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Mac Business News
How's Macs business?

By:David K. Every
©Copyright 1999


7/17/97 -- Q3 '97 - State of the Mac - What do I think about the state of the Mac and this quarterly report? Just read.

7/15/97 -- Good Articles - Despite all the MacBashing and misinformation, there seems to be some positives in the news as well.

Washington Times: Viva Apple - reminds people that Apple Technology is still compelling, and likely to be around for a long while.

USA Today - Snippet reminding everyone of Apple Users customer loyalty. Would be better if they pointed out WHY they are so loyal.

NYT - Even they ran a slightly positive piece on Apple -- at least Mac Sites.

7/5/97 -- QED Reports, Mac in Schools are up again - Once again Teachers and Schools are going to purchase MORE Macs this year than last.MacCentral

7/3/97 -- Press is bashing Apple based on Stock value - and they are trying to crucify Apple because Apple's stock is at a low-point. Of course stock value has little or no relationship to actual value -- and has been dropping in response to the presses other crucifictions of Apple -- but those points seems to escape the reporters grasp. Reader William Z. Harris pointed out to me (and Reuters) that while Apple is not exactly cheered on by analysts, according to Zacks of 27 analysts recommendations, most recommended hold, only two recommended a sell, and 3 recommended a buy! And Apple has is actually been upgraded of late. So the presses spins are not exactly all there. Apple has been looking up -- but the press is trying to spin things as looking down. The press always seems to do this when Apple goes into its "quiet" period, right before a quarterly report. (Apple has a corporate mandate not to discuss issues right before quarterly reports -- this is to prevent problems with the FTC, and the press is well aware of this fact, and uses these times as a weapon).

6/30/97 -- Computer Reseller News shows Mac market is rebounding (eventhough things were never as bad as we were lead to beleive in the first place) - TechWeb.

  • Basically desktop sales for Apple are up from 3.1% last year to 4% this year -- NOT COUNTING CLONES! So the Macs marketshare is even better than they are implying. Add in another percentage point or two (for clones) and things are looking even better.
  • NoteBook sales for Macs have gone from 2.4% in fall/winter up to 5.5%.

What is not mentioned is that many analysists predict that Fall/Winter of this year are supposed to surge upwards (even more) as hot new machines become available and people grow weary of "Apple's emminent demise" stories, and decide to upgrade their machines.

5/30/97 -- Apple's Market shows growth potential (eventhough there is a slight slip in marketshare) - Dataquest. They dont mention that they are ignoring MacClones so the Mac numbers overall are much better than even their numbers state.SanFransisco Chronicle spins same issue negative. (Big shocker).

     

4/27/97 -- Apple's Market shows growth potential (eventhough there is a slight slip in marketshare) - Dataquest. They dont mention that they are ignoring MacClones so the Mac numbers overall are much better than even their numbers state.SanFransisco Chronicle spins same issue negative. (Big shocker).

4/18/97 -- Quarterly Report - News is good, the spin varies! A page just on Apples Quarterly report, and the news reports about it. (4/20/96)

Apple has reported their quarterly earnings (and losses). Some will make a big deal out of $708 million loss. But most of that loss is for buying NeXT, for Restructuring, and for inventory sell-through from the previous quarter. So the actual trends are positive, and the actual loss is much less than last year at this time. So things are looking up. Dataquest is predicting an 'autumn windfall' for Apple and Macs.

Apple wrote a Letter to Customers on what the Quarterly report means.

Wall Streets response is positive as well. Apple's stock value is increasing. Most analysts agree that Apple will be profitable in another quarter or two, and even the negative analysts are being pretty cautious (and not too negative). Even the worst of the presses spins are trying to speculate on take-over rumors, and not delve too deeply into the actual numbers. 

4/9/97 -- Change of Heart? - Seems that since Ellison and Prince of Saudi Arabia and others (Sun) may be looking at Apple with objective eyes, and seeing a real value there -- that suddenly some analysts might start doing the same. Here's the first who is starting to open his mind, and hedge his bets (see cover his ass) in case Apple does OK, which it looks like it will. He doesn't want to look like the idiot he has been for the last few years -- so suddenly Apple is looking better.

3/31/64 -- Macs Marketshare is climbing again

Created: 07/05/97
Updated: 11/09/02

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