesla had a very rewarding Q1.
"I think they beat on every metric -- the deliveries, as well as the production and the guidance is also slightly better," Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry [told Benzinga](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5485097/teslas-q1-results-beat-on-every-metric-that-mattered).
"The company said they would be making 55,000 cars by the end of the year. I think based on the improved production capacities that they have put in place. I think they could do, in the second half of the year, production could ramp up even more, and I think they can do better than that."
### Apple Finally Expected To Ship A Larger iPad
Apple's long-awaited (and often rumored) 12-inch iPad could be inching closer to retail.
"IBM is specifically writing business apps for the iPad," Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, [told Benzinga](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/15/05/5484099/3-reasons-apple-will-finally-ship-a-12-inch-ipad-in-2015).
"I'd almost guarantee you IBM is saying, 'Hey, we're gonna put in all this time and energy, we've got this partnership, we want to make it flourish, let's make sure we have a screen size to take advantage of all these business apps."
### Piracy Created Controversy For Twitter's Periscope
**Twitter Inc** (NYSE: [TWTR](/stock/twtr#NYSE)) received a lot of attention earlier this week after Periscope users live streamed the boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. This might worry some investors, but Twitter expert Sean Udall thinks they should focus on other things.
"Don't we have bigger things to worry about?" Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, [questioned](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/15/05/5473081/periscope-piracy-is-good-for-twitter-content-producers-but-theyll-still-find-a-wa). "Are you seriously going to try to police a few occasional people from live streaming a few seconds of some event? Is that really worth the effort?"
### Apple Watch Sales Won't Be Hurt By Low Supplies
Wall Street continues to believe that Apple has a supply (not a demand) problem.
"I think the watch is going to be huge," Tigress Financial Partners analyst Ivan Feinseth [told Benzinga](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5478410/apple-watch-is-going-to-be-huge-despite-ongoing-supply-i). "All you have to do is go to the store and look at the watch, play with it and test it out and you will understand the impact that it will have."
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | Weekly Tech Highlights: Tesla's Confusing Acquisition, Q1 Earnings Beat And More |
2015-05-10T09:36:36 | The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas resort casino will begin accepting **Apple Inc’s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** new mobile payment system, Apple Pay, this summer. Starting in early June, the Cosmopolitan, which is owned by **The Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: [BX](/stock/bx#NYSE))**, will accept Apple Pay payments at the hotel’s front desk, restaurants and bars.
**First in line**
The Cosmopolitan is the first Las Vegas resort to announce a plan for Apple Pay support. “As always, we are thrilled to lead the market with a new component to a Las Vegas experience that makes everything a bit faster and a great deal easier,” Cosmopolitan chief market officer Lisa Marchese said in [a statement](http://www.digitaltrends.com/apple/apple-pay-will-be-accepted-in-las-vegas-starting-in-june-but-not-for-gambling-yet/).
In about a month, Cosmopolitan guests will be able to play for room service using Apple Pay on their iPhones, iPads or Apple Watches.
**Don’t bet on it**
Conspicuous by its absence was any mention by Cosmopolitan of the use of Apple Pay to buy casino chips for gambling. Since [many casinos](http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-pay-coming-to-vegas-not-gambling-yet-2015-5) only allow chip payments to be made in cash and slot machines are not equipped to handle contactless payments, it’s a safe bet that customers will not be able to fund their gambling exploits via Apple Pay, at least not yet.
**Next in line?**
While Cosmopolitan may be the first Vegas casino operator to accept Apple Pay, it will certainly not be the last, as resort operators **Las Vegas Sands Corp (NYSE: [LVS](/stock/lvs#NYSE))**, **MGM Resorts International (NYSE: [MGM](/stock/mgm#NYSE))**, **Wynn Resorts Ltd (NASDAQ: [WYNN](/stock/wynn#NASDAQ))** and **Caesars Entertainment Corp (NASDAQ: [CZR](/stock/czr#NASDAQ))** could soon follow Cosmopolitan’s lead.
Cosmopolitan joins the rapidly-expanding list of companies that already have Apple Pay deals in place, including **The Home Depot Inc (NYSE: [HD](/stock/hd#NYSE)),** **Macy’s Inc (NYSE: [M](/stock/m#NYSE))**, **Whole Foods Market Inc (NASDAQ: [WFM](/stock/wfm#NASDAQ))**, **Starbucks Corp (NYSE: [SBUX](/stock/sbux#NYSE))**, **Discover Financial Services (NYSE: [DFS](/stock/dfs#NYSE))** and **The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE: [KO](/stock/ko#NYSE))**. Apple Pay is now accepted at over 700,000 [total locations](http://www.benzinga.com/news/15/05/5480132/home-depot-adding-apple-pay-option). | Apple Pay Coming To Vegas, But Don't Bet On It |
2015-05-11T07:28:03 | Many [Apple Watch](http://www.benzinga.com/topic/apple-watch) customers are still waiting for **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) to ship their [long-awaited device](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5478410/apple-watch-is-going-to-be-huge-despite-ongoing-supply-i), but that that may not have any impact on its long-term success.
Vladimir Tenev, co-founder of [Robinhood](https://www.robinhood.com/), told Benzinga that the watch is "pretty much guaranteed to sell a lot of units." He's so convinced that he already dedicated resources to Apple Watch development.
"A lot of people will be using their watches and there will be expectations from those people that their financial services are available and provide native experiences," said Tenev. "And for us, having built an iPhone app, implementation-wise, it was relatively simple to extend that to the watch. It's the same programming language, a lot of the same tools. It was a no-brainer for us to be available on the watch on day one."
Robinhood is one of [many fintech companies](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/15/04/5419626/22-fintech-apps-coming-to-apple-watch) that has released an app for the Apple Watch.
Related Link: [Apple Watch Ignites Fintech Community, Inspires New Apps](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/15/04/5438285/apple-watch-ignites-fintech-community-inspires-new-apps)
### 'Phenomenal Home Run'
SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci told Benzinga that he thinks the watch is "going to be a phenomenal home run for them."
"People are saying, 'Why do I need the watch for? I've already got the phone,'" said Scaramucci. "I think [Apple CEO] Tim Cook's point about the watch is that there's a ton of things we're gonna use the watch for. It could be biometrics, it could be psychometrics. It could be just keeping track of things that are just going on in our day in an easy, wrist-like way."
### Strengthening Apple
Tech industry expert and analyst [Jeff Kagan](http://www.jeffkagan.com/) does not believe the Apple Watch will transform the industry, but it could do wonders for its manufacturer.
"It's going to strengthen Apple," Kagan told Benzinga. "It's not going to be as big as the smartphone. Who knows what it's going to look like in five or 10 years? We don't know where the mind of the marketplace is going to be. Not everybody is interested and excited about it, but the people who are think it's the greatest thing in the world."
Scaramucci pointed out that there were other times when customers wondered if they really needed what Apple was trying to sell them.
"The immortal Steve Jobs had a great line about Apple," said Scaramucci. "It goes back to what Henry Ford said: 'If I asked my customer what they wanted, they would have asked for a faster horse.'"
Scaramucci said that when Jobs unveiled the original iPhone, a lot of people looked at it and said, "What do I need this for?" They already had flip phones and BlackBerry devices. It wasn't immediately clear that they needed to replace them with an iPhone. Jobs explained that he had just placed, as Scaramucci put it, "the power of the world" in their hands. Scaramucci said that consumers had a similar reaction to the first iPad.
"I'm not a guy that would bet against these guys," Scaramucci added. "I have ordered [an Apple Watch]. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to be using one for. But in three months, I bet you I'm gonna have a good idea. I'm betting on these guys' understanding of what people will want."
### Throwaway Device?
The fashion element could actually help Apple in training customers to treat the watch like a smartphone and upgrade every 12 to 24 months.
"The fashion element means that you market it differently, means the customers buy it differently and it means they don't keep it as long," said Kagan, explaining that the existing model could go out of style very quickly. "It's cool today when it comes out, but what happens when next year's model comes out?"
That may not matter if consumers are won over by the technology. Scaramucci said that he thinks Apple is going to "capture the imagination of people because it's integrated back into the computer and it's integrated back into the phone."
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | Why Apple Watch Is 'Guaranteed To Sell A lot Of Units' |
2015-05-11T08:08:57 | ComScore, a global leader in digital media analytics, [reported](http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Market-Rankings/comScore-Reports-March-2015-US-Smartphone-Subscriber-Market-Share) last week key data relating to the U.S. smartphone industry for March 2015.
According to ComScore, **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) improved its OEM market share to 42.6 percent from 41.6 percent at the end of 2014. **Samsung Electronics Co Ltd** saw its market share decline to 28.3 percent from 29.7 percent at the end of 2014.
Over the same time period, **LG Electronics** improved its market share to 8.4 percent from 8.0 percent, **Motorola** saw its market share decline to 5.0 percent from 5.2 percent while HTC's market share edged slightly higher to 3.8 percent from 3.7 percent.
Despite Apple holding the top OEM ranks, **Google Inc** (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ))'s Android held on to the number one smartphone platform with 52.4 percent platform market share, even though it held a 53.1 percent market share at the end of 2014. Over the same time period, Apple's iOS market share improved to 42.6 percent from 41.6 percent.
**Microsoft Corporation** (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ))'s platform market share fell to 3.3 percent from 3.4 percent, as did **BlackBerry Ltd** (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ))'s whose market share fell to 1.6 percent from 1.8 percent. Symbian, the smallest of the major operating systems, saw its market share unchanged at just 0.1 percent.
**Facebook Top App**
ComScore also compiled data for the most popular smartphone apps as of the end of March.
**Facebook Inc** (NASDAQ: [FB](/stock/fb#NASDAQ))'s Facebook-core app was the clear market leader, reaching 69.5 percent of the app audience. Google's YouTube app ranked second, reaching 55.9 percent of the app audience.
**Pandora Media Inc** (NYSE: [P](/stock/p#NYSE))'s streaming music app ranked seventh with a 43.2 percent reach, outranking Apple's iTunes Radio/iCloud's 23.9 percent reach.
**Twitter Inc** (NYSE: [TWTR](/stock/twtr#NYSE))'s app ranked 12th with a 23.6 percent reach while **Amazon.com, Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ))'s Amazon Mobile app ranked 13th with a 23.1 percent reach. | Apple's U.S. Market Share Grows To 42.6 Percent, iOS Also Gains Share |
2015-05-11T09:06:18 | Fiat's CEO Sergio Marchionne, speaking in Canada during an event to mark the opening of a new Maserati dealership in a Toronto suburb, said that he recently met with **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))'s Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook along with Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of **Tesla Motors Inc** (NASDAQ: [TSLA](/stock/tsla#NASDAQ)).
