Tech Stocks Archive

Will the Recovery Follow a W or a U Shape?

Whether you're the bullish bull or the bearish bear, there's no denying that stocks have had a great run in the last six months. Since the March lows, the major indexes are up nearly 50%. GDP has turned positive once more with the economic growth of 3.5% in the U.S. for the third quarter. Now the only question is whether that recovery will last, and how it will affect investors.

Small-Cap Stock Ebix Quietly Soaring

The Atlanta-based firm Ebix (EBIX) has less than 700 employees and a market value of around $500 million. That may sound big, but on Wall Street, it is small potatoes. When companies are that small, they usually don't generate big underwriting fees and are barely covered by insiders. In fact, there are just two analysts who currently follow the stock. So despite the fantastic growth, the company is still flying under the radar ... giving you a chance to buy in before other investors hear about this pick!

Best and Worst Nasdaq Stocks

Nasdaq stocks have been on a tear lately, outpacing the market by a wide margin. But that doesn't mean all Nasdaq stocks are buys. I apply the same growth momentum criteria to all my stock picks. Here are my three favorite Nasdaq stocks to buy now and three Nasdaq losers to sell immediately.

10 Bellwether Stocks and What Their Earnings Mean for You

Earnings season has been good for many top stocks. But a lot of those stellar stock earnings reports are due to cost-cutting, rather than real top- or bottom-line revenue growth. In order to see what those earnings reports really mean, you have to look beyond the surface to see how the companies got to those figures. Here, I take a look at 10 bellwether stocks and what their most recent stock earnings mean for investors and the overall market.

Kindle on Fire – 5 Reasons to Buy Amazon

When someone says that such and such a stock is a must-buy, they are usually enamored with that company's ability to innovate. Any business that can stay one step ahead of the competition with cutting-edge products typically enjoys many years of revenue and profit growth. That is why Apple gets so much attention. Apple has successfully proven its ability to innovate many times over. As a result, its stock has garnered a significant premium. With Kindle, Amazon is showing that it, too, can innovate. That's just one of the reasons I like AMZN now.

Durable Goods Report Boosts Stocks, Especially Tech Stocks

Investors were pleasantly surprised by a durable goods report released this morning that showed orders for big-ticket items rose 1.8% in May, well above the consensus estimate, which forecast a drop of 0.9%.

Tech Stocks to Sell Now

5 Best Stocks to Buy Now

These days, every uptick or downtick in the market makes news. What often gets lost, though, is that the story of the market is a whole lot more than the major indexes and their daily or minute-by-minute movements. The market is a mosaic of thousands of unique stories.

Nebraska Turns to Mini-Cows to Combat the Impending "Cow Tax"

Nebraska may be preparing for the impending "cow tax." In response, "mini-cows" have been spotted in the state, which are compact cattle with stocky bodies, smaller frames and relatively tiny appetites.

ArcSight is Outta Sight

When the market turned south, the pipeline of Initial Public Offerings dried up. But there are still IPOs that offer good opportunities. ArcSight, a high-growth tech stock, is one I like. Here's why ArcSight is at the right place at the right time.

Morning Call

Here are some items of interest and note to investors today.

Netease.com Hits Another All-Time High

Netease.com (NTES) had broken out to yet another all-time high. If you think you heard this from me before, you're right. The stock is like the Energizer Bunny. NTES got to as high as $32.62 today. My Quantum Growth subscribers are currently sitting on a 60% profit. That's not bad for two months!

There's Nothing Neutral about Neutral Tandem

Apparently no one told Neutral Tandem (TNDM) that we're in a recession. The company just posted earnings of 27 cents a share, four cents more than estimates. Wall Street is very pleased and the stock has been up by as much as 14% in today's trading. I have to admit that I wasn't surprised by TNDM's results. In fact, I wrote on April 17: "The next earnings report will come out in two weeks and I'm expecting another big gain."

