[tonton]

In my opinion, Apple's policy of secrecy regarding design, specifications and a commitment to adopting new technologies is the single factor that keeps the stock price low, despite continued profits.

After every disappointing MacWorld, the stock takes a nose dive. Meanwhile, when something as significant as the TiBook, Super Drive, or the new iBook comes out, Apple stock barely even reacts.

Apple investors are by and large supporters of Apple products. When they get what they want from Apple, they buy more stock. When Steve Jobs plays this game of "conservative resource management", people just simply don't buy any more. They need the "wow" factor.

Steve Jobs and Apple management have the responsibility of making a profit for the company, and I think they are doing a fine job at that. However, they also have have a responsibility to create profit for their shareholders through an increase in the price of AAPL, a task at which they are failing miserably.

[Millennium]

I agree. Apple's policy of secrecy is hurting them far more than it helps.

Honestly, considering that we're the ones who keep them afloat by giving them the money that runs the company, I'm tempted to think they basically owe us a look into what that money is being used to develop. Pushing customers away with a wall of silence is not good business (nor, for that matter, is pushing them away with groundless lawsuits on things like Themes).

[Matsu]

Is Apple buying or selling off stock at the moment? Low Stock prices don't hurt them unless they're trying to unload stock, which there is no need to do at the moment: they have plenty of revenue, and a nice bank balance. Besides Apple doesn't show US new prototypes, but I bet it shows/discusses it's future with a very select group of dealmakers when it's in their best interest--which to alay fears (downgrading of some recommends, bad press, wild stock fluctuation, and sereptitiously dissemenate hints) I suspect was done behind the scenes of this expo week. Watch the stock price, it really isn't down too much. Okay it's at 21.30 as of 9:33AM, but it closed at 20.79. This is all against a 60+ high on a 2:1 stock split (120+ pre-split). Overall the general tech downturn has had much greater effect than a keynote. See what happens in the next few days, I don't think it'll fall much more. And if it does, it's an opportunity to increase your shares.

Watch the news for what the big guys do. Not their recommendations/public statements (which is often all we can get) but look for large volumes throughout the day if you've got the time. I bet that not too many large shareholdings move any of their stock. Stay calm, Apple will make money for you, you just have to wait, it's not rampantly overvalued like other tech stocks.

[ 07-19-2001: Message edited by: Matsu ]