Baidu (BIDU), China's search engine giant, has seen its American depositary shares (ADSs) rise very nicely over the last 12 months. Yesterday, the ADSs closed up almost 2% to $108.63, not too far from the 52-week high of $115.04; the price movement was achieved on high volume. The 52-week low is $40.67, so those who bought in near the latter price are pretty happy campers.

That 2% rise, while quite respectable, wasn't the big story; rather, it was what happened during the after-hours session. The ADSs went up 7.7% to $116.99. Considering that we're in another earnings season, I don't think it's a particular challenge for anyone to guess what propelled the company to such lofty heights.

Continue reading Baidu Q4 Earnings: Time to Buy or Sell?

Baidu Q4 Earnings: Time to Buy or Sell? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (GOOG) has been all over the news recently -- if it was the small acquisitions or the proposed net neutrality deal with Verizon (VZ). But perhaps more seriously are the different articles in the media about how the Web is changing and how that's going to affect the search engine giant.

The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet is the provocative title of a Wired article published Tuesday. Chris Anderson explains how we changed our habits from using the "wide-open Web to semiclosed platforms that use the Internet for transport but not the browser for display." Most importantly, he adds, "it's a world Google can't crawl."

Continue reading Google Faces Threats as Web Is Changing

Google Faces Threats as Web Is Changing originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Instigated by an agreement negotiated between the European Commission (EC) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), a new browser selection utility has just become available. Although the browser choice software is intended mainly to be distributed through the Windows update system familiar to Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) users, it is also available online for anyone to access.

It is reported that Microsoft IE currently holds approximately 62% of browser market share. That is a powerful position for the company to be in when considering that web browsers are absolutely essential pieces of software. That is, in part, why the EC put pressure on Microsoft to open up the playing field to lesser known browser utilities. With their demands, European regulators essentially cut Microsoft's exclusive IE umbilical cord in July of 2009.

Continue reading Microsoft and the Browser Wars

Microsoft and the Browser Wars originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU), China's leading search engine, sold off during Monday's after-hours session after the earnings report for the third quarter was issued. When you're a theoretical growth company like Baidu, missing estimates on the guidance side is never a good thing to do.

Nevertheless, Baidu delivered in Q3 itself. Sales skyrocketed 39%. Net income per share exploded over 40% to the upside, coming in at $2.07 per share on a GAAP basis. Adjusting for items, the company earned $2.16 per share. Earnings.com gives an expectation of $1.81 for per-share profit.

Continue reading Baidu reports third quarter data: Buy stock on pull-back?

Baidu reports third quarter data: Buy stock on pull-back? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google issues invites to Google Wave

Google issues invites to Google Wave originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Amazon gets big upgrade

Amazon gets big upgrade originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU), a Chinese equity dedicated to internet search, has been one hot stock. As of this writing, shares of the company are up over 90% over the three-month frame! Talk about being in the green. And this is a stock that closed on Monday at $224.86.

Baidu reported Q1 earnings after the bell yesterday, and the release was full of high growth rates (the growth rates should be high considering the run-up of the stock). Revenues increased over 40%, operating profit went up by over 30%, and net profit rose over 20%. On a per-share, adjusted basis, Baidu delivered 86 cents per share for its investors, beating analysts' expectations by two pennies.

Continue reading Baidu has excellent Q1, but is the stock too high to buy?

Baidu has excellent Q1, but is the stock too high to buy? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading eBay (EBAY) first quarter earnings preview

eBay (EBAY) first quarter earnings preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO), a web portal whose colleagues include Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) AOL, reported Q1 numbers after the bell on Tuesday. According to an earnings preview done by colleague Mark Fightmaster, Wall Street was counting on something along the lines of 8 cents per share. Well, on a non-GAAP basis, Yahoo! earned 15 cents per share. Not bad.

Unfortunately, Yahoo! made three pennies more on the same adjusted basis in last year's similar quarter. Furthermore, revenues, adjusted for currency effects, dropped 8%. Oh, and one more thing. Free cash flow decreased over 60%.

Continue reading Can Yahoo!'s cursing CEO lead the company to victory?

Can Yahoo!'s cursing CEO lead the company to victory? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to this CNET article, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is once again the catalyst for the rise in Yahoo!'s fortunes. Are you, like I, getting sick and tired of the drama between these two tech companies? Now, I know today's news isn't about an all-out takeover/merger or anything like that, but still, if I read Microsoft and Yahoo! in the same sentence again, I think I'll scream. Anyway, CNET is reporting that the two are in talks about an advertising partnership.

Continue reading Yahoo! up today -- should you sell into strength?

Yahoo! up today -- should you sell into strength? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading With the Internet, newspapers face their biggest hurdle, but not their first

With the Internet, newspapers face their biggest hurdle, but not their first originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO), which competes with Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) AOL, reported Q4 stats after the bell on Tuesday. They were pretty dismal, but expectations were bea t. Revenues dipped by 1%, and earnings per share on an adjusted basis were $0.17. According to Wall Street's view, Yahoo! was only supposed to earn $0.13. A four-penny beat on the bottom line is a pretty good thing.

Or is it in this case? I would argue it's no big deal. I mean, we are talking about Yahoo! here, and there's a new CEO on the job, Carol Bartz. She replaced the disaster known as Jerry Yang. Considering that there's a new regime, you can't really rely on this beat as a proper indicator for what's to come.

Continue reading Can the new CEO change things at Yahoo!?

Can the new CEO change things at Yahoo!? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Google (GOOG) extends lead in search engine market

Google (GOOG) extends lead in search engine market originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to this article, advertisers who use the Internet to get their message across may not like Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Internet Explorer 8 beta. That's because the software giant is incorporating technology into the browser that will make it harder for data collection that could be used to target ads. In addition, the browser will be able to block some ads entirely, as well as block content from another website from appearing on the current site a user is viewing. The rationale for the latter is that the outside website could be capturing data on the user's habits.

