Tag Archives: apple

Apple Suppliers Downgraded On ‘Modestly Lower’ iPhone Demand

Petering Apple ( AAPL ) and Samsung demand prodded a Raymond James analyst to downgrade suppliers NXP Semiconductors ( NXPI ), Qorvo ( QRVO ), Skyworks Solutions ( SWKS ) and others, even with the iPhone 7 launch expected in September. Apple suppliers broadly fell in morning trading on the stock market today . Radio-frequency chip companies Qorvo and Skyworks were down 2.6% and 2.2%, respectively, on the downgrade, tugging rival Broadcom ( AVGO ) down 1.3%. Maxim Integrated Products ( MXIM ) stock was down more than 1%, while Apple suppliers Analog Devices ( ADI ), NXP and Texas Instruments ( TXN ) stocks were all down roughly 1%. In all, Raymond James analyst Steven Smigie downgraded six semiconductor stocks to outperform from strong buy, citing likely in-line earnings and minimal upside to June guidance. Following a January drop in the stocks, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Semiconductor Index has rebounded 20% since mid-February, Smigie wrote in a research report. Some stocks have run up 40%, he noted. But “with only modest signs that there is the potential for near-term upside to (earnings per share), and some signs of modest downside, we worry that shares have a limited upside, with reasonable downside risk,” he wrote. Confidence could improve in the seasonally stronger second half of 2016, when Apple typically launches its newest iPhone flagship. But “Apple is seeing modestly lower demand,” said Smigie, who questioned the likelihood of a positive June guide by Apple. He also noted some pain points for radio-frequency suppliers that have more than 45% exposure to Apple. “Even if the Apple guide is healthy, we think skepticism will remain until the summer when we start to get evidence of the iPhone 7 ramp and questions about iPhone SE cannibalizing other iPhone models get resolved,” he wrote. Bright Spot For Chip Outlook Samsung sales zoomed on its Galaxy S7 flagship, but pre-orders were likely influenced by free Gear VR (virtual reality) giveaways, Smigie wrote. Huawei, on the other hand, is a “bright spot” and recently guided to 120 million to 140 million units in 2016. The lion’s share of those units will be high-end smartphones, Huawei said. Outside mobile, PC and industrial results have been weak, offsetting some strength in the growing automotive and infotainment arenas — the latter being NXP’s bailiwick following its acquisition of Freescale Semiconductor. But even in the automotive segment, “we have heard concerns from a number of investors on subprime lending,” Smigie wrote. Until those fears level out, automotive-exposed semiconductors could face some headwinds. Respective estimates from industry trackers Gartner and IDC show the PC segment saw 9.6% and 11.5% year-over-year declines in Q1 shipments. And March industrial production fell 0.6% vs. expectations for a 0.1% decline, says Smigie. Smigie notes positively, “we still like many of the stories, however, so all else being equal, on a pullback we could look to get more aggressive again.”

Goldman Sachs Calls 5G Winners: Verizon, Cisco, Intel, Broadcom

Verizon Communications ( VZ ) and AT&T ( T ) could shake up the U.S. residential broadband market by 2020 by deploying 5G wireless services to homes, challenging cable TV firms Comcast ( CMCSA ) and Charter Communications ( CHTR ), says Goldman Sachs. While 5G is expected to provide much faster data speeds, another market opportunity for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile US ( TMUS ) will be applications that require always-on, low-data-rate connections, says Goldman Sachs in a new research report. The apps involve data-gathering from industrial sