MSFT Sideways With Volatile Market Stocks were mixed as the
European Central Bank said it would buy bonds to prop up the region's struggling banks while new applications for unemployment benefits rose slightly last week, below expectations. The market is also processing the
loss of icon Steve Jobs (see below). Shares of MSFT are currently climbing up with the market
after Obama's speech on raising taxes on the rich. Upcoming catalysts include
first fiscal quarter earnings announcement on Thursday, October 20 at 5:30pm ET;
Windows 8 and entrance into the tablet market;
Windows Phone 7 / Mango rollout (see below) and adoption with hardware partner
Nokia; strides against current market leaders in cloud computing; making money in the online business, including integration of
Skype and improving the search / display business; and continued evolution of
Kinect and next generation
Xbox console (see below). The stock currently trades at
7.4x Enterprise Value / TTM Free Cash Flow.
Microsoft Going Round Two With Yahoo (Reuters) Microsoft is considering a bid for
Yahoo, resurfacing as a potential buyer after a bitter and unsuccessful fight to take over the Internet company in 2008. Seems over the past few weeks a number of companies have shown interest in buying some or all of
Yahoo including large technology and media companies, private equity and international companies. Let's see if the
Goldman Sachs bankers can get it right this time around. If anything,
the combined company wold have the most unique visitors on the web.
Read » You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression, Unless You're Microsoft (BusinessWeek) Windows Phone 7, Microsoft’s attempt to claw its way back into the lucrative smartphone arena, was released a year ago to respectful but hardly adulatory reviews. And not good enough to go head-to-head with
Apple and
Google. But perhaps now it is. Mango is more polished and potent contender.
The new Windows Phone software began going out to existing users as a free upgrade last week; new handsets from manufacturers including
HTC and
Samsung will begin showing up shortly. And then there's
Nokia.
Read » Xbox Is Now A TV Box (The New York Times) Microsoft has signed deals with
Comcast,
Verizon and a bunch of other TV and video providers to bring more video to
Xbox Live. It allows people to watch programming they are paying for separately through
Comcast or
Verizon or another TV service providers. Essentially same programming and cost, but different interface. The key selling point being that people will not have to deal with multiple set-top boxes or remote controls. It also
means much harder going for newer interactive TV providers Google TV and Apple TV, who are nowhere close to the Xbox installed base of 50+ million worldwide.
Read » Bill Gates Mourns The Loss Of Steve Jobs (Business Insider) Microsoft co-founder
Bill Gates has released a statement on
Steve Jobs: "I’m truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs’ death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work. Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives. The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely."
Read » 
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