Serious Money: AAPL, CSCO, GOOG, INTC, MSFT -- not the only tech stocks

Posted Feb 6th 2008 5:41PM by Sheldon Liber
Filed under: Rants and Raves, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Apple Inc (AAPL), Cisco Systems (CSCO), Intel (INTC), Sony Corp ADR (SNE), Serious Money, Intuitive Surgical Inc (ISRG), Technology, Raytheon Company (RTN)

By definition a high tech stock is a stock in a technology sector, such as software, semiconductors, networking, or biotechnology according to Investorwords.com. That covers companies like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), Cisco Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) that are all household names.

For some reason companies that are equally if not more tech focused are not thought of as tech stocks. However, can anything be more high tech than Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG) that makes robotic surgical equipment, including the required software? I understand that ISRG is in the medical products industry but it is every bit a tech company. Why does that disqualify it from being discussed as a tech stock?

I would think Apple is becomming more and more a consumer products company with a retail component. It is the new Sony Corporation (ADR) (NYSE: SNE). Maybe it should switch to the NYSE?

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is certainly a tech company but it is not considered a tech stock. It actually, develops computers systems and software as its major product but since they are used in missile guidance systems and radar tracking systems and security systems for the Defense Department it is out of the picture.

You probably can think of numerous examples. Is being a "tech stock" like joining a private fraternity? I think the term tech stock is becoming antiquated in a world where many companies are very much tech companies.

I was told my car has 52 computers on board. This must be true because often when the radio or GPS system does not work I have to turn off the engine and "reboot" the car. Perhaps they are using a Windows (TM) operating system?

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the design and research principal for an architecture & planning firm. He owns shares of ISRG. To find potential opportunities and verify my track record read Chasing Value or Serious Money. Disclosure: I own shares of ISRG and none of the other stocks mentioned in this story.

Tags: AAPL, CSCO, GOOG, INTC, Intel, Intuitive Surgical, IntuitiveSurgical, ISRG, Liber, Microsoft, MSFT, Raytheon, RTN, Serious Money, SeriousMoney, SNE, Sony