"MIPS Technologies (MIPS) fell sharply after announcing its quarterly results; nevertheless, we think the long-term bullish thesis is intact," says tech sector specialist Paul McWilliams.

The editor of Next Inning explains, "It appears that Wall Street is focusing on slicing and dicing pennies rather than taking time to understand the story. Here's our assessment.

What we want from MIPS are license deals in its focus market (it signed three new licenses in the mobile sector last quarter), increasing unit royalties (it reported royalty on a record 173M units, up from 157M last quarter and 126M one year ago).

Continue reading MIPS Technologies (MIPS): Sell-Off Creates Opportunity

MIPS Technologies (MIPS): Sell-Off Creates Opportunity originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Best Buy (BBY), an electronics chain whose competitors include Target (TGT) and Wal-Mart (WMT), saw a bid yesterday after it released results for the fiscal fourth quarter. Indeed, the numbers displayed a lot of improvement, making the buying interest, as well as the incredible conviction indicated by the quantity of shares traded, more than understandable.

Net sales increased 12%, and earnings per diluted share, on an adjusted basis, rose 13% to $1.82. The estimate at Earnings.com was for $1.79 per diluted share. Same-store sales jumped 7%; in the comparable year-ago period, they had dropped nearly 5%.

Continue reading Best Buy Shows Big Improvement in Q4

Best Buy Shows Big Improvement in Q4 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) may be the world's largest electronics retailer, but it realizes that it faces a huge threat to a hefty chunk of its business. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is moving plenty of movies and other soon-to-be former DVD fare through iTunes, staking a claim on a business that once belonged to Best Buy. The big box store is getting ready to fight back (finally?).

Using technology it's licensing from Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC), Best Buy is opening an online store for movies and television shows. Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn says this move will expand the company's presence in services and will bolster company loyalty. That's the press release version, of course. The reality is that Best Buy needed to do something to protect this portion of its revenue and probably should have made the move several years ago.

Continue reading Best Buy follows Amazon into the clouds

Best Buy follows Amazon into the clouds originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Where do you tweet? When? More important, what's normal? Are you some kind of freak?

A recent Gadgetology study by Retrovo.com, a consumer electronics shopping site, seeks to ascertain where the line in the sand is in regards to social media use (and overuse). If you're 35 or younger, regular use of sites such as Twitter and Facebook is common (big shock, right?). It looks to Retrovo like a new addiction may be taking root.

Continue reading Do you tweet after sex?

Do you tweet after sex? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Philips knows its light tech investments will pay off

Philips knows its light tech investments will pay off originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), already on our recommended list selection, announced fiscal Q3 earnings after the bell last night that, to no one's surprise, easily topped Wall Street estimates," notes Geoffrey Seiler.

In his Bull Market.com advisory, he reviews the latest earnings report and offers his outlook for the shares -- including a boost to his price target for the stock.

"For the quarter ended June 27th, the company earned $1.23 billion, or $1.35 a share, up 15% from $1.07 billion, or $1.19 a share, a year ago. Analysts were only looking for EPS of $1.17.

Continue reading Bullish momentum boosts Apple (AAPL)

Bullish momentum boosts Apple (AAPL) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Now that Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is the last surviving member of the national specialty consumer electronics retail club, where can it go? Up and up. Sure, mass chains like Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and others have stepped up to the plate and are greatly enhancing their consumer electronics sections, but then again Best Buy has a new CEO who is thinking differently and isn't going to give an inch if he can help it.

Continue reading Is Best Buy lonely at the top? Doubtful

Is Best Buy lonely at the top? Doubtful originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Online retailer Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is looking to extend the reach of its Kindle -- a wireless reading device -- into the hands of consumers, and hopes that cutting the price will speed adoption in a price-sensitive world. Formerly priced at $359, the Kindle will now be sold for $299, though the more advanced Kindle DX will still maintain its $489 price tag.

