Signs are beginning to trickle out from analysts who examine the flow of merchandise coming out of Apple Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) that Apple is already well into an expectations-beating holiday quarter. Just this November it's estimated that some 300,000 MacBooks have moved off the shelves.Clearly the Zune is not going to challenge iPod holiday sales. At best it's come a distant second, with some claiming that the Zune is sinking from that spot if you monitor Amazon interest as a benchmark. Even if Zune beats out the iPod in years to come, it won't be happening this Christmas season. iPod and particularly iPod Shuffle sales will probably be as strong as any other holiday season.
And then there's a surprising X-factor. Needham & Company's analyst Charles Wolf thinks they've been too conservative about the effect of switchers to Apple due to Apple's ability to run Windows as well using Bootcamp. As a result Needham's target price for Apple has been raised from $90 to $115 to take it into account.
Tobias Buckell is a freelance writer, author, and professional blogger. He owns Apple stock.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-01-2006 @ 1:04PM
Sambo said...
My daughter is graduating from Nursing in December. All her nursing friends and her, have had Dell and Gateway computers during their college years! I just bought a new "MAC", printer .MAC, etc. for a graduation present for my daughter because she requested it! All her friends have them too, what does that tell you about APPLE gaining in the PC arena!!!!!!!!!!! They ALL love the system and they all have iPods, boomboxes too. Talk about APPLE loyalty and winning new customers!!! Way to go Steve Jobs, you ARE a GENIOUS in my books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12-01-2006 @ 1:28PM
JSasssano said...
Just think what people like Jobs, Gartes Buffet ciuld do in our government,,, maybe we can draft them?
12-03-2006 @ 11:19PM
David said...
I passed the Apple store on Michigan Ave, in Chicago on Saturday, and it was full. I think this speaks well for Apple.
12-04-2006 @ 3:23PM
Jodiferus said...
My son purchased the top of the line MacBook (black) on Black Friday (of course) at the Apple Store in Christiana Mall (Delaware). The place was packed, and not just with browsers (the people not the apps) - but with folks looking to buy. My son drove on the way down, but I got to (had to) drive on the way back so he could have his gorgeous new MacBook (did I tell you it was the black model?) out and in use on the way home. I'm just going to have to settle with my non-black, non Core 2 Duo iBook (G4 bought in September 05) - which is just as sweet as the day I bought it.