[Patently Apple,](http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2015/05/fiats-ceo-marchionne-recently-met-with-tim-cook-over-carplay-apples-intervention-in-the-car.html) the popular Apple-related blog picked up the story, noting that Marchionne said that he is "interested" in Apple's intervention in the car.
The publication added that Marchionne's meeting with Cook could add more speculation of a "project Titan" (a rumored project related to an "Apple Car"), there is no evidence that the Fiat executive's visit to Apple went beyond their existing relationship over Carplay.
Fiat is one of [34 partners](http://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/) Apple counts on to carry its CarPlay in their vehicles. Apple's "infotainment" in-board system that offers drivers directions, the ability to make calls, send and receive messages and listen to music through their iPhone device.
Patently Apple further noted that Apple continues to work on new possible CarPlay related projects. For example, in February, a patent titled "Apple Invents a New CarPlay/HomeKit Related iDevice System" was uncovered. Other projects include outdoor and indoor parking location features and an advanced automotive access and control system that automates driver preferences including seat orientation, climate control, music preferences and more.
"These things are real. It's not science fiction — they're coming," Marchionne [told reporters]( http://business.financialpost.com/news/transportation/fiat-chrysler-ceo-met-with-heads-of-apple-and-tesla-amid-push-for-consolidation) following the opening of a the new dealership in Ontario. He added that he was "incredibly impressed" with Musk and wouldn't dismiss Tesla's ability to compete with the traditional automakers. | Rumor: Is Apple Teaming Up With Fiat For More Than CarPlay? |
2015-05-11T10:35:32 | *Joel Elconin is the co-host of [Benzinga's #PreMarket Prep](https://soundcloud.com/bztv), a daily trading idea radio show.*
S&P 500 index futures were trading higher by two points at 2110.50 in Monday's session. The index is attempting to trade higher for the third day in a row.
After a quiet pre-market session, the index found support ahead of the pre-market low (2105.25), only reaching 2107.25 before rebounding. So far, it has matched Friday's high (2113.50) and has made several attempts to move close to its all-time high of 2119.75.
However, the index is being prevented from moving by its two top components Its biggest component, **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), is trading lower by $1.30 at $126.32. Its second-biggest component, **Exxon Mobil Corporation** (NYSE: [XOM](/stock/xom#NYSE)), is trading lower by $1.68 at $87.31.
The **SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust** (NYSE: [SPY](/stock/spy#NYSE)) was trading at $211.25, down $0.40. | S&P 500 Index Futures Trading Higher |
2015-05-11T13:01:15 | Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [APPL](/stock/appl#NASDAQ)) said Monday it aims to help protect up to 1 million acres of working forests in China which provide fiber for pulp, paper and wood products.
The company said it will work on the project in a partnership with The World Wildlife Fund and hopes to achieve a net-zero impact on sustainable virgin fiber and power all its operations worldwide on 100 percent renewable energy.
Apple Chief Executive Cook said Monday that China is in the midst of a "green transformation" although it will "take years" for Apple to reach its environmental goals.
Natural forests cover about 10 percent of China's 36.78 billion acres, but much of it has been destroyed by human activities including logging, wood collection and mining, according to the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
http://pulitzercenter.org/projects/china-deforestation-tourism-united-nations-international-year-forests
In China's southern provinces, the mountainous forests that previously covered much of the region have been reduced by about 92 percent, according to Pulitzer.
Three years ago Apple, along with a raft of other major U.S. companies, resigned its membership in the American Legislative Council, which has sought weaker labor and environmental regulations, along with promoting gun rights and other measures.
http://www.ibtimes.com/wal-mart-leaves-alec-22nd-company-exit-conservative-lobbying-group-701012 | Apple Inc. To Help Preserve China Forest Acres |
2015-05-11T13:21:27 | There's a new rumor claiming that **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) might be interested in acquiring **BlackBerry Ltd** (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ)). The off-the-wall deal is likely rooted in the belief that BlackBerry's security services could be worth [billions of dollars](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/03/5298534/analyst-blackberry-could-double-if-it-continues-down-the).
Even then, investors might wonder about the validity of this rumor. Why would Apple, the most valuable company in the world, pay $5 billion for BlackBerry?
Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, has one theory. He said that, in most scenarios, the Department of Justice and other government organizations would prevent Apple from acquiring BlackBerry due to monopoly laws. That could change if the world's largest governments started to fear that BlackBerry may not be around in five or 10 years.
At the very least, they may worry that the company will not be able to fulfill its obligation to protect the mobile devices used be these governments.
Related Link: [3 Reasons BlackBerry Will Never Be Acquired](http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/14/11/5028356/is-yahoos-firefox-deal-a-big-loss-for-google)
"If that were to happen, there would be no DOJ [or] EU issues," Udall told Benzinga. "The one way this deal might work is if the US governments [and others] basically want Apple to buy them because they're worried that BlackBerry, effectively, won't be around in its current form."
On the downside, this could lead to a bidding war -- especially if Apple can acquire the company at a fair price. Udall said a "good deal" would be $15 a share, but that could attract the attention of **Microsoft Corporation** (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ)) and **Amazon.com, Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ)), among others.
"The two companies that should have already bought BlackBerry are Google and Microsoft," said Udall. "They could make it work and that would basically satisfy [the issues]."
If Apple is ever (as Udall put it) "cajoled" into buying BlackBerry and a bidding war occurred, Udall thinks Apple might happily walk away and let the others take over -- even if the world's largest governments wanted Apple to stay in the race.
In other words, Apple's only reason for buying BlackBerry would be to appease world leaders.
Alternatively, Udall said there is always the possibility that Apple will acquire a piece of BlackBerry, such as its Network Operations Center.
"Maybe Apple doesn't buy anything else but they do effectively buy and take over [NOC]," Udall concluded.
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | The No. 1 Reason For Apple To Acquire BlackBerry |
2015-05-11T13:28:18 | In May 2013, **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) CEO Tim Cook famously told [AllThingsD](http://allthingsd.com/20130528/tim-cook-wearable-computing-has-promise-but-must-be-compelling/) about his interest in the wrist.
"I think the wrist is interesting," he said. "The wrist is natural."
Cook revealed the source of his interest more than 12 months later when Apple unveiled its first smartwatch. That device, officially known as the [Apple Watch](http://www.benzinga.com/topic/apple-watch), is expected to be [very successful](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5493938/why-apple-watch-is-guaranteed-to-sell-a-lot-of-units).
Now Cook has reportedly told **Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV** (NYSE: [FCAU](/stock/fcau#NYSE)) CEO Sergio Marchionne that Apple is preparing for an [intervention in the car](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/09/us-fiat-chrysler-marchionne-tech-idUSKBN0NU0RD20150509).
"He's interested in Apple's intervention in the car, that's his role," said Marchionne, as quoted by Reuters.
This is a quote that analysts, investors and Apple enthusiasts will hang on for the next several years. But what does it really mean?
Related Link: [Is Apple Really Trying To Stop Spotify From Streaming Free Music?](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/15/05/5474213/is-apple-really-trying-to-stop-spotify-from-streaming-free-music)
### 'Appropriate Word'
Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, thinks that Apple is going to be more involved in the development of software, hands-free experiences and other in-car elements.
"I'm not a believer that Apple is going to get into the car-making business," Udall told Benzinga. "I would be pretty surprised if that was a market that they end up getting into. Software, ergonomics, voice activation, voice command, all that kind of stuff, I think Apple will get into in a big, big way."
Udall said that "intervention" is an appropriate word. He also said that consumers do not typically get a great in-car experience unless they purchase a sports car, a luxury automobile or some other expensive high-end vehicle. He thinks Apple could help change that but noted that there aren't really any cheap cars anymore.
"I can remember being able to buy a darn good car for $14,000 to $15,000," said Udall. "Now a cheap car is like $25,000, brand-new."
### Setting The Tone
Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry said that **Tesla Motors Inc.** (NASDAQ: [TSLA](/stock/tsla#NASDAQ)), which recently met with Marchionne, is currently setting the tone for the auto industry.
"Very soon there will only be two players setting the tone, and it will be Tesla and Apple," Chowdhry told Benzinga." It is no different than what has happened in the software and [cloud] computing industry. Today the tone is being set by Amazon."
Chowdhry said that the industry "grows and improves exponentially when a non-incumbent comes in."
"It wasn't Oracle, IBM [or] Intel who changed the paradigm -- it was a bookseller, a retailer," he explained. "Similarly, it wasn't AT&T, Verizon, BlackBerry [or] Nokia that changed the mobile industry -- it was Apple. If somebody is looking for incumbents to redefine the industry, it is not gonna happen."
Chowdhry has been extremely critical of the auto industry. He said it has not reinvented itself or shown anything significant in the last 100 years.
"Tesla has already disrupted the auto industry," he added. "Only difference is, Tesla is in the industry right now, and Apple will take at least five years to come in."
Before the iPhone cemented its place in mobile devices, many smartphone manufacturers thought they could build a comparable product. According to Chowdhry (and a mountain of [anecdotal evidence](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/14/09/4844470/3-competitor-reactions-to-apple-inc-s-iphone-6)), they were not successful.
"They all have died, iPhone hasn't," said Chowdhry. "iPhone is growing and booming. Similarly, what do you see now? [Automakers] say, 'We'll have a Tesla killer very soon.'"
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | What Is The Apple Car 'Intervention' Really About? |
2015-05-11T13:41:41 | **Microsoft Corporation** (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ)) recently announced at its Build developer conference that Windows would support applications for other operating systems.
The company will support apps developed for **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) iOS and **Google Inc** (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ)) Android, according to a [report](http:// http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/05/android-and-ios-apps-on-windows-what-is-microsoft-doing-and-will-it-work/) from Peter Bright at Ars Technica.
Supporting applications developed for Apple’s and Google’s operating systems could carry risks to Microsoft, Bright suggested, as such an approach had been attempted by International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: [IBM](/stock/ibm#NYSE)) and BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ)) in the past with little to no success.
“This capability cedes a lot of control. By being dependent on apps developed for a third-party platform, you give the owner of that third-party platform the power to choose how to evolve its APIs and add new features,” Bright noted.
Additionally, Android has difficulty pushing out updates to different phones while Apple is able to aggressively update iOS.
“This means an Android-compatible platform could trail Google's cutting edge by a year or more and still be highly compatible with Android apps,” while a “platform striving for compatibility with iOS will have to aggressively keep pace with Apple's developments,” Bright wrote.
When rumors of Android compatibility surfaced in 2014, it “seemed like Microsoft was simply preparing to make the same mistakes others had made before, one last-ditch effort to prop up its phone platform."
"Running a competitor's apps has been done before. It hasn't worked," Bright concluded.