All this adds up, in my mind, to a legitimate fear for advertisers. Look, I'm like anyone else. I don't want a lot of data collection going on. But, there are basically only two ways for companies like Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) to make money off web content: engage a subscription model, or utilize ad platforms to monetize eyeballs. The Internet has proven to be very resistant to subscription models. Sure, some do work to great success. For the most part, however, surfers don't want to have to throw a credit-card number into a form to be able to see content. It just doesn't work. They want unfettered access to sites. If this is to be the case going forward, then highly-targeted ads are going to play an increasing role in the solution to monetization challenges. Web sites aren't like cable channels, which have the dual revenue streams of subscriber fees and ad sales.

And, keep in mind that the companies mentioned above aren't the only ones who rely on targeted ads. How about Disney (NYSE: DIS)? News Corp. (NYSE: NWS)? Viacom (NYSE: VIA)? They all have major Internet strategies that utilize ad revenues. And let's not forget the incredible irony here. Mr. Softy has its own Internet strategy that needs ads to survive. I guess it's a tough position to be in: the designers want to enhance the attractiveness of Internet Explorer to users by helping them avoid the very thing that powers, in part, shareholder value for the maker of Internet Explorer. A conundrum, to be sure. I personally hope a solution can be found that will allow advertisers to continue selling their wares. I don't find advertising to be evil. I think it's a great industry that serves an important function in the economy. Microsoft had better consider that.

Disclosure: I own Disney; positions can change at any time.

Microsoft's browser upgrade: Bad for ads? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Akamai Tech: Eliminating traffic jams on the information superhighway

Akamai Tech: Eliminating traffic jams on the information superhighway originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Alibaba rockets ahead in Hong Kong debut

Alibaba rockets ahead in Hong Kong debut originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Are you an entertaining person? Are you a visual story teller? Can you capture an audiences attention and make them respond to you? If you think you have what it takes to create interest, incite and entertain, then there are options open to you. Don't just tell me you're an artist. Grab your video camera and prove it on Metacafe.

Metacafe is not just another video sharing website. Metacafe has something for you. Cold hard cash awaits the future producer of indie films. As of this writing, the top earning video on Metacafe has pulled $26,683. Note that it has taken about two and a half years to do that. Still though, that's not a bad return on less than four minutes of video. Other vid-clips on the site have generated between $3,000 and $8,000 for their creators. While not an amount that you could live on, it's still real money which could help pay the bills.

I myself have several ideas that I'd like to try in pursuit of Internet-based revenue generation. I do call myself an artist and I have the ability to make people sit up and take notice. What I don't have is a high-speed Internet connection...

I guess my gay version of Gumby will have to wait a while longer... and his pony pal Pokie will too.

Metacafe: The economics of watching stuff on the web originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Breaking up is hard to do. But these days it's a little easier, thanks to a new concept -- the e-breakup -- the use of email or instant messaging to break off relationships.

As described in the Boston Globe, it looks to me like the e-breakup makes things much easier for the message sender -- the e-breakuper -- and not that much harder for the receiver --- the e-breakupee.

The e-breakuper is much better off -- saving the time spent delivering the message and facing the e-breakupee's suffering. Meanwhile the e-breakupee is a little worse off -- missing out on a last chance to see and lay a guilt trip on the e-breakuper.

There's no putting the e-breakup genie back in the bottle. And there's no doubt it's changing how relationships work.

Have you been an e-breakuper or e-breakupee? Is it better or worse?

The Internet solves messy breakup problem originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) MySpace social network site will start to aggregate news and allow its 160 million users to rank stories.

As the content is ranked, it will be pushed down several "channels" like sports and entertainment. Advertisers can then wed their campaigns to the kind of content that they want to target. According to The Financial Times (subscription required): "The response from advertisers so far has been fantastic," said Brian Norgard, co-founder or Newroo, a news aggregation service that was acquired by News Corp last year and integrated with MySpace. "Every advertiser wants to reach a specific customer and we are helping them to do that through these [news] channels."

Well, maybe. Time Warner's Inc. (NYSE: TWX) Netscape and independent company Digg.com have been working this model for quite some time now. A look at their websites would not indicate that there is much targetting going on there beyond Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) text ads.

The problem with news ranking products is that they don't have huge audiences. Digg ranks No. 86 and Netscape ranks No. 539, according to Alexa. Traffic to both sites also is declining, making them less attractive to advertisers who spend most of their money on the top 20 sites.

MySpace obviously has a huge audience, but the advertising success of its news ranking service will depend on how many of its users decide that they want to rank news.

Do people go to a social networking site to do that? Maybe not.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

MySpace gets into the news business originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The hypocrisy is stunning.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) is saying that Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) acquisition of DoubleClick could lead to privacy issues for online consumers. Microsoft has asked regulators to look into the deal.

"This proposed acquisition raises serious competition and privacy concerns in that it gives the Google-DoubleClick combination unprecedented control in the delivery of online advertising, and access to a huge amount of consumer information," said Brad Smith, Microsoft's chief legal counsel, in a statement. "We think this merger deserves close scrutiny from regulatory authorities to ensure a competitive online advertising market."

Rather than add my voice to the chorus of shock on this one, I'll just quote what other pundits are saying.

"Microsoft as the pot; Google as the Kettle" -CNBC's Jim Goldman

"How's this for the pot calling the kettle black" - ComputerWorld's Preston Galla

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black." Wall Street Journal's James B. Stewart

The sentiment is right but these guys need to find a new cliche.

Is Microsoft seriously accusing someone else of antitrust violations? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.