There is too much bad news in the pipeline and no good news likely to appear over the next three months for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) to recover much from its current level of $128.
The "unlock" rate for the iPhone has scared off a number of Wall St. investors. That percent is put at 20% by Citigroup and Apple gets nothing on the back-end from a carrier on any of those handsets.
Friedman Billings recently reported that its channel checks showed that the number of iPhones and iPods being built is slowing. Mac units are increasing, but not enough to offset a significant drop-off in the growth of the other two devices.
In terms of competition, both Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Sony Ericsson have said that they will push their smartphone sales in the US harder because each of them has modest market share. With RIM (NASDAQ: RIMM) and Apple holding the high ground in this segment of handsets that mean that the overseas vendors will have to take aim at the iPhone and Blackberry if they hope to pick-up sales.
Apple may have one piece of news which could pop the stock. A 3G versions of the iPhone has been anticipated for some time. Sales are not being helped by having the device running on a 2.5G network. But, that is not much news to offset a series of perceived weaknesses.
Douglas A. McIntyre
The #1 Thing to Do Before You Claim Social Security (Sponsor)
Choosing the right (or wrong) time to claim Social Security can dramatically change your retirement. So, before making one of the biggest decisions of your financial life, it’s a smart idea to get an extra set of eyes on your complete financial situation.
A financial advisor can help you decide the right Social Security option for you and your family. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you optimize your Social Security outcomes.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