Microsoft Corporation recently traded at $47.69, down 0.12 percent. | Is Microsoft Integrating Other OS Apps? |
2015-05-11T14:11:59 | There was a lot of surprising headlines and major market moves in the tech world this earnings season. Now that most of the big names have reported and the dust has settled, it’s a good time to take a look at how some of the big names compare on market fundamentals.
Here’s a breakdown of how **Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ))**, **Google Inc (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ))**, **Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: [FB](/stock/fb#NASDAQ))**, **Apple Inc (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** and **Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: [NFLX](/stock/nflx#NASDAQ))** look from a fundamental standpoint now that their latest earnings numbers are factored in.
**Earnings**
One of the most basic fundamental metrics for gauging a stock’s value is the price to earnings ratio (PE). The lower the PE, the higher the value. Here’s a breakdown of the updated PE for these five big names.
Apple is currently the only stock of the five with a PE lower than the S&P 500’s overall PE of 20.7. Facebook and Netflix’s PEs of over 75 are well out of the typical range. Amazon is the only company that was not profitable over the last four quarters (and therefore has no PE).
**Growth**
However, price is not everything.
Growth rate is also critical for companies that are rapidly increasing their bottom lines. The price to earnings to growth ratio is a good way to look at how expensive a stock is relative to its growth rate. Here’s a comparison of the PEGs of these five names.
Again, Apple is the only stock with a PEG lower than the overall market. Google’s 19 PEG is fairly high, and Facebook and Netflix’s PEGs are much higher than the S&P average. Amazon’s PEG cannot be calculated from its negative earnings.
**Cash Flow**
Sometimes when companies reinvest a majority of earnings for the purpose of expanding operations and growing the company, earnings numbers aren’t the best measure of a stock’s value.
Instead, investors may choose to focus on cash flow from operations, a measure of how much cash a company brings in from regular business activities. Here is the price to cash flow from operations ratio for each of these five companies.
Apple makes it a clean sweep, coming in with the best cash flow valuation as well.
Amazon and Facebook both have relatively high cash flow valuations, and Netflix’s ratio cannot be calculated because it has negative operating cash flow during the past four quarters.
**Takeaway**
All five of these tech giants have generated a large amount of buzz and excitement on Wall Street in recent years.
However, despite the companies’ ground-breaking technological innovations, it’s always important for investors to know and understand the underlying fundamentals of the stocks.
*Disclosure: the author holds a short position in Amazon.* | How Do Big Tech Stocks Compare On Fundamentals? |
2015-05-11T14:17:09 | **Shares of Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) have receded a bit from the highs it made when the company released phenomenal first-quarter numbers.
Daniel Ives from FBR Capital Markets [was on CNBC](http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000378412) Monday to discuss the outlook for Apple’s stock and when the company might cross the $1 billion market-cap mark.
### The Outlook
Ives is bullish on Apple. According to him China is the new growth market for U.S., it will be Apple’s success in China that will determine the company’s fortune going forward.
“I think what’s going to happen is we are going to go in the developer conference in June,” he said. “I think, ultimately there’s going to be some good things in terms of an iPad refresh, Apple TV, as well as more information on the Apple Watch.”
“But there’s something I think we do need to sort of see, investors have comfort and have confidence in this Apple Watch, in the wearables and I think that’s really the key in terms of hitting that 20 million number by calendar ’15.”
He continued, “So, in the near-term, you sort of see the stock stagnate, worries about an iPhone 6 hangover and then you start to come through an ultimately, I think, it’s almost near-term I view this as a speed bump or a stagnant period before we make that jump towards the trillion.”
### $1 Trillion
Ives was asked when he sees Apple crossing the $1 trillion market capitalization mark. He replied, “I think a year from now we are looking at a trillion dollar”.
### Apple Watch’s Impact
On whether Apple Watch will have an impact on bottom-line, Ives said, “In terms of the actual math, it’s not necessarily changing the model near-term, but it’s so key because wearables and the Watch is really about this next generation. We think that’s 8-10 percent of revenue by fiscal ’17.” | 'A Year From Now We Are Looking Apple At A Trillion Dollar' : FBR Capital Markets |
2015-05-11T16:01:56 | A rumor involving Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) and BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ)) has emerged recently; and it is not negligible, nor insignificant. The word out is that the former might be interested in acquiring the latter, probably attracted by its security services portfolio.
Related Link: The No. 1 Reason For Apple To Acquire BlackBerry
This article will go over social media commentary regarding this rumor. Here’s what people on Twitter are saying about the possible purchase.
### **These Guys Think The Deal Will Happen **(Or At Least Like The Idea)****
> Not sure why [$AAPL](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&src=ctag) has not bought [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) yet, would fit in perfectly, no? Apples & Blackberries.
>
> — RC (@RaginCajun) [May 11, 2015](https://twitter.com/RaginCajun/status/597844469476499456)
> Watch [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) over 10.19.... this rumor makes sense to me...Bullish options flow. [$AAPL](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&src=ctag)
>
> — Antonio Costa (@ACInvestorBlog) [May 11, 2015](https://twitter.com/ACInvestorBlog/status/597776259557367809)
### **These Guys Doubt It**
> I'm not giving much credence to [$AAPL](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&src=ctag) buying [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) although it has been great for [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) today.
>
> — Stock Prop (@StockProp) [May 11, 2015](https://twitter.com/StockProp/status/597830943932551168)
> Today in ridiculous BlackBerry rumours: Apple is planning to buy Blackberry [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) [$AAPL](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&src=ctag) [pic.twitter.com/UDLqtE41z3](http://t.co/UDLqtE41z3)
>
> — Amber Kanwar (@amberkanwar) [May 11, 2015](https://twitter.com/amberkanwar/status/597798580959707136)
> Mixed fruit bowl? [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) up 2%. Big volume. Both [@briefingcom](https://twitter.com/Briefingcom) and [@benzinga](https://twitter.com/Benzinga) are citing chatter that [$AAPL](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&src=ctag) may buy. Believe it when I see it.
>
> ### — Paul R. La Monica (@LaMonicaBuzz) [May 11, 2015](https://twitter.com/LaMonicaBuzz/status/597770103875207168)
>
> > Not likely but... Apple Inc. To Acquire Blackberry? <http://t.co/2wgAdSvTCi> [$AAPL](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&src=ctag) [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) [#apple](https://twitter.com/hashtag/apple?src=hash) [#blackberry](https://twitter.com/hashtag/blackberry?src=hash)
> >
> > — LearnBonds.com (@LearnBonds) [May 11, 2015](https://twitter.com/LearnBonds/status/597794336172937216)
> Market starting to realize [$AAPL](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&src=ctag) buying [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) isn't as nuts as it sounds...
>
> — Quoth the Raven (@QuoththeRavenSA) [May 11, 2015](https://twitter.com/QuoththeRavenSA/status/597829183952310272)
**And This Guy Is Just... A Blackberry Hater?**
> I hope [$AAPL](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24AAPL&src=ctag) ends up buying [$BBRY](https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BBRY&src=ctag) and dismantles them, sells them for scrap and removes them from the phone market.
>
> — Gavin Martinsson (@GEQSense) [May 11, 2015](https://twitter.com/GEQSense/status/597834022744621056) | Will Apple Acquire Blackberry? The Crowd Weighs In |
2015-05-11T16:04:29 | Research firm IDC recently [released a report](http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prSG25614115) on Chinese smartphone shipment, according to which **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) toppled all other major smartphone makers in the first-quarter of 2015 to become the largest smartphone vendor (by shipment) with a market share of 14.7 percent.
[CNBC](http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000378490)'s Jon Fortt, investor Kevin O'Leary and Jon Steinberg, The Daily Mail North America CEO, were recently seen discussing this report.
### Disastrous For Xiaomi
“If you are Xiaomi, you don’t want to see this happen,” Fortt said. “If your whole idea is we are selling an Apple quality handsets at practically zero margin to pickup business on the backend through services and software, Apple should never be outselling you.”
### China: An Upgrade Market?
On China having reached saturation point in terms of smartphone sales and now being an upgrade market, Steinberg said, “A lot of these markets are upgrade markets. Look at Tim Cook on the earnings call saying it’s 20 percent of the installed base of the iPhones have now upgraded to an iPhone 6 or an iPhone 6 Plus.”
“So, you have to get there in China. Obviously the fact that the market is now saturated is a negative sign. But all of these markets basically have to earn it now.”
### Apple: Not A Consumer Electronics Company
O'Leary was asked for his view on Apple currently. He replied, “I am no longer looking at Apple as a hardware company. I am a long Apple guy, I have got a 5 percent [weight in] this name and I have come to the conclusion that the iPhone 6…is actually an input device to a platform.”
“That’s the way I look at it and I say,’ what the heck?’ I got to believe that otherwise if I thought of it as a consumer electronics company. I should have sold the stock a long time ago,” O'Leary concluded. | Apple Topples Competition To Become The Largest Smartphone Vendor In China |
2015-05-11T16:26:09 | Shares of **BlackBerry Ltd** (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ)) were trading higher by more than six percent heading in to the final 30 minutes of trading on Monday after a rumor surfaced earlier that **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) is considering an acquisition of BlackBerry.
At first glance, there could be some merit to the rumor. Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies told Benzinga that it is possible several government are beginning to worry that BlackBerry's days are limited given a turnaround plan that is still uncertain.
"The one way this deal might work is if the U.S. governments [and others] basically want Apple to buy them because they're worried that BlackBerry, effectively, won't be around in its current form," Udall said.
BlackBerry's name has been mentioned as a potential buy-out target several times in the past.
Shares of BlackBerry [surged around 30 percent]( http://www.benzinga.com/news/15/01/5148023/blackberry-spikes-30-on-samsung-acquisition-report) on January 14 following a Reuters report that **Samsung** was interested in acquiring BlackBerry for up to $7.5 billion, valuing shares as much as $15.49.
However, shares of BlackBerry quickly reversed after the company issued a response stating it is "not engaged in discussions with Samsung with respect to any possible offer to purchase BlackBerry."
Mike Walkley, an analyst at Cannacord Genuity [spoke to Benzinga]( http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/01/5165611/canaccord-genuity-analyst-blackberry-lg-combination-make) a week after investors and traders fully digested the news that Samsung has no interest in acquiring the Canadian based BlackBerry. At that time, a new rumor surfaced that LG Electronics was interested in BlackBerry.
"LG is struggling to be relevant in the larger Android consumer market, so I'm not sure what they would get with BlackBerry," Walkley said.
The analyst further noted that an LG Electronics – BlackBerry combination makes less sense than a Samsung-BlackBerry combination. He continued that Samsung is the much larger player in the smartphone market with deeper pockets. However, the company is looking to gain share by growing its enterprise business, likely implying there is no fit for BlackBerry.