More Strong Earnings from Apple

Apple (AAPL) reported good earnings yesterday. The company sold 11 million iPods last quarter while analysts were expecting 10 million. The company earned $1.33 a share, 24 cents more than consensus. For this quarter, Apple sees EPS coming in between 95 cents and $1, though Apple is notorious for setting very low guidance.

Which E-Business Stocks Are Hot and Which Are Not

These days, every uptick or downtick in the market makes news. What often gets lost, though, is that the story of the market is a whole lot more than the major indexes and their daily or minute-by-minute movements. The market is a mosaic of thousands of unique stories.

Neutral Tandem Hits New High

Shares of Neutral Tandem (TNDM) broke out to a new 52-week high this morning. Readers of my Emerging Growth services are up over 40% in the stock in less than two months. The company provides third-party interconnection services to competitive telecommunications carriers. In a nutshell, TNDM helps wire-line, wireless and broadband customers talk to each other-even if they all pay their bills to different companies. Neutral Tandem offers services in more than 60 U.S. metropolitan markets and is a critical part of our nation's communications network.

How to Profit From Death and Taxes

Death and taxes. The only two certainties in life. And pretty recession-proof, too, eh? If you think about it, what other industries offer guaranteed customers, like the death and tax businesses? Someone will always eventually need your services.

Intel Earnings Plunge But Still Beat Expectations

Our two-day streak of staying above 8,000 came to an end today. The Dow pulled back 137.63 points to close at 7,920.18. The market was clearly hurt by the weak retail sales report that came out this morning. The big news after the close came from Intel (INTC). The chip company reported that its first-quarter earnings plunged 55% but that was well above Wall Street's forecast. The Street had obviously set the bar very low.

The Sun Micro/IBM Deal Falls Apart

Three weeks ago, shares of Sun Microsystems (JAVA) soared on the news that it was being bought by IBM (IBM). At the time, I wrote: "I rate IBM a buy, but I don't think this is a smart move on their part. Sun will most likely be an underperforming asset probably for the next several quarters."

My Final Four Portfolio Part I

The NCAA Basketball Tournament is one of my favorite times of the year. Like millions of Americans, I fill out my brackets and eagerly follow the action. Like the stock market, this year's tournament has been especially exciting. And as I wrote recently, it isn't always about the big names that prove to be the winners in the end, but rather the individual stories that pull it out in the clutch.

5 Hot Stocks in Ice-Cold Sectors

These days, every uptick or downtick in the market makes news. What often gets lost, though, is that the story of the market is a whole lot more than the major indexes and their daily or minute-by-minute movements. The market is a mosaic of thousands of unique stories.

Synnex (SNX) Surprises on Earnings Again

IBM Proves Resilient

IBM is rumored to be trimming 5,000 jobs. But the blue chip company has proven resilient in these tough times. Here's why I think IBM's earnings release next month could prove to be a boon for the stock.

Xerox Issues Profit Warning

Xerox (XRX) became the latest big-name company to warn of an earnings shortfall. The company said that its sales for January and February were 18% below last year's level. Earlier, Xerox had said to expect first-quarter earning between 16 and 20 cents per share. Now the company said that earnings will range between three and five cents per share. That's a major revision.

Microsoft Still Interested in Yahoo

Microsoft's (MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer said that they're still interested in a merger deal with Yahoo (YHOO). Last year, Microsoft offered Yahoo $31 a share, but Yahoo rejected it. That was not a smart move. Yahoo is currently around $14 a share. Although Microsoft has a large cash horde, I don't think buying Yahoo would be a wise move for them. Yahoo's fundamentals are simply too weak. At Portfolio Grader, I give Yahoo failing grades for both Earnings Growth and Earnings Momentum.

Why I Like Apple

I was surprised to see Apple (AAPL) get downgraded today by Shebly Seyrafi of Calyon Securities. Basically, he thinks that Apple's products are too expensive. He may be right, but I have to say that I'm not so concerned about Apple's pricing.