Recently, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares sold off on the announcement that company leader Steve Jobs would skip the keynote address at the next Macworld convention. This news fueled speculation that Jobs was in poor health.

Concern over succession at AAPL has become sport of late, and it's a big deal to certain investors. Shares dropped some $15 on the news.

Shares of AAPL have fallen more than 50% since late last year, even though the company has solidified its position in the PC market, maintained its lead in digital music and introduced one of the most exciting, must-have electronic items in 2008 -- the iPhone

AAPL is THE definitive growth company, and it is positioned to do well despite a weak economy.

That strength will translate into a dominant position in the market when times are good and consumers are flush with cash.

Think about it. If people are buying AAPL products when times are tough, imagine what will happen when consumers feel more confident about the future.

Hello, I am a PC, but I want to be a Mac.

Continue reading Worried about Steve Jobs' health? Send him a card -- but don't sell Apple

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Continue reading Is dealing with Apple always so difficult?

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Continue reading Price discounts: Good for consumers; scaring economists

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This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and check out other Battle of the Brands posts.

Going by ad campaigns alone, you would think that every person -- or, at least every cool person -- had abandoned their Windows PCs and hoisted themselves onto the Macintosh bandwagon. Not so. The truth is that PCs far outnumber Macs in the market. The big-business worlds of finance, law, medicine use predominantly PC, while the areas of video production, web design and art use Mac. These computers do most of the same things (play games and DVDs, word-process, create web pages, store and play music) but they are completely different operating systems. Even though Apple computers now include the Intel processor that makes it possible to use Windows-only applications, it can still be hard to compare products.

But what about the companies themselves? What does the Apple brand signify that the Dell brand does not? And vice versa.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL): Providing innovative products and a user-friendly interface, Apple has turned the whole computer thing into a fashion accessory. For someone who used Dell products for years and then switched to Mac, the difference is like night and day. A Mac is so easy to use. With a clean interface, a near-universal compatibility with external products and tools, these computers are a beautiful breeze. And now that Macs include Intel processors, one can switch back and forth between a Windows interface and a Mac interface, making previous incompatibilities (software, games, etc.) now perfectly compatible. And when it comes to customer service (see below) Apple really socks the house.

Continue reading Battle of the Brands: Apple vs. Dell

Battle of the Brands: Apple vs. Dell originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well it's harvest season here in New England, and the Macintoshes are ripe. But in Silicon Valley, it looks like Apple (NYSE: AAPL)'s Macintosh brand is the fruit filling in the PC market pie. According to TheStreet.com, Apple's Macintosh is gaining market share.

How much? In the third quarter, Apple's Mac computers accounted for 6.3% of all PCs sold, up from 5.7% a year earlier, according to IDC. This growth means that Apple pulled further ahead of its competitors as it increased its lead as the third-ranked player in the market, a position it took over earlier in the year.

This gain in market share should help Apple when it reports on Monday, as the Macintosh has been accounting for a greater share of Apple's own profit pie. In the first nine months of the company's fiscal year, the Mac accounted for 41% of the company's total revenue, up from 36% during the same time last year.

It's a tasty time to own Apple shares. The question for investors is whether Apple -- trading at a Price/Earnings to Growth (PEG) ratio of 2.6 (on a P/E of 49 and earnings growth forecast of 19% to $4.48 in 2008) -- is ripe for harvest or hot to hold. What do you think?

Peter Cohan is president of Peter S. Cohan & Associates. He also teaches management at Babson College and edits The Cohan Letter. He has no financial interest in Apple.

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Apple takes a bigger slice of the PC pie originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and Mac sales estimates are right on the mark originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple after the bell 07/20/06: dramatic 11.83% jump in stock originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.