Investors, traders and journalists will continue to speculate why they believe BlackBerry would be a good acquisition target.
Here are a few publications that suggested BlackBerry is an acquisition target, showing that investors and traders need to take any BlackBerry-related news with skepticism.
* [Crackberry.com]( http://crackberry.com/10-reasons-why-google-will-buy-research-motion) opined in 2011 why **Google Inc** (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ)) would buy BlackBerry.
* [Windowscentral.com]( http://www.windowscentral.com/bloomberg-microsoft-still-eyeing-potential-blackberry-purchase) argued **Microsoft Corporation** (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ)) would benefit from acquiring BlackBerry.
* [Thevarguy.com]( http://thevarguy.com/business-smartphone-and-tablet-technology-solutions/oracle-orcl-perfect-blackberry-bbry-buyer) presented the case why **Oracle Corporation** (NYSE: [ORCL](/stock/orcl#NYSE)) should acquire BlackBerry.
* [Businessinsider.com]( http://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-the-only-company-that-should-buy-research-in-motion-2011-6) stated that **International Business Machines Corp.** (NYSE: [IBM](/stock/ibm#NYSE)) is "the only" company that should acquire BlackBerry. | Apple- BlackBerry Chatter: Another Baseless Rumor? |
2015-05-11T18:56:23 | The following are the M&A deals, rumors and chatter circulating on Wall Street for Monday May 11, 2015:
**Noble Energy to Acquire Rosetta Resources for $2.1B**
*The Deal*:
Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: [NBL](/stock/nbl#NYSE)) and Rosetta Resources Inc. (NASDAQ: [ROSE](/stock/rose#NASDAQ)) announced Monday, that Noble Energy will acquire all of the common stock of Rosetta in an all-stock transaction valued at $2.1 billion, plus the assumption of Rosetta's net debt of $1.8 billion as of March 31, 2015. Rosetta shareholders will receive 0.542 of a share of Noble Energy common stock for each share of Rosetta common stock held, with an implied value to Rosetta shareholders of $26.62 per share.
The deal is expected to close in Q3 of 2015.
Rosetta Resources shares closed Monday at $24.58, a gain of 27%.
**Hearing Unconfirmed Market Chatter of Potential Apple Bid for BlackBerry**
*The Rumor*:
BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ)) shares rose Monday on unconfirmed market chatter that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) could be a potential buyer, paying between $15.00 and $18.00 per share, according to source. BlackBerry is the subject of frequent takeover chatter, with Lenovo (OTC: [LNVGY](/stock/lnvgy#OTC)) and Samsung (OTC: [SSNLF](/stock/ssnlf#OTC)) being mentioned most often as potential buyers.
Spokespersons for BlackBerry and Apple were not available for comment.
BlackBerry shares gained almost 6% Monday, closing at $10.46.
**Exor to Sell Cushman & Wakefield to DTZ for $2B**
*The Deal*:
EXOR (OTC: [EXOSF](/stock/exosf#OTC)) announced Monday, that it has agreed to sell Cushman & Wakefield to DTZ for total enterprise value of $2.042 billion. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2015. | Benzinga's M&A Chatter for Monday May 11, 2015 |
2015-05-12T06:41:20 | In a report published Tuesday, Barclays analysts reinitiated coverage of **Avago Technologies Ltd** (NASDAQ: [AVGO](/stock/avgo#NASDAQ)) with an Overweight rating and a price target of $145, citing continued FBAR tailwinds and "more room" for mergers and acquisitions.
In the report Barclays noted, "We outline further tailwinds for the RF group in our broader note out today (A Look at Upcoming iPhone Architectures; Trends for RF Group) while maintaining our preference for AVGO. We still have long-term pricing/margin concerns in RF but see AVGO only participating where its FBAR performance is valued."
The analysts believe that Avago's content at Apple Inc (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) would be "flat to down" in 2015, after a double in the IP6. However, overall growth is likely to continue in view of share gains on the QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ: [QCOM](/stock/qcom#NASDAQ)) side (Samsung) and "the move to PAMiDs (PA+filter+switch), which pulls in filters but also adds switch content, where AVGO has little share."
Avago has closed its acquisition of Emulex Corporation (NYSE: [ELX](/stock/elx#NYSE)) last week in an all-cash transaction valued at about $606M. The analysts expect the acquisition to me immediately accretion, boosting the July quarter EPS by about $0.03 boost and ramping to almost $0.30 in CY16, assuming ~$75M in cost savings.
"The ELX deal continues AVGO's strategy of acquiring related businesses with strong franchises and managing them to more profitable cost structures," the report added. | Barclays Is Overweight Avago, Sees 'Room For M&A' |
2015-05-12T07:13:22 | In a report published Tuesday, Wells Fargo analysts maintained a Market Perform rating on **Apple Inc** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), with a valuation range of $125-$135.
Wells Fargo has issued a PictureBook report for Apple's 10K and 10Q with the intention of providing a comprehensive and pictorial view of all the data. "We highlighted the atypical decline in warranty accrual and lower than normal accrued marketing and selling expense (AMS) noted in the abridged version which we believe may have helped gross margin and EPS in the quarter (and which may present a headwind in the coming quarters)."
Warranty accruals were atypically lower in the March quarter, helping gross margin by 190bps, or $0.14 in EPS. Moreover, AMS declines are estimated to have boosted gross margin by 100bps.
While bull argument suggests that there could be upside to the company's June quarter revenue, the analysts believe that the data is not "conclusive enough" to indicate any upside beyond their estimate of $48.8B.
Apple raised $8B in debt on May 6, with $22B in cash held domestically at the end of the March quarter. This would bring onshore cash to $30B, with $60B in share buybacks authorized through 2017 and $12B in annual dividend commitments.
"We believe the positives of the current 6 cycle and perception as a relatively defensive stock to be offset by gross margin pressures and secular issues as it relates to a limited market cap opportunity in the existing product segments, and a potential balance of power shift back to wireless operators from handset vendors," the analysts added. | Wells Fargo Issues 'PictureBook' Of Apple's Latest 10-Q |
2015-05-12T09:11:06 | In a report published Tuesday, Pacific Crest analysts maintained a Sector-Weight rating on **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), saying that the company is likely to launch a "disruptive virtual MVPD service" later this year.
In the report Pacific Crest noted, "Industry participants, news reports and commentary from network executives suggest Apple is likely to launch a virtual MVPD service later this year. We expect the service to be a medium sized bundle of traditional linear networks with significant stacking rights and a heavy emphasis on on-demand viewing, likely with a base price around $40 or $50 per month."
The analysts believe that this service would be much more disruptive than a "skinny bundle." The landscape of pay TV could change; provided Apple is able to execute well. "The Internet can support better personalization, hardware flexibility and customer service than traditional MVPDs, as well as faster product improvement."
"Networks should be primary beneficiaries," the analysts wrote, while explaining that the largest networks would be in a position to negotiate affiliate fees that "exceed their current averages."
While **Time Warner Inc** (NYSE: [TWX](/stock/twx#NYSE)) appears to be the best positioned to benefit, **CBS Corporation** (NYSE: [CBS](/stock/cbs#NYSE)), **Twenty-First Century Fox Inc** (NASDAQ: [FOXA](/stock/foxa#NASDAQ)), **Walt Disney Co** (NYSE: [DIS](/stock/dis#NYSE)) and **AMC Networks Inc** (NASDAQ: [AMCX](/stock/amcx#NASDAQ)) are also poised to be among the main beneficiaries.
While the service would be positive for Apple, near-term profits "would likely be limited," the report stated. | Pacific Crest: Apple Will Launch A Virtual MVPD Service This Year |
2015-05-12T09:30:14 | Pacific Crest Securities said that **Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** is likely to launch an online multichannel pay TV service shortly. The analysts discounted the fact that this rumor has surfaced in the past only to be followed by nothing. "Technology development, changes in the pay TV universe, commentary from major network owners and Apple's need for large new profit opportunities suggest that this time it is likely to be real," the analysts argued.
The opportunity here is real, Pacific Crest said, noting that "Apple could shift landscape of pay TV." Since the company has had time to "build a compelling user interface and develop the technology and processes necessary" to operate its TV service, the analysts said that Apple TV could "alter" consumer expectations for what TV could be.
For the industry, an Apple service "would create significant risk" for **Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: [CMCSA](/stock/cmcsa#NASDAQ))** and **Time Warner Cable Inc (NYSE: [TWC](/stock/twc#NYSE))**, Pacific Crest said. And while satellite providers are also "highly at risk," Pacific Crest forecasted that spectrum value and pending M&A will help **DISH Network Corp (NASDAQ: [DISH](/stock/dish#NASDAQ))** and **DIRECTV (NASDAQ: [DTV](/stock/dtv#NASDAQ))**.
For Apple, the immediate impact to earnings and revenue would not likely be material. Pacific Crest estimated that it could drive $0.07 in EPS, meaning that it would not be "a large profit center" for the company. However, more products in more categories would help Apple "increase device stickiness," particularly if the Apple Watch enthusiasm "deteriorates."
For the year, Apple has gained 14.4 percent to close Monday at $126.32. The stock is 6.5 percent below its all-time high at $134.54. | Apple TV 'Seems Real' This Time, Analyst Says |
2015-05-12T11:02:30 | Coming soon a TV near you: an unlimited supply of streaming options.
**Netflix, Inc.** (NASDAQ: [NFLX](/stock/nflx#NASDAQ))'s CEO Reed Hastings [spoke of the future of television]( http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/netflix-ceo-reed-hastings-predicts-future-of-tv/) during the Media Convention in Berlin last week, and suggested an app-based streaming TV ecosystem is coming in our lifetime.
According to Hastings, the inevitable transition of TV viewing from cable to streaming will mirror **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))'s transformation of the smartphone market.
"Ten years ago, there was no iPhone," Hastings said. "The entire smartphone revolution has happened in ten years. So, what about the next ten years? What will that bring in hardware innovation, in immersive reality, in incredible screens. Screens in the home. Screens in your pocket. The Internet will get so much faster with fiber. All of this will happen within ten years."
Hastings continued that 4K televisions will become a large contributing factor towards the demise of broadcast cable. The upcoming World Cup will serve as an example as many people will have 4K televisions, but they won't tune in to broadcast or cable TV to watch the tournament. Rather, the 4K content will come over the internet as internet.
**There Will Be Winners And Losers**
Hastings noted that some television networks will find success if they are able to successfully transition themselves from a TV network into an Internet TV related company.
The barriers to entry are dropping which will result in the demise of some TV stations. "The great thing about the Internet is if you can build an app for the iPhone or the Android, you can be a TV network," the Netflix executive said.
