Like John McEnroe would always say:
YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Reality Check II
On 10/27/2010, I included an article by Reuters describing how Mindy Grossman of HSNI went on the offensive in developing sales instead of only playing defense and cutting cost during the midst of a vicious recession. Original Article On 10/27/2010, the stock price of HSNI was 29.89. One year, 3 months and an economic recession later, HSNI's stock is trading at 36.23, a 21.2% increase. What's more impressive is that this television retailer, cable channel 11 where I am, accomplished this during a period of economic contraction. Widening its product line, signing more celebrities, and providing shoppers with free TV concerts were but a few of the success stories. What's next? A weekly entertainment magazine for TV shoppers placed right next to People Magazine at the grocery store :-))? Suffice it to say, it's been a solid run.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Reality Check
On 11/16/2011, I included an article about Ron Johnson taking over as CEO of JCP and the high price superstars he brought on board. Original Article Well, on 11/16, the stock price of JCP was 31.94. Today, 2 plus months later, the stock price of JCP is 41.42. A near 30% increase. As a result, the market cap for JCP has gone up from 6.82 billion to 8.85 billion, a whopping 2.03 billion dollar increase to shareholder value.
So far, Ron Johnson is proving that he is a rainmaker, unlike the majority of folks who are in rainmaking positions but produce drought like results. Can't get too excited just yet, because I remembered Sears had a short term bump when Eddie Lampert installed his executive team several years ago. Currently, Sears is on it's final leg, unless something extraordinary happens.
A great start for JCP, nonetheless.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
I can definitely see why!!!
Apple Macs Land on More Corporate Desks
By Kate Linebaugh | The Wall Street Journal General Electric Co. would seem to be the last place that Apple Inc. laptops and desktops would appear in workers' offices, but the technology is slowly seeping into daily life at the 120-year-old conglomerate.
Under a year-old pilot project, GE employees can choose Apple's Mac notebooks or Mac desktops instead of a Windows PC. It now has about 1,000 Mac users and expects their ranks to expand further as more employees become aware of the program.
It is just a toehold: GE has about 330,000 computers, most running Windows-based software on PC hardware.
Apple has been working to get its products before corporate customers, relying mainly on the pull from employees who ask their employers to support the devices they use at home. A spokesman said the company is "excited" the Mac is helping businesses recruit.
Apple has very little of the corporate computer market but is making progress, according to market researcher Forrester Research, which estimates the Cupertino, Calif., company will sell $9 billion worth of Macs and $10 billion worth of iPads to businesses this year, up about 50% from last year.
In comparison, corporate spending on PCs and tablets not made by Apple will decline 3% this year to $69 billion, the firm projects. Expanding its presence at a large customer like GE would give a boost to Apple and could put pressure on the conglomerate's incumbent PC suppliers including Dell Inc. and Lenovo Group Ltd. The development echoes Apple's initial effort in smartphones that later became a real threat to companies like BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd.
GE started offering its employees the iPhone as an alternative to BlackBerrys in 2008. Now, it says about 10,000 GE employees carry the Apple smartphone, compared with 50,000 using BlackBerrys.
The Fairfield, Conn., conglomerate hasn't trumpeted the Apple option for computers and laptops internally, and as a result employee awareness is limited. But staffers across GE businesses are eligible as long as there aren't security clearance issues, such as devices for defense work, or big compatibility problems with needed software. "All businesses are participating at some level in making this [option] available to their employees," said Greg Simpson, GE's chief technology officer.
"To find out that we support Apple, we support iPhones, we support Macs, it does take away one question for people, 'Are they a contemporary company or not?'" Mr. Simpson said. "I think that is a recruiting-positive thing."
Apple is now the No. 3 U.S. personal computer vendor, with about 11% of the market, compared with about 23% for market-leader Hewlett Packard Co., according to Gartner and IDC.
Apple was the only one of the top five U.S. computer sellers to expand sales in the fourth quarter. Apple's corporate share is much smaller, at less than 1%, while H-P, Dell and Lenovo have about 25% apiece.
Dell declined to comment but pointed to its ranking. Lenovo didn't comment, but has launched an expensive marketing campaign to build its brand among consumers. H-P said it is aware that Apple is making inroads into the business market and is working to make its own notebooks thinner, lighter, smaller and sleeker.
"We'll get the best of both worlds and provide a product that wins in that space," said Carol Hess, H-P's head of commercial PC. "We do focus on the corporate and enterprise customer, and I am not so sure that is the target market for an Apple-type of product."
Cost and compatibility with existing systems continues to hold Apple back at companies, said Rich Adduci, chief information officer at Boston Scientific Corp. "The reality is they make a terrific product, but there are some compatibility challenges with our corporate computing infrastructure," Mr. Adduci said.