Amazon, known mainly for selling books online before branching out into other areas, has made the Kindle a focal point of creating new growth for the site. The company has been offering generous 10% payouts via its affiliate program for creating sales, compared to the typical 4% paid on other items. A June 30 research report from Cowen & Co. obtained by DailyFinance estimated that 800,000 Kindle units had been sold so far; the company estimates that more than 2.6 million will be sold by the end of 2010.

Continue reading Amazon cuts Kindle price to speed adoption

Amazon cuts Kindle price to speed adoption originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) has seen resurgent competition from mass retailers like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT); are the employees of either retailer better? Best Buy seems to think so. Some of the newer advertising indicates that Best Buy employees are better at helping customers than Wal-Mart employees.

Although Wal-Mart has greatly enhanced the consumer electronics sections of its supercenter locations in the last 18 months, do the employees really know the ins and outs of all the new technology? Wal-Mart seems to really want to step up its competitiveness against Best Buy and others, but does it have the backbone to do so outside of just the products?

Continue reading Best Buy ads: Our folks are better than Wal-Mart's employees

Best Buy ads: Our folks are better than Wal-Mart's employees originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Best Buy (BBY) gets no love from Pali Capital analyst

Best Buy (BBY) gets no love from Pali Capital analyst originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's not too hard to find stories on the latest Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) e-book reader, the Kindle 2.

But the newly released Kindle has a lot to live up to, according to a recent ChangeWave survey of original Kindle e-book owners.

Fifty-eight percent of owners of the original Kindle said they were very satisfied with their device, and 31% said they were somewhat satisfied. Only 4% said they were unsatisfied.

So, what's kept them happy?

Continue reading Raised stakes for the Kindle 2

Raised stakes for the Kindle 2 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Though I've long believed Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN) was easily the best managed firm in the GPS space, it continues to feel the sting from competitive forces," says Paul McWilliams.

Here, the technology stock specialist and editor of Next Inning reviews the company and the prospects for its new entry in the cell phone market -- the nuvifone.

"As you would expect, the nuvifone is very GPS-centric with all sorts of Geo-tagging features for email, SMS and pictures. It also includes an Opera browser and is fully capable of viewing Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents and working with both personal and enterprise email systems.

"While I've not seen one in person yet, what I've heard from those who have and from what I've seen on the GRMN web site, I think the product has potential.

"The key, however, will be how the nuvifone is marketed and how well GRMN does in building an applications store, a factor that I think will be a huge differentiation driver as we move forward in the Smartphone sector.

Continue reading Garmin (GRMN): The wild card is nuvifone

Garmin (GRMN): The wild card is nuvifone originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN), which makes GPS-enabled consumer devices, is a new buy recommendation from value investor Charles Mizrahi. Here's his long-term outlook from his Hidden Values Alert.

"Garmin a leading worldwide provider of navigation, communications and information devices, most of which are enabled by Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.

"It designs, develops, manufactures and markets a diverse family of hand-held, portable and fixed-mount GPS-enabled products and other navigation, communications and information products for the automotive/mobile, outdoor/fitness, marine and general aviation markets.

Continue reading Navigating gains with Garmin (GRMN)

Navigating gains with Garmin (GRMN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Aaron Rents (NASDAQ: RNT) is a new addition to the focus list that carries both fundamental and technical strength," says Michael Vodicka, an analyst with Zacks Elite Investment Research.

"The company is a specialty retailer of consumer electronic goods like stereos and televisions that owns or operates 1,545 stores in the United States and Canada. Aaron Rents was founded in 1955 and has a market cap of $1.38 billion.

"In spite of a short-lived drop in mid October, this stock has held up well in an environment where consumers are pulling back on discretionary spending. The big share-price rebound was predicated on the company's solid third-quarter results, reported in late October.

Continue reading Aaron Rents (RNT): Zacks sees resilient returns

Aaron Rents (RNT): Zacks sees resilient returns originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"While I've watched video game maker Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) for many years, I've never felt it was cheap," says growth stock specialist Nate Pile.

