Wall Street

Barnes & Noble's Nook Not a Best Seller in Q3
March 01, 2013

Barnes & Noble reported this week that it will be rethinking strategy for its Nook division, since slow sales of its e-reader led to a tough recent quarter for the nation's largest book retailer. The company reported an overall total revenue slump for its third quarter, down 8.8 percent to $2.2 billion.

Mason Marches, Groupon Regroups
March 01, 2013

A day after posting disappointing quarterly earnings, Groupon ousted its founder and CEO Andrew Mason. The company's stock jumped 4 percent in after-hours trading as the news became public. "I've decided that I'd like to spend more time with my family. Just kidding -- I was fired today. If you're wondering why... you haven't been paying attention," Mason said in a letter to employees.

Cook Cheers Investors While Saying Very Little
February 28, 2013

CEO Tim Cook presided over Apple's annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, where he fielded questions about a lawsuit filed by activist investor David Einhorn. In his complaint, Einhorn demanded that Apple unbundle scheduled votes that he claimed would require shareholders to consider separate matters in one ballot. Cook called the lawsuit "silly," but the judge ruled in favor of Einhorn.

HP's Less Crummy Than Expected Q1 Spurs Wishing, Hoping
February 22, 2013

After months of dismal news, HP had something positive to report to its shareholders: fiscal Q1 numbers that exceeded both Wall Street and company expectations. Granted, the bar was set exceedingly low for the company, which shocked investors last year with news that it would have to take an $8.8 billion impairment charge.

Einhorn to Apple: Time to Pay the Piper
February 22, 2013

Hedge fund manager and rogue Apple investor David Einhorn hosted a conference call for shareholders Thursday as he continued his campaign to steer more cash from the company's balance sheet toward investors. Einhorn, a manager at Greenlight Capital, used the call as part of his broader strategy to pressure Apple to issue a stockholder dividend rather than let the company's $137 billion lay idle.

Yahoo's New Home Page Goes for Lean, Clean Look
February 20, 2013

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is putting her money -- or rather her shareholders' money -- where her mouth is. Mayer has been proclaiming Yahoo's mission of becoming a must-visit daily portal equally accessible via PCs and mobile devices. To that end, the company unveiled a redesign of its website on Wednesday.

Dell's Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates, Stoke Buyout Debate
February 20, 2013

Dell reported another quarter with a drop in sales and profits, but its Q4 earnings Tuesday did beat analyst expectations, thereby putting a hotter spotlight on the computer maker's proposed $24.4 billion leveraged buyout deal. The company reported a net income of $530 million, or 30 cents per share, a 31 percent drop from the same time a year ago.

Upgrade Points to Mobile as Groupon's Real Deal
February 15, 2013

Groupon got a stock bump this week following an analyst's upgrade, a rare occurrence for the daily deal site; its stock price has plummeted since its debut on the public market. The company's evolving business model, an increasing presence in mobile commerce and an international push can help the online coupon dealer hit $9 per share over the next 12 months, according to analyst Arvind Bhatia.

Apple's Cook: We're Not Done Innovating Yet
February 13, 2013

Despite a stock drop, a lawsuit from a hedge fund manager and questions about future products, Apple CEO Tim Cook told the audience at a Goldman Sachs technology conference Tuesday that innovation remains "deeply embedded" in the company's culture, and that it has "never been stronger."

Disgruntled Investors Could Deep-Six Dell Deal
February 12, 2013

Dell's plan to go private in what would be one of the biggest leveraged buyouts in recent years appears to be in jeopardy. Some of the company's largest shareholders have come out against the move. Southeastern Asset Management filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a letter it sent to Dell's board of directors warning them that it will vote against the deal.

Big Google Cashout Plan Has Analysts Picking Schmidt's Brain
February 11, 2013

Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt might sell as much as 42 percent of his shares in the tech giant, according to an SEC filing. At the stock's current price of around $785 per share, the sale could yield about $2.5 billion for Schmidt. He currently owns about 7.6 million shares of Class A and Class B common stock.

Dell Goes Private - Should Apple Follow?
February 11, 2013

I'm not asking the question, "Could Apple follow?" because the amount of cash that would need to be raised would be mind-boggling. Most thought that taking Dell private was impossible, and once you get past "impossible," degree doesn't make that much difference. With Apple stock down sharply, the opportunity may increase to eliminate the impossible part.

Hedge Fund Magnate Takes Apple to Court
February 08, 2013

Apple's cash hoarding has always annoyed some of its investors, but Thursday one of them decided to bet on a unique solution. David Einhorn, a hedge fund operator with a history of staunch support for Apple, filed a lawsuit against the company in an attempt to block its board from giving away its power to issue preferred stock.

Wall Street Gives Facebook the Skunk Eye
February 01, 2013

Facebook's rise in overall ad revenue helped the company beat Wall Street expectations on its quarterly earnings, but promises from the company to continue spending heavily in hiring and new initiatives kept investors from sending the stock price soaring.

Wii U's Wan Sales Prompt Nintendo to Lower Projections
January 31, 2013

Nintendo lowered expectations for sales of its Wii U gaming system Wednesday, revealing that not as many gamers are buying the recently launched console as the company previously hoped. Nintendo adjusted projections on hardware and software products throughout the company, but Wii U sales expectations took the hardest hit.

Why Apple Is Losing Its Shine
January 31, 2013

Almost a year and a half ago, I asked a simple question: Will Apple Still Be Apple Without Steve Jobs? At the time, the answer seemed to be a simple "no." Over the next couple of years, Apple would become just another competitor, I predicted -- and unfortunately, that's exactly what is now happening.

There's More Behind Apple's Blithe iPad Release Than Meets the Eye
January 31, 2013

Apple's corporate communications department is an oxymoron -- it barely communicates at all, at least through traditional methods like press releases. If you consider the high-profile nature of Apple, the number of products, the competition, as well as the sheer size of the company, it's odd that it puts out just a handful of press releases a year.

Wall St. Leaves Money on Table for Subscription Companies
January 30, 2013

Look, we know the old truism that if you don't have customers and profits you don't have a business, you have a hobby. But could we please get a little balance on the profit idea? Emerging companies typically don't declare profits because they use excess cash to fuel growth. Anything left over is plowed back into the business.

Apple Makes Play for Even Higher-End Tablet Niche
January 30, 2013

Apple revealed a new version of its iPad Tuesday, a 128-GB version that comes with twice the storage capacity of its previous high-end tablet. The newest iPad is still under the fourth-generation iPad umbrella, and will have the same features as its predecessors, including a 9.7-inch Retina Display, an HD camera and an A6X chip.

Yahoo's Q4 Report Hints at Mobile Strategy
January 29, 2013

A boost in search revenue helped Yahoo beat expectations on its Q4 earnings report released Monday, even though display advertising revenue fell. The company reported net income of $272.3 million, or 23 cents per share, down from the $295.6 million, or 24 cents per share that it reported the same time a year ago.