That isn't the case for the iPad. The medical device maker worked with Apple the day after the iPad was released to use the device for sales and has rolled out about 4,500 globally.
By the end of the year, Boston Scientific expects to be able to begin shifting entirely to the iPad. "Technically, we will be able to support everything on an iPad," he said. GE says discounts on its PC purchases have grown less generous. Mr. Simpson points out the price gap has narrowed for more advanced machines on both sides of the divide, with the Macbook Air starting at $999 and competing ultra-light laptops running $899 to $1,400.
At this month's annual leadership meeting in Boca Raton, Fl., each of GE's top 600 officers came armed with an iPad. "There is a learning curve, and we recognize that it may not work perfectly yet," Mr. Simpson said of the Apple computer project. "I think it will continue to grow on [employee] demand." —Jessica E. Vascellaro contributed to this article.
Friday, January 6, 2012
A "feel", that "it" factor
Ron Wolf (former executive for Green Bay Packers) on newly hired Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie:
"Reggie's a tremendous evaluator," Wolf told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He can tell you who can play and who can't play. That's what it's all about. Some can write reports but can't tell you who can play. Whatever that is, he has that. He has a feel."
"Reggie's a tremendous evaluator," Wolf told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He can tell you who can play and who can't play. That's what it's all about. Some can write reports but can't tell you who can play. Whatever that is, he has that. He has a feel."
Thursday, January 5, 2012
You are not doing investors any favors by writing this article :-))
What Your Starbucks Habit Really Costs You
By Kathy Kristof | CBS MoneyWatch – Tue, Jan 3, 2012 6:30 PM ESTIt's getting a little more expensive to have a Starbucks habit.
The Seattle-based coffee company (SBUX) said Tuesday that it would hike prices by an average of 1% in the Northeast and Sunbelt regions, where prices haven't been raised in roughly five years.
Starbucks is following the lead of other food companies, including McDonald's and Chipotle, which have hiked prices in the past year to cope with rising commodity costs.
The company said the average price of a "tall" -- the smallest drink -- brewed beverage will rise by 10 cents in New York. This morning the price hike was already in effect, as caffeine cravers shelled out $2.01 for a cup of coffee, up from $1.91. The coffee house allows for some regional pricing, so the actual cost of your morning habit could vary. But that could easily bump the price of a large -- "venti" -- latte over $4 a cup, not including tip.
If one of your resolutions is to cut costs this year, it might be worth noting what your coffee habit is going to cost you over time.
If you buy one $4 latte each day, that coffee habit will set you back $28 a week, about $120 a month and $1,460 per year. Keep that up for five years, and you've slurped away $7,300, not including any money you might have earned by investing your cash instead. If you account for missed investment returns, the loss amounts to roughly $9,300 (assuming a 9% average return).
After 10 years, your Starbucks habit costs you a car. After 30 years, the $239,891 that you drank away (including investment returns), could have bought a house. Over 40 years, the Starbucks habit could reduce your retirement nest-egg by an astounding $634,428 -- enough to generate an income of more than $2,600 a month.
No one is suggesting that you give up your daily jolt of joe. (This would be a particularly unlikely suggestion from me -- the person whose caffeine addiction built that impressive tower of latte cups.) But you might want to consider a cheaper way to go at it.
Costco, for example, sells a 2.5 pound bag of Starbucks French roast for $22; A couple gallons of milk will run another $7. For that $29 -- roughly the cost of a week of barista-made lattes -- you can have a pot of lattes every day for at least a month. Net savings: $91.
Invest that in a diversified basket of stocks and you could have your jolt and your retirement plan too. Based on these numbers -- and investment returns of 9% annually (about the historic average) -- the amount you save by brewing your own Starbucks coffee could be worth $481,108 at retirement 40 years from now.
Just something to think about.
(Isn't this a stupid article? Please don't think about something like this -- until I say it is okay. Just continue splurging, otherwise your psyche will be totally out of sync!!!!)
The Seattle-based coffee company (SBUX) said Tuesday that it would hike prices by an average of 1% in the Northeast and Sunbelt regions, where prices haven't been raised in roughly five years.
Starbucks is following the lead of other food companies, including McDonald's and Chipotle, which have hiked prices in the past year to cope with rising commodity costs.
The company said the average price of a "tall" -- the smallest drink -- brewed beverage will rise by 10 cents in New York. This morning the price hike was already in effect, as caffeine cravers shelled out $2.01 for a cup of coffee, up from $1.91. The coffee house allows for some regional pricing, so the actual cost of your morning habit could vary. But that could easily bump the price of a large -- "venti" -- latte over $4 a cup, not including tip.
If one of your resolutions is to cut costs this year, it might be worth noting what your coffee habit is going to cost you over time.
