[Ti] Apple's market share

[~flipper]

Paul Russell offered:

>>
>>BTW, 2.3% is absolutely bogus. When people do REAL research and 
>>analysis, Apple comes in between 9 and 12%... I realize this takes 
>>more than a 5-mnute Google search, but there is FACTUAL information 
>>out there.
>
>Not only that, but this is Apple versus ALL PC manufacturers - how 
>many individual PC manufacturers have bigger sales than Apple (not 
>many, I suspect) ?
>
>Paul
>--

I'm not a 'market share' guy, but I have done investment analysis and 
research for quite a number of years, for a small, loyal, client 
group. Apple Computer is one of the top three computer hardware 
manufacturers in the world, as far as profitability is concerned, 
going back at least 5 years, and running.

Anyone can verify this for themself. I suppose an easy way would be 
to use Quicken's site, to look at 'charts'. Enter AAPL, and det the 
chart for '5-year'. By itself it won't tell one much, but there is a 
feature [on nearly every Web site that has charting] whereby one can 
'add' indexes [industry groups, S&P 500, DOW, etc] or another 
company, or companies, and see how Apple compares to whichever are 
selected for comparison.

The first thing that stands out is that equal dollar-denominated 
investments in both Apple and Microsoft [ for example 10k $$$ in 
Apple and MS], made 5 years ago, would show a higher return for the 
Apple investment. It's also done quite well against broader market 
indexes, and is a real stunner when compared to all the big-name 
'heavyweights in the Tech industry.

As well, as was mentioned here, possibly, Forbes magazine singled out 
Apple this year [very recently] as a stock to get into, picked to 
outperform solidly, going forward. The last time they chose Apple? 
Five years ago. In that 5 years, and going way back, countless 
articles have appeared, including in the so-called 'serious financial 
press, concerning the 'imminent' demise of Apple.

The company, however is cash-rich, meaning that for every share of 
stock, outstanding [in the marketplace] there is a high amount of 
actual cash in Apple's coffers. Recently, with Apple trading around 
14.10 [ I think it was] there was slightly over $10 in cash, inside 
Aple, for each outstanding share, meaning that the market, already 
awarding Apple a price-to earnings multiple which 'lagged' the 
industry, was, in essence, valuing the company at a little over 4 
dollars and change, in real terms.

I'm not recommending that anyone buy anything [except maybe german 
marks, or Euros] but Apple, on fundamental grounds, looks like a 
wonderful medium to long-term investment. Bu, as i would caution, the 
Markets, here in the States are still in the throes of a technical 
correction, that may have some wicked surprises left in store.

In the same way that having riches is no guarantee of having manners 
or taste, having a 'column' in some part of the media is no guarantee 
of having either writing ability, or one's 'facts straight', as the 
fellow, with the original column, illustrated so well.

~flipper