In his Nate's Notes, he now says, "I am thrilled to see the stock price finally experience the sort of pullback that justifies a buy rating; indeed, I wasn't interested at $50 four months ago, but at $17 today, I can't help but get excited."

"Over the years, Electronic Arts has amassed an impressive library of titles. In particular, you may be familiar with the entire Sims collection, as well as the company's extensive lineup of sports games (including Madden NFL and Tiger Woods PGA Tour, for example).

"In addition, Spore is a recently introduced hit, and some other titles you may be familiar with (or at least seen in TV commercials) include Need For Speed, Medal of Honor, and Rock Band.

Continue reading Electronic Arts (EA): A value in video gaming?

Electronic Arts (EA): A value in video gaming? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading With new CEO Best Buy's future looks bright

With new CEO Best Buy's future looks bright originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"We believe that the most prudent way to make money in the stock market is through long-term investing in 'best of the best' companies," says growth stock specialist Nate Pile.

In his Nate's Notes newsletter, he explains, "With that in mind, we turn to one of our core portfolio holdings as out favorite investment for 2009 -- Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), whose products represent 'best in class' in just about every category in which it competes.

"We believe investors have shifted their focus entirely to the extreme near-term and are completely ignoring the long-term fundamentals that are in place for the Apple.

"To be sure, the stock has lost over 50% of its value over the past twelve months, but we believe the reasons for the decline are all short-term in nature, and we cannot help but get excited by the opportunity to once again become more aggressive about adding additional shares to our portfolio.

Continue reading Top Stock Picks '09: Apple (AAPL)

Top Stock Picks '09: Apple (AAPL) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Welcome to the 70th installment of The Wal-Mart Weekly, a column dedicated to bringing you insight, wit, facts, results, opinions, and just a bit of everything else when it comes to a very hot topic these days: Wal-Mart.

This week, I'm pitting Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) against Best Buy, Inc. (NYSE: BBY) in terms of one nice and profitable category of product: consumer electronics. Although many would argue that consumer electronics have a slender profit margin, the fact is that consumers can't get enough gadgets.

They keep buying and buying and buying. Flat-panel televisions, iPods, cellphones, PCs -- you name it. With the insatiable appetite U.S. consumers have for these products, Wal-Mart has really upped the product presentation game recently within stores I've seen in my area. My guess is that it will only get more intense as Wal-Mart tries to strike at the heart of Best Buy.

Continue reading The Wal-Mart Weekly: Speedily gaining traction on Best Buy

The Wal-Mart Weekly: Speedily gaining traction on Best Buy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY), Circuit City Stores Inc. (NYSE: CC) and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) are all stacked up together, which one comes out on top? Well, it depends on how you phrase the question: Are we talking solely prices here, or customer service? The pricing angle can be debated all day long. When it comes to service though, my experience is very similar to the conclusion that this article states: Best Buy is king.

Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), although a much cleaner and brighter location in which to shop, seems to have a weak schedule in the consumer electronics department. Most weeks, I roam into many retail chain locations just to walk around and observe. In many cases, Target seems well-stocked when it comes to checkout personnel, but not if you have questions about a flat-panel television. At Circuit City, its tarnished reputation is well-deserved: It's hard to just find anyone to help you.

And Wal-Mart? The world's largest retailer has made strides to really improve the consumer electronics sections in its stores. The customer service, however, is a completely separate story. If I step into a Best Buy, there's a 99% chance that I will be greeted by a security guard manning the front door, and will be asked at least four times within five minutes if I need help.

While Wal-Mart may have slightly better prices on many consumer electronics items, is that all that matters? Of course not. I give Wal-Mart props for making large strides in product presentation, though. Chris Denove of J.D. Power and Associates says that "Across many industries, we've seen that the retailers that grow customer-service ratings the fastest have greater sales growth." If Wal-Mart wants to try and really compete with Best Buy's winning combination of price and service, it best listen to that advice. Target -- it's also time to step it up on your end. What are you waiting for?

Customer service the key inside consumer electronics stores originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Jul 2008 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Best Buy plans to double sales by 2013 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.