If you buy one $4 latte each day, that coffee habit will set you back $28 a week, about $120 a month and $1,460 per year. Keep that up for five years, and you've slurped away $7,300, not including any money you might have earned by investing your cash instead. If you account for missed investment returns, the loss amounts to roughly $9,300 (assuming a 9% average return).
After 10 years, your Starbucks habit costs you a car. After 30 years, the $239,891 that you drank away (including investment returns), could have bought a house. Over 40 years, the Starbucks habit could reduce your retirement nest-egg by an astounding $634,428 -- enough to generate an income of more than $2,600 a month.
No one is suggesting that you give up your daily jolt of joe. (This would be a particularly unlikely suggestion from me -- the person whose caffeine addiction built that impressive tower of latte cups.) But you might want to consider a cheaper way to go at it.
Costco, for example, sells a 2.5 pound bag of Starbucks French roast for $22; A couple gallons of milk will run another $7. For that $29 -- roughly the cost of a week of barista-made lattes -- you can have a pot of lattes every day for at least a month. Net savings: $91.
Invest that in a diversified basket of stocks and you could have your jolt and your retirement plan too. Based on these numbers -- and investment returns of 9% annually (about the historic average) -- the amount you save by brewing your own Starbucks coffee could be worth $481,108 at retirement 40 years from now.
Just something to think about.
(Isn't this a stupid article? Please don't think about something like this -- until I say it is okay. Just continue splurging, otherwise your psyche will be totally out of sync!!!!)
Monday, January 2, 2012
What did Hue Jackson say b4 the Raiders played the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 11, 2011?
By Hue Jackson (coach of the Raiders):
On 12/10/2011:
BACKDROP: Rather than look at the Packers' streak as daunting, Jackson draws strength from it.
"We need to go on a run here, just like that team (referring to the Packers) did a year ago (Packers won Superbowl in 2011 for 2010 season)," Jackson said. "That team was kind of where we are right now (7-5 record for Raiders in 2011, 8-4 record for Packers in 2010, okay, let's loosely define "kind of where we are right now") -- they went on a run, they stayed on that run. They've done a tremendous job. Why not the Raiders? Why can't we do that? Why can't that happen for us?"
Well, if Jackson had just reviewed 2 stats, he may have been able to answer his own questions.
Total penalty yards in 2010 for the Raiders were 1276 and 617 for the 2010 Packers.
Turnover ratio in 2010 for the Raiders was minus 2 (which means they gave away the ball 2 more times to the opponents from combination interceptions and fumbles) versus a plus 10 for the 2010 Packers.
For 2011: Penalty yards for Raiders were 1358 and 591 for the 2011 Packers. Turnover ratio for Raiders was minus 4 versus plus 24 for the Packers.
Clear as daylight of the tell tale signs. The trend was there for everyone to see. Unfortunately, that "bully" mentality of the Raiders head coach (his own words) was unable to interpret something so simple before asking the world why can't the 2011 Raiders perform similarly to the 2010 Packers!
Hmmmm......The stock price of Research in Motion is now performing similarly to what Apple's stock did in the past. Why can't Research in Motion do what Apple is now doing presently???? Quick, let's start buying RIMM, forget about doing any research! :-)
On 12/10/2011:
BACKDROP: Rather than look at the Packers' streak as daunting, Jackson draws strength from it.
"We need to go on a run here, just like that team (referring to the Packers) did a year ago (Packers won Superbowl in 2011 for 2010 season)," Jackson said. "That team was kind of where we are right now (7-5 record for Raiders in 2011, 8-4 record for Packers in 2010, okay, let's loosely define "kind of where we are right now") -- they went on a run, they stayed on that run. They've done a tremendous job. Why not the Raiders? Why can't we do that? Why can't that happen for us?"
Well, if Jackson had just reviewed 2 stats, he may have been able to answer his own questions.
Total penalty yards in 2010 for the Raiders were 1276 and 617 for the 2010 Packers.
Turnover ratio in 2010 for the Raiders was minus 2 (which means they gave away the ball 2 more times to the opponents from combination interceptions and fumbles) versus a plus 10 for the 2010 Packers.
For 2011: Penalty yards for Raiders were 1358 and 591 for the 2011 Packers. Turnover ratio for Raiders was minus 4 versus plus 24 for the Packers.
Clear as daylight of the tell tale signs. The trend was there for everyone to see. Unfortunately, that "bully" mentality of the Raiders head coach (his own words) was unable to interpret something so simple before asking the world why can't the 2011 Raiders perform similarly to the 2010 Packers!
Hmmmm......The stock price of Research in Motion is now performing similarly to what Apple's stock did in the past. Why can't Research in Motion do what Apple is now doing presently???? Quick, let's start buying RIMM, forget about doing any research! :-)
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