Naturally, Hastings is confident in his own company's future. He said that Netflix Is "really focused" on its own movies and TV shows. He further noted that the company will be "playing with the formats, with interactivity, with plot twists" with the end objective of making Netflix "connect the world… so the world's best storytellers can get to a global voice." | Netflix CEO: Online Video Streaming Is The Future Of TV |
2015-05-12T11:15:04 | In a report published Tuesday, JPMorgan analyst Rod Hall commented on reports that **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) is believed to be exploring a major expansion of its key Irish plant just months after completing a "massive" 300 million euro development.
Apple has [operated in Cork, Ireland]( https://www.apple.com/ie/job-creation/) since 1980 and has grown its workforce to over 4,000 employees that serve customers through sales, distribution, manufacturing, tech support and other critical functions.
Hall noted that Apple's expansion could deliver a multi-million euro boost to the Cork construction sector and generate hundreds of new jobs. The analyst further added that the Cork facility is considered to be Apple's most important office outside of its Cupertino, California home base.
"We estimate that Apple funnels approximately 59 percent of its global profits through its Irish subsidiaries," Hall wrote. "We believe it is likely that this expansion is aimed at increasing Apple's physical presence in Ireland which, in turn, would potentially provide support for Apple's Irish tax position."
Hall [referenced a recent 10Q filling]( http://www.benzinga.com/news/15/04/5457466/apple-expects-material-tax-repercussions-from-european-commission-tax-probe) in which Apple disclosed that the European Commission will formally investigate Ireland's alleged state aid to the company, specifically the allocation of profits for taxation purposes of the Irish branches of two Apple subsidiaries.
Apple disclosed that under the event of an unfavorable ruling, it could face "material" tax repercussions as the European Commission would require Ireland to recover from Apple past taxes covering a period of up to 10 years.
Apple argued that the assertions are "without merit" while also noting that the company is "unable to estimate the impact." | Is Apple Expanding In Ireland? |
2015-05-12T11:23:53 | **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) is rumored to be looking at **BlackBerry Ltd** (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ)) as its next acquisition target. There is at least one reason for Apple to [pick up the firm](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5498256/the-no-1-reason-for-apple-to-acquire-blackberry), but Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry expects another outcome.
"I think the play with BlackBerry is a partnership play, not at all an acquisition," Chowdhry told Benzinga. "Apple will welcome BlackBerry as an App Store partner. They can publish their security software on App Store and people can download it -- no different from what [other companies] have done."
Chowdhry said that Apple does not acquire companies that were successful in the past but offer "zero future value."
"If they even have to spend $1, they would rather spend [it] on something that enhances the world, which is very focused on instant responses," he added. "I don't think BlackBerry is in that space."
Related Link: [3 Reasons BlackBerry Will Never Be Acquired](http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/14/11/5028356/is-yahoos-firefox-deal-a-big-loss-for-google)
### Money Well Spent
"You don't want that baggage," Chowdhry continued. "Think about it. Where is Apple more benefited: pouring $5 billion in BlackBerry, or if they put maybe just $2 billion into Tesla's Gigafactory? Which is going to add more value to Apple five years from now?"
Chowdhry said the answer is "definitely" the Gigafactory -- "not BlackBerry."
"The future resides in a completely different industry," he added. "It could have transportation aspects to it, mobility software aspects, control aspects [for your smart devices], infrastructure aspects like the Gigafactory. That's the world that is evolving…and BlackBerry has no play.
"Foolish companies invest and buy in yesterday's companies. Smart companies invest in creating industries of the future. Mobile is an industry. Apple Watch is an industry now."
### Internal Issues
Before making another major acquisition, Apple has to deal with its own internal issues, starting with the supply of the Apple Watch. Chowdhry [blames](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/04/5462977/are-apple-watch-sales-suffering-from-inventory-and-suppl) Angela Ahrendts, Apple's senior VP of retail and online stores, at least partially for the device's [launch day confusion](http://www.benzinga.com/news/events/15/04/5441713/apple-watch-release-confuses-customers-who-couldnt-buy-it-in-stores).
"Apple Watch is not a jewelry item," he said. "[Ahrendts] has gotten that wrong. The customers are using it as a personal communicator [because it's] always available and attached to them. People want to experience the product, but if you keep selling it like jewelry, you can't!"
Chowdhry was particularly upset by Apple's decision to keep the watch under lock and key. Not even the cheapest models, which sell for several hundred dollars less than Macs, iPhones and iPads, are readily available for a test drive at the Apple Store.
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | Why The Apple-BlackBerry Rumor Is A 'Partnership Play,' Not A Buyout |
2015-05-12T11:44:07 | Analysts weighed in on technology giant **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) in light of international iPhone sales.
In the beginning of April, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst [Brian White](https://www.tipranks.com/experts/brian-white?src=blog) affirmed that iPhone sales in China were still coming in hot after he took a trip to China in which he observed that Apple stores were “jam-packed” with 1 to 2 hour long lines despite increased competition from local smartphone brands.
Canaccord Genuity analyst [Michael Walkley](https://www.tipranks.com/experts/michael-walkley?src=blog) went further to say that Apple is currently the clear leader in the high-end global smart phone market and is continuing to grow. On May 11, Walkley reiterated a Buy rating with a price target increase to $160 stating, “We believe these trends should grow the iPhone installed base to over 500M users exiting C2015, and this bodes well for future strong iPhone replacement sales, earnings, as well as cash flow generation to fund strong long-term capital returns programs similar to the $200B program announced on April 27th.”
Michael Walkley has rated Apple 75 times since September 2010, earning a 77 percent success rate recommending the company and a +30.1 percent average return per AAPL recommendation. Overall, the analyst has a 72 percent success rate recommending stocks and a +24.0 percent average return per recommendation.
Separately on May 11, UBS analyst [Steven Milunovich](https://www.tipranks.com/experts/steven-milunovich?src=blog) maintained a Buy rating on Apple with a price target of $150. The analyst focused more on sales of the Apple Watch, cutting his 2016 estimatefrom 40 million units to 31 million units. Despite this, Milunovich believes the Apple Watch could eventually become a “must-have” product such as the iPhone.
Steven Milunovich has rated Apple 55 times since July 2012, earning a 67 percent success rate recommending the company and a +13.4 percent average return per Apple recommendation. Overall, he has a 57 percent success rate recommending stocks and a +6.3 percent average return per recommendation.
Apple released its second quarter 2015 earnings results on April 27. The company’s profit increased 40 percent from the same quarter a year prior at $2.33 earnings per share. Apple’s revenue also increased 26 percent year-over-year for a total of $58 billion.
On average, the top analyst consensus for Apple on TipRanks is Moderate Buy. | Wall Street Still Loves Apple's International Sales |
2015-05-12T12:37:50 | J.P. Morgan analyst Rod Hall commented Tuesday on the **Microsoft Corporation** (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ)) Surface 3 tablet.
According to Hall, Microsoft’s new Surface 3 tablet received a software update on Monday “aimed at helping large organizations deploy the small tablets across their personnel.”
The update was intended to enhance the process of mass deployment of the devices and provide more features for use in enterprise.
“As a device running Windows 8.1 Pro, it already offers business-ready features that support easy IT integration, domain join, and enterprise-class security – all in our most portable package. And now, for customers intending to do mass deployments into larger organizations, we’re pleased to announce a driver update intended to put you ahead of the game,” according to Microsoft's [blog](http://blogs.technet.com/b/surface/archive/2015/05/11/new-surface-3-driver-available-to-enhance-mass-deployments.aspx).
The new features will also bring the Surface 3 closer “in line with its more business-oriented sibling, Surface Pro 3,” Hall said.
The update also included new and improved features for customers in “a larger-scale commercial environment such as enhanced PXE booting and support for asset tagging.”
Hall expected the impact of the update to be neutral for **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) and **Hewlett-Packard Company** (NYSE: [HPQ](/stock/hpq#NYSE)) at this time.
Microsoft Corporation traded at $47.31 by mid-day Tuesday, down 0.13 percent.
Hewlett-Packard Company recently traded at $33.13, down 1.69 percent, while Apple Inc. traded at $126.10, down 0.17 percent. | Microsoft New Surface Hybrid: What's Coming? |
2015-05-12T13:31:40 | Eagle Bay Capital founder and Market Technician JC Parets tracks the performance of the Dow Thirty, and recently analyzed **Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))**’s stock.
### **Weekly Chart**
****
Structurally, the shares are in a sturdy uptrend. In February the stock hit Eagle Bay’s upside target close to $129, which represents the 161.8 percent Fibonacci extension of the entire 2012-2013 decline.
“In addition, momentum is putting in a bearish divergence at these new highs,” the firm’s Dow Thirty report explains. “This continues to suggest taking profits until it digests these gains further and approaching this more from a tactical perspective” (see daily chart below). With an upward-trending 200 week moving average and relative strength in a strong slope upwards, Parets sees little reason to be short, and says he would continue to wait for more information before acting on Apple again.
### **Daily Chart**
A look at the daily chart (for last Wednesday) provides a more tactical view. Short-term, Apple reached Eagle Bay’s upside target in February, near $129 (based on both the weekly price target and the 161.8 percent Fibonacci extension of the November-January decline). The company continues to struggle with this level and, until more data and/or consolidation of these gains can be seen, Parets thinks there is not much to do. “With an upward sloping 200 day moving average and momentum in a bullish range I see little reason to short this,” he assures. “We do not want to own AAPL if prices are below the 3/19 highs.” | Two Charts To Make Sense Of Apple's Strong Uptrend |
2015-05-12T16:28:06 | Avago Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: [AVGO](/stock/avgo#NASDAQ)) will be among companies benefitting from upcoming versions of the iPhone, an analyst said Tuesday.
Barclay's Blayne Curtis reinstated coverage of Avago with an Overweight rating and called it a "top idea" among radio frequency semiconductor companies.
Industry trends favor Avago products; its shares are relatively cheap and the company is pursuing a "proven" acquisition strategy, according to Curtis.
Singapore-based Avago last year said aggregate sales to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) accounted for more than 10 percent of its revenue.
Curtis estimated that Avgo's content contribution to Apple's iPhone 6S, expected in 2016, will be flat to down.
Vendor decisions for the 6S were made earlier this year, according to Curtis, with content gainers likely including Qorvo Inc. (NASDAQ: [QRVO](/stock/qrvo#NASDAQ)) and Skyworks Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: [SWKS](/stock/swks#NASDAQ)).
But the analyst sees a gain of 20 percent to 30 percent in Avgo's content contribution to the iPhone 7, expected in 2017.
Vendor decisions on the iPhone 7 will be made in the first quarter of next year, and along with Ago, Curtis expects Qorvo will see significant content gains. | Analyst Sees iPhone Content Gains For Avago Technologies Ltd. |
2015-05-13T04:38:24 | Below are the top electronic equipment stocks on the NASDAQ in terms of profit margin.
The trailing-twelve-month profit margin at **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) is 22.50 percent. Apple's PEG ratio is 1.18.
The trailing-twelve-month profit margin at **Universal Electronics Inc** (NASDAQ: [UEIC](/stock/ueic#NASDAQ)) is 10.00 percent. Universal Electronics' EPS for the same period is $2.01.
The trailing-twelve-month profit margin at **SGOCO Group Ltd** (NASDAQ: [SGOC](/stock/sgoc#NASDAQ)) is 4.20 percent. SGOCO Group's ROE for the same period is 10.10 percent.
The trailing-twelve-month profit margin at **Skullcandy Inc** (NASDAQ: [SKUL](/stock/skul#NASDAQ)) is 2.90 percent. Skullcandy's revenue for the same period is $254.90 million. | Top 4 NASDAQ Stocks In The Electronic Equipment Industry With The Highest Profit Margin |
2015-05-13T06:07:38 | GN ReSound, a global market leader in hearing care solutions, has worked with Designit to create the next generation of connected hearing technology. Now GN ReSound has rejoined with Designit to create the first hearing aid interface for the Apple Watch (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), rethinking the way hearing aids are controlled. | GN ReSound, Designit Create Hearing Aid Interface for Apple Watch |
2015-05-13T06:51:56 | Wall Street is still enamored with the possibility that **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) will acquire **BlackBerry Ltd** (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ)). It is only a rumor, but many analysts were quick to weigh in on the matter.
"I think the play with BlackBerry is a partnership play, not at all an acquisition," Global Equities Research analyst Chowdhry [told Benzinga](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5502485/why-the-apple-blackberry-rumor-is-a-partnership-play-not). "Apple will welcome BlackBerry as an App Store partner. They can publish their security software on App Store and people can download it -- no different from what [other companies] have done."
Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, had another theory. He believes that Apple could end up acquiring BlackBerry -- or at least consider it -- if the world's largest governments asked the iPhone maker to step in.
"The one way this deal might work is if the US governments [and others] basically want Apple to buy them because they're worried that BlackBerry, effectively, won't be around in its current form," Udall [told Benzinga](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5498256/the-no-1-reason-for-apple-to-acquire-blackberry).
Cody Willard, chairman of [Scutify](https://www.scutify.com/) (a financial social network) and [Futr](http://getfutrapp.com/) (a futuristic messaging app), told Benzinga that these and other reasons are secondary.
"The main reason would be access to car dashboards," said Willard.
Related Link: [3 Reasons BlackBerry Will Never Be Acquired](http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/14/11/5028356/is-yahoos-firefox-deal-a-big-loss-for-google)
### In-Car Dominance
While many analysts scoffed at a possible merger, Willard said he would take the 'why not?' angle on this rumor.
"Why not acquire BlackBerry?" he asked. "It would cost $5 billion. We're talking less than 1 to 1.5 percent of Apple's market cap to take out BlackBerry and acquire all their intellectual property and platforms and access to the cars."
Willard said that BlackBerry "is still very dominant in owning the platform that most car dashboards use."
"It would give Apple an immediate in," he added. "Or you use six or seven percent of your cash balance and you would acquire access to every major car manufacturer's dashboard."
Apple has been meeting with a [number of key automakers](http://www.benzinga.com/tech/15/05/5498154/what-is-the-apple-car-intervention-really-about), but no new deals have been announced.
"Meeting with them is one thing," said Willard. "Apple is trying to break into this market. [Acquiring BlackBerry] would fast-forward that effort two years."
If Apple chooses to go in another direction, Willard speculated that Google's Android operating system will "end up dominating the car dashboard five years from today."
"It's free, it's open," he explained. "The car manufacturers would retain most of the control rather than ceding that to the operating system owner, which is what would happen if you put Apple in your car dashboard."
Without BlackBerry, Willard said that Apple will have to "spend the next two years getting deals done with the major car manufacturers."
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | The Real Reason Apple Needs BlackBerry |
2015-05-13T07:29:13 | Analysts at Wells Fargo recently released a PictureBook report on **Apple Inc (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** which presents visual representation of key data on Apple’s operations. Here are 11 important images contained in the report.
In Q1, Apple’s warranty accruals decreased by $1.1 billion quarter-over-quarter (Q/Q) while the cost of claims remained mostly flat.
Analysts estimate that this decrease in accruals resulted in a 1.9 percent increase in Apple’s Gross margins.
Another major boost to gross margins came from Apple’s recent drop-off in accrued marketing and selling expenses. Wells Fargo estimates the decline in expenses in Q1 increased gross margins by 1.0 percent.
In the past, analysts have seen a correlation between third party manufacturing/component commitments and forward revenue for Apple, but the latest numbers don’t clearly suggest revenue upside in Q2.
Apple raised $8 billion in debt in May to help fund its $200 billion capital return program.
Apple has already spent $6.2 billion this year and projects full-year capex of $13 billion for 2015.
iPhone sales have been extremely strong following the launch of the iPhone 6/Plus.
Analysts believe that the 23 percent year-over-year (Y/Y) drop in iPad numbers was partially due to cannibalization from other products and partially due to a longer repurchase cycle.
Mac sales, driven by the launch of the Mac desktops and demand for MacBook Air, climbed 10 percent Y/Y.
Apple continues to piece together a sizable chunk of revenue from sales of its “other products,” including iPods, Apple TV and Beats Electronics.
Apple’s services sales, which include iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, Apple Care, Apple Pay and licensing, continue their steady, long-term growth.
 | 11 Important Images From Apple's 'PictureBook' |
2015-05-13T09:43:12 | Walt Mossberg, Re/code co-executive editor, recently published his review for the Apple Watch after using it for a month. [Mossberg was on CNBC](http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000378862) recently to discuss the highlights of his review and whether the usability of **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))’s latest product is heavily dependent on the apps.
### Really Good
“I think the initial novelty wears off after a couple of days,” Mossberg said. “And then you really have to try to figure out how this is going to be for people who put down the money to buy it on a day-to-day basis over a long period of time and that was my goal in this review.”
“And the answer was, I think it’s really a good and I think people will find a handful of things to build their [use of it] around every day."
### Apps Decide Usability
On apps being the most crucial factor when it comes to usability of the Watch, Mossberg said, “It absolutely comes down to the apps and Apple has done a beautiful job of building in the core apps like fitness and texting and Apple Pay and things like that.”
“And then there are already 4,000 third party apps, many of which I wasn’t so crazy about because they had very limited functionality, but some of which also worked well.”
### Fascination
Mossberg was also asked what was the general reaction from people was when they saw him wearing the Apple Watch. He replied, “People were not scratching their heads, they all wanted to know about it…I would say fascination.” | Here's Why The Average Consumer Find The Apple Watch Useful Enough To Buy It |
2015-05-13T10:43:50 | *Joel Elconin is the co-host of [Benzinga's #PreMarket Prep](https://soundcloud.com/bztv), a daily trading idea radio show.*
S&P 500 index futures were trading higher by four points at 2099 in Wednesday's session. The index found support just above Tuesday's close (2095) in the pre-market session (reaching 2095.75) and the regular session (reaching 2097).
So far, the index has found intraday resistance at 2106.50 and pulled back to the 2100 level.
Six of the top 10 components of the index are in the green, with **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) leading the way higher by $0.71 at $126.58, The only two components in the red are **Berkshire Hathaway** (NYSE: [BRK-B](/stock/brk-b#NYSE)), which is trading lower by $0.22 at $122.57, and **Pfizer Inc.** (NYSE: [PFE](/stock/pfe#NYSE)) which is trading lower $0.16 at $33.62.
The **SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust** (NYSE: [SPY](/stock/spy#NYSE)) is trading at $210.47, up $0.49. | S&P 500 Index Futures Trading Higher |
2015-05-13T11:14:08 | *This piece contains the opinions of the author, Kristin Bentz, President at Talented Blonde, LLC, that do not reflect the opinions of Benzinga.com.*
50 Shades of Meh Indeed.
After sitting through a pretty painful presentation today of all things Apple, I'm even more disappointed in the Apple Watch. I can feel you gasping as you read this.you see, I've done serious time in the coal mine that is luxury timepieces. I've worked with everyone from Jeager Le-Coultre, to Zenith and launched many a luxury timepiece campaign.
Until you've truly experienced the horological SuperBowl that is BASEL WORLD you haven't lived—or truly witnessed what a real luxury timepiece launch and marketing effort should resemble. I've often noted in my research that APPLE is really more of a luxury stock than a tech stock, and should be viewed as such.
As the lines between technology and fashion continue to blur, the stakes get higher to maintain innovation, and also enter the inner sanctum of the Luxury goods consumer.
Apple made some truly bold moves in its evolution to true luxury brand with the poaching of Angie Ahrendts from Burberry—a luxury marketing powerhouse, the former CEO of YSL, Paul Deneve, and of course Sir Jonathan Paul Ives-the mad scientist and senior vice president of Design.
With this stable of brand and luxury power and experience it truly shocks me how pedestrian the Apple Watch looks. Seriously, the Apple Sport watch model looks more the kid version I would buy for my twin 6 year olds from Vtech. The stainless version with mesh band is dangerously reminiscent of the danish Skagen brand, popular back in the late 1990s.
And with a $10,000 price point for the gold version, I see no unique selling proposition for the consumer. Most of the functions Cook mentioned are already present and available on my iPhone. And, I can barely type out twitter and tumblr missives fast enough on my handheld let alone trying to navigate the lilliputian screen on the Apple Watch. I just don't find the Apple Watch compelling.
And I'm sorry, but what the hell was Christy Turlington doing there? Awkward. I need a Supermodel with a charity about Moms to tell me that she runs marathons with the Apple Watch? Um. Thanks for that.
There are two distinct customers here in my opinion: tech early adopters, and serious watch collectors. That said it will be very interesting to see how the company markets and merchandises these timepieces. Here's where the romance comes in with luxury goods. A $10,000 piece of jewelry/timepiece needs merchandising and salesmanship that truly evokes how special and technically precise the product is.
The selling staff not only needs to be proficient in explaining all the technical features and applications, but also needs to understand they are selling a luxury timepiece. I clearly don't want the smug kid in the Genius Bar T-shirt with ADD trying to sell me a seriously expensive timepiece while he's helping a retired couple play Candy Crush on their I-PAD.
The Apple Corporate Culture may not be as inclusive to these luxury experts like Ahrendts and Deneve. I truly wonder how much input they were allowed. Hopefully we see that in the form of merchandising and product training when the Apple Watches start shipping. Mind you, no one's gotten rich betting against Apple, but not EVERY single product they launch is a slam dunk (LISA anyone?)
To truly dominate the wearable tech space I believe they will need many more iterations of the Apple watch until they get it right. We'll see if time is truly on their side.
No positions, no conflicts | Apple Watch: 50 Shades Of 'Meh' |
2015-05-13T11:49:17 | John Lasseter, chief creative officer of the Animation Studios at **Walt Disney Co** (NYSE: [DIS](/stock/dis#NYSE)) and Pixar Animation Studios Inc., discussed future innovations in film on Tuesday.
Speaking to an audience at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Lasseter predicted that the day will come when a winning full-length film will be produced using only an **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) iPhone or **GoPro Inc** (NASDAQ: [GPRO](/stock/gpro#NASDAQ)) camera, according to a Variety [report](http://variety.com/2015/film/news/pixars-john-lasseter-says-iphone-go-pro-could-be-next-film-breakthroughs-1201494127/).
“People will tell you, ‘That’s not going to work,’ but yeah, that’s going to work,” Lasseter said. “But the reason they say that is because it’s not what they are used to.”
Lasseter understood the potential for resistance to new ideas based on his own experience in producing the full-length animated film, “Toy Story,” nearly 20 years ago.
“The filmmaker said every innovation in film – sound, color, feature length cartoons, computer animation – has been denigrated as unnecessary or impossible to pull off,” the report noted.
Changes to the “look and feel” of films would be inevitable just as film technology had already evolved from large, heavy 35-milimeter cameras to lighter steady-cams and finally "ubiquitous cell phones.”
Lasseter said that the “Go-pro and the iPhone are here” and they “give a vibrancy you have never been able to have before…I think a new film grammar is going to come with these things.”
GoPro Inc recently traded at $49.76, up 0.38 percent, while Apple Inc. traded at $126.48, up 0.49 percent. | Pixar Exec Says iPhone, GoPro Could Be Next Innovations In Film |
2015-05-13T11:56:19 | Coming soon to **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))'s Watch: **Google Inc** (NASDAQ: [GOOG](/stock/goog#NASDAQ)) (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ))'s News & Weather App.
The Verge [reported]( http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/12/8594731/google-news-weather-adds-apple-watch-support) on Tuesday evening that Google has begun updating its apps to function on the Apple Watch. Google's News & Weather app will be Google's first functioning apps on the new device, but users will have to wait longer for favorites including Gmail (or Inbox), Search, Calendar, Hangouts, and Google+.
However, The Verge noted that the News & Weather app is a "decent fit" despite the fact that the weather aspect is missing as the app only offers news. Users can swipe between the day's top headlines, although due to the limited screen size, users won't be reading full news reports on their wrist.
Initial review of the app appears to be neutral – at best. The Verge's Chris Welch wrote "tapping on a story does absolutely nothing, which feels a bit strange. But you can Force Touch for an option to add that news item to Safari's reading list."
Welch also suggested that Google "isn't ignoring" the Apple Watch entirely. He also added that "hopefully" Google's next few apps "can do a bit more."
Speaking on the same topic, Tech Crunch [suggested](http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/12/google-debuts-its-first-apple-watch-app-with-google-news-weather/#.yxjyqn:bc6P) that Google may consider bringing other properties to Apple Watch in the future as the News & Weather app is a "good first step to test the Apple Watch waters."
Google's app isn't the only option available for users that require constant access to news and top stories. NYT Now, CNN, Circa, among others are also available. | Google To Support Apple Watch With News & Weather App |
2015-05-13T13:44:15 | ****BlackBerry Ltd** (NASDAQ: [BBRY](/stock/bbry#NASDAQ)) is up 1.5 percent on Wednesday afternoon. After trading near the $10.12 area at 1:10 p.m. ET, shares rose as high as $10.37 by 1:30 p.m.**
The reason for the catalyst -- according to traders -- appears to be an article published by [The Inquirer](http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2408397/apple-reportedly-plans-to-buy-blackberry-in-bid-to-tighten-its-grip-on-the-enterprise-market) shortly before the price movement.
Of note, the article is a recap of all existing analysis of BlackBerry-**Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) M&A chatter; it does not provide any new information.
Earlier this week, [merger rumors](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5498799/blackberry-apple-m-a-rumor-this-looks-familiar) between the two tech giants pushed BlackBerry shares up nearly 6 percent. Four months ago, a separate Samsung M&A rumor -- that did not come to fruition -- boosted the stock nearly [30 percent](http://www.benzinga.com/news/15/01/5148023/blackberry-spikes-30-on-samsung-acquisition-report).
As Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry recently told Benzinga, "I think the play with BlackBerry is a partnership play, not at all an acquisition.
"If they even have to spend $1, they would rather spend [it] on something that enhances the world, which is very focused on instant responses. I don't think BlackBerry is in that space," he added.
At the time of this writing, BlackBerry shares were trading at the $10.25 level and following back to Wednesday's open price of $10.22. | BlackBerry Spikes On Apple Buyout Rumor...But News Is Old |
2015-05-13T15:45:40 | Investors have been too focused on **Apple Inc.'s** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) rumored automobile to realize that the company might be more interested in developing high-end batteries for consumer electronics.
Earlier this year A123 Systems sued Apple and [five former employees](http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20150219/NEWS01/150219809/a123-systems-files-employee-poaching-lawsuit-against-apple) who allegedly violated an NDA (nondisclosure agreement). According to [Reuters](http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/02/19/apple-autos-lawsuit-idINKBN0LN05020150219), the lawsuit claimed that "Apple is currently developing a large-scale battery division to compete in the very same field as A123."
That quote was practically buried under the [mountain](http://www.benzinga.com/exclusives/15/02/5260870/could-the-apple-car-rumors-hurt-investors-this-expert-explains-how) of automobile-related rumors, but it has resurfaced now that Apple and A123 Systems have decided to [settle their lawsuit](http://www.betaboston.com/news/2015/05/12/apple-a123-settling-their-lawsuit-over-poached-battery-engineers/). And it could hold an entirely new meaning for investors now that **Tesla Motors Inc** (NASDAQ: [TSLA](/stock/tsla#NASDAQ)) has [unveiled](http://www.benzinga.com/news/15/04/5465623/tesla-elon-musk-introduce-the-home-battery) its Powerwall home battery.
"Clearly a lot of Apple products use batteries," Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group, told Benzinga. "Developing battery expertise is a way you would differentiate in a very crowded market."
Tech industry expert and analyst [Jeff Kagan](http://www.jeffkagan.com/) thinks this could be a good venture for Apple, but only if its own technology was truly superior.
"If they have a technology that will be better than traditional battery technology and they apply the Apple brand to it, they obviously will have a big chance for industry success," Kagan told Benzinga.
Related Link: [The No. 1 Reason For Apple To Acquire BlackBerry](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5498256/the-no-1-reason-for-apple-to-acquire-blackberry)
### 'Large Competitors'
Enderle said that Apple has been "facing some very large competitors and successfully holding them off," including LG and **SAMSUNG ELECT LTD(F)** (OTC: [SSNLF](/stock/ssnlf#OTC)).
"Those are broad-spectrum companies," he said. "They actually create an awful lot of the core technology they use in the devices. This looks like Apple kind of coming around to the idea that they need to create more of the stuff that defines their hardware [and get] less of it from another party."
This would allow Apple to maintain a greater degree of secrecy when developing its products.
"[It] also allows them to have differentiable technology that other people can't get, which I think is part of their goal here," he added.
If Apple successfully develops a unique and leading battery technology, Enderle believes it would open the door for new product offerings.
### A Little Late?
Kagan said that battery production is something he thought Apple would have started years ago.
"They've been in need of batteries forever," he said. "While it makes sense, if they have new technologies, it has to be better than what's out there."
Kagan said the problem with current battery technology is that "it stinks" and it "doesn't last long enough."
"We should have had so many breakthroughs in battery technology in the last decade and we really have not," he added. "This is something that Apple obviously has a need for and it will make sense if it did it."
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | Is Apple Building A Battery Division To Compete With Tesla? |
2015-05-13T18:50:47 | The following are the M&A deals, rumors and chatter circulating on Wall Street for Wednesday May 12, 2015:
**Danaher to Acquire Pall Corp. for $127.20/Share in Cash**
*The Deal*:
Danaher Corporation (NYSE: [DHR](/stock/dhr#NYSE)) announced Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Pall Corp. (NYSE: [PLL](/stock/pll#NYSE)) for $127.20 per share in cash, for a total enterprise value of approximately $13.8 billion, including assumed debt and net of acquired cash. The *Wall Street Journal* had reported on Monday that a deal was near.
The deal is expected to close around the end of calendar year 2015.
Pall shares closed Wednesday at $123.89, a gain of 4.5%, while Danhaher shares rose 1.5% to close at $87.35.
**Owens Illinois Acquires Vitro Feed & Beverage Business for $2.15B**
*The Deal*:
Owens-Illinois, Inc. (NYSE: [OI](/stock/oi#NYSE)) announced Wednesday, that it has agreed to acquire Vitro`s food and beverage glass container business for approximately $2.15 billion in cash. The deal is expected to close within 12 months.
Owens Illinois shares gained 9% Wednesday, closing at $25.98.
**Hearing Unconfirmed Market Chatter of Potential Cisco Bid for FireEye**
*The Rumor*:
Shares of FireEye, Inc. (NASDAQ: [FEYE](/stock/feye#NASDAQ)) spiked higher Wednesday, on unconfirmed market chatter of a potential offer from Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDSAQ: CSCO), according to sources.
Spokespersons for FireEye and Cisco did not respond to requests for comment.
FireEye, shares gained 5% Wednesday, to close at $43.46.
**Hearing Unconfirmed Market Chatter of Potential Apple Bid for SanDisk**
*The Rumor*:
Shares of SanDisk, Inc. (NASDAQ: [SNDK](/stock/sndk#NASDAQ)) surged higher Wednesday, on unconfirmed market chatter of a potential offer from Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)), according to sources.
Spokespersons for SanDisk and Apple did not respond to requests for comment.
SanDisk shares gained $0.53 Wednesday, to close at $67.20
**Report of $9.25/Share Bid for NTELOS**
*The Rumor*:
Shares of NTELOS Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: [NTLS](/stock/ntls#NASDAQ)) rose Wednesday, on a report from [FT Alphaville](http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2015/05/13/2129355/us-telco-raw-alert-ntelos-targeted-by-shentel/?), that Shenandoah Telecommunications is offering around $9.25 per share.
A spokesperson for Shenandoah declined comment on the report, while a nTelos spokesperson was not available
NTELOS shares gained 30% Wednesday, to close at $8.09. | Benzinga's M&A Chatter for Wednesday May 13, 2015 |
2015-05-14T06:52:54 | On [CNBC's Fast Money Final Trade](http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000379080), Tim Seymour recommended a long position in **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)).
Dan Nathan wants to take profits in **Shake Shack Inc** (NYSE: [SHAK](/stock/shak#NYSE)).
Karen Finerman likes **Macy's, Inc.** (NYSE: [M](/stock/m#NYSE)).
Brian Kelly thinks that traders should sell stocks like **Amazon.com, Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AMZN](/stock/amzn#NASDAQ)), because their valuation is too rich and retail sales are low. | Fast Money Picks For May 14 |
2015-05-14T07:35:01 | Are two of the world's most important tech companies secretly connected in ways that have yet to be publicly announced?
**Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) and **Tesla Motors Inc.** (NASDAQ: [TSLA](/stock/tsla#NASDAQ)) have had at least one meeting, but the discussions remain a mystery. In fact, only Tesla CEO was a confirmed attendee -- no one knows exactly which Apple executives were present.
According to the [San Francisco Chronicle](http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Apple-exploring-cars-medical-devices-to-reignite-5239850.php), Musk met with Apple's M&A chief, Adrian Perica.
"If one or more companies had approached us last year around such things, there's no way we could comment on that," Musk [told Bloomberg](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/b/1df875df-fb0c-4020-bec7-e1f36cf299e3) in February.
When asked point blank if Musk had talked with Apple, he replied, "We had conversations with Apple. I can't comment on whether those revolved around any kind of acquisition."
### Behind Closed Doors
Investors have been so focused on the M&A fantasy that they have forgotten about the possibility that Apple and Tesla could be business partners. One Apple expert thinks that has already happened.
Sean Udall, CIO of Quantum Trading Strategies and author of The TechStrat Report, told Benzinga that he thinks investors are "misinterpreting" a lawsuit that might have revealed Apple's future plans. A123 Systems sued the Mac maker, claiming that it poached employees and is currently developing a "large-scale battery division."
"I don't know if this has ever been publicly disclosed, but in my digging -- of all the digging and researching I do -- it seems to me that Apple is a funder of the Gigafactory," said Udall. "I cannot prove that. I don't know if it's ever been published as a definitive agreement. But I'm almost positive, just based on the research I've done, that Apple is a financial backer of Tesla's Gigafactory."
Related Link: [Is Apple Building A Battery Division To Compete With Tesla?](http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/15/05/5507786/is-apple-building-a-battery-division-to-compete-with-tes)
### Partially Funded?
Udall thinks that Apple is at least partially funding the Gigafactory.
"And they're going to get something for it," he said. "They'll get maybe preferential pricing or there will be a customer or a certain amount of inventory from that deal. I believe that to be the case. I also think Apple is developing and may have improved the technology in the batteries they use."
Udall pointed to the new MacBook, which has a battery that looks like it has been "poured" into the device.
"I don't know if they actually make the battery," he continued. "They have a ton of battery patents, by the way. [And] the ergonomic design inside the machine -- how the battery fits in, how it's super-thin, how there's layers to it -- that's completely Apple. Nobody else designed that. That's Apple's design."
### Partner Vs. Competitor
Udall said that Apple's development, patent and investment process in the Gigafactory "could almost be the same as Apple trying to build a battery division of their own."
"Maybe they're doing both," he said. That could spell trouble for Tesla.
"On the other hand, what if Apple is a part owner of the Gigafactory and it hasn't been disclosed yet?" Udall asked. "What if the Gigafactory produces one of the best battery manufacturing plants in the world, and what if Apple owns 35 percent of it?"
Udall reiterated that he is "almost positive [that] Apple has made either a commitment or already a monetary investment into the Gigafactory."
Disclosure: *At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.* | Are Apple And Tesla Secret Partners? |
2015-05-14T08:48:00 | **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) shares are up nearly 1 percent in Thursday's pre-market session, as market participants continue to chat about [Carl Icahn's](http://www.benzinga.com/topic/carl-icahn) next report on the tech giant.
Fifteen days ago on April 28, Icahn tweeted the following:
The report has yet to be released.
As is typical with any Icahn-Apple update, the document will likely be released on [Shareholders' Square Table](http://www.shareholderssquaretable.com/), a site Icahn launched in October 2013.
### $216 Per Share
The last Apple report issued by the billionaire activist came in mid-February. At that time, Icahn explained his valuation for Apple stock.
"We believe the market should value Apple at a P/E of at least 20x, which together with net cash of $22 per share, would value Apple shares today at $216 per share," the letter wrote. "This is not a future price target. $216 is what we think Apple is worth TODAY."
"Also, to the extent Apple introduces a TV in FY 2016 or FY 2017, we believe this 20x multiple is conservative," Icahn added.
Shares of Apple last traded near the $126 mark. FBR, which holds the [Street-high price target](http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/15/04/5416514/fbr-apple-worth-1-trillion) on Apple stock, estimates the company is worth a $1 trillion market cap at $185 a share.
Icahn's price target would imply a market cap of more than $1.2 trillion. | Carl Icahn's New Apple Report: Coming Soon? |
2015-05-14T09:06:42 | **Apple Inc.** (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) has yet to admit if it is working on building the car of the future, dubbed an iCar. This fact doesn't appear to matter, as a survey of consumers who already own a hybrid or electric vehicle found that more than 75 percent of respondents would likely buy a car manufacturing by Apple.
The [survey](http://news.investors.com/051315-752366-apple-car-in-demand-among-hybrid-electric-vehicle-owners.htm?ven=yahoocp&src=aurlled&ven=yahoo) was conducted by market research and consulting firm Morpace and polled more than 250 owners of a hybrid or electric vehicle. Nine percent of respondents signaled they are "extremely likely" to buy an Apple car, 25 percent were "very likely" while 43 percent were "somewhat likely."
Rounding out the survey, 13 percent of respondents indicated they were either "not very likely" or "not at all likely" to buy a vehicle manufactured by Apple.
**Price An Important Factor**
If an Apple car is manufactured, market experts and pundits are suggesting a 2020 release. By that time, Apple will be competing with **Tesla Motors Inc** (NASDAQ: [TSLA](/stock/tsla#NASDAQ))'s Model 3 sedan (expected to begin selling in 2017) with an expected 200-mile range capability and a price tag around $35,000.
64 percent of those surveyed who indicated they are leaning towards buying an Apple car would be willing to pay $30,000 to $50,000. However, only 22 percent of respondents would be willing to pay more than $50,000.
Nevertheless, 53 percent of respondents (regardless of their intention of buying an Apple vehicle) agreed that the price for an Apple vehicle would cost more than its competing products in 2020.
Finally, consumers named Tesla as the best partners for Apple to work with in developing an electric car at 42 percent. **Ford Motor Company** (NYSE: [F](/stock/f#NYSE)) ranked a distant second at 13 percent. | The People Have Spoken And Want An Apple Car |
2015-05-14T09:37:26 | **Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ))** upcoming Beats streaming music service will have "deep social networking integration for artists," [9to5Mac reports](http://9to5mac.com/2015/05/13/apple-music-beats-based-streaming-service-to-have-ping-like-social-network-for-artists/). The solution will be similar to Ping, a discontinued iTunes feature.
The social service will allow iTunes users to comment on and like artist posts and pages, according to the rumors. However, unlike Ping, only artists, not individuals, would be able to create profiles. Artists could also cross promote albums, where artists show followers what they are listening to.
Apple is also looking to "strike exclusive deals and partnerships with top music acts," [AppleInsider added](http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/05/13/apples-rumored-streaming-music-service-to-tout-social-network-for-artists-report-says). The streaming service could also be part of a rebranded Beats Music, which may launch in the near future.
Apple first discontinued Ping in September 2012, exactly two years after it first launched. The service mainly allowed users to see what music friends were purchasing and reviewing. The company replaced Ping with Facebook and Twitter integration in iTunes.
Apple is reportedly launching the streaming service at its June developer conference. ReCode [recently reported](http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/08/apple-free-music-streaming/) that the service may include a three-month free trial and a SoundCloud-type service where artists could upload free music to followers. However, the company will not launch a free version that could compete with Spotify or **Pandora Media Inc (NYSE: [P](/stock/p#NYSE))**.
Apple is nearly 1 percent higher in premarket trading, last at $127.12. The stock is higher by 15 percent year to date. | Is Apple Creating a Social Network Within Streaming Service? |
2015-05-14T11:10:55 | Rdio is offering a cheaper version of its monthly streaming music subscription Wednesday, a couple of steps ahead of the pending launch of Apple Music.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/williamalden/rdio-to-launch-cheaper-streaming-service#.kbBl3g6Pk
"We've all been flying airplanes that had business class only," Anthony Bay, Rdio's chief executive told Buzzfeed. "There is no coach."
Rdio, one of the world's largest licensed music services,
had until now provided premium subscriptions for $9.99, in line with some of its competitors.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) is expected to unveil its latest streaming music service on June 8 at its annual developer conference in San Francisco.
http://9to5mac.com/2015/05/13/apple-music-beats-based-streaming-service-to-have-ping-like-social-network-for-artists/
The Apple service is expected to include social networking elements that some have compared to Apple's earlier Ping service shut down in 2012.
But the market is growing increasingly tight for music streamers.
Major players at last count included Apple's iTunes Radio, iHeartRadio, LastFM, Google Inc.'s (NASDAQ: [GOOGL](/stock/googl#NASDAQ)) Songza, Pandora Media Inc. (NASDAQ: [P](/stock/p#NASDAQ)) Spotify, Slacker and other companies in the traditional broadcast and internet radio market.
Many, including Rdio, offer free services supported by advertising.
Rdio's new, cheaper service is to be offered for $0.94 cents per month in India, a country where Internet use expected to quintuple by 2020.
http://techcrunch.com/2015/05/14/forget-the-u-s-indias-music-streaming-race-is-the-big-growth-story/ | Rdio Fires Shot In Potential Price War For Music Streamers |
2015-05-14T11:21:57 | *Joel Elconin is the co-host of [Benzinga's #PreMarket Prep](https://soundcloud.com/bztv), a daily trading idea radio show.*''
S&P 500 index futures are trading higher by 15 points at 2109.50 in Thursday's session. In premarket trading the index found support just above Wednesday's low (2091.50), only reaching 2092 before rebounding into the 2100 handle.
The really has continued in the regular session with the index so far reaching 2011. If the rally there may be some resistance at the highs from last Friday and Monday at 2013.50.
The all time closing high for the index stands at 2108.75.
All of the top ten components in the index are trading with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: [AAPL](/stock/aapl#NASDAQ)) trading higher by $2.35 at $128.36 and Microsoft (NASDAQ: [MSFT](/stock/msft#NASDAQ)) which is trading higher by $1 at $48.62. | S&P 500 Index Futures Trading Higher |
End of preview.
No dataset card yet
- Downloads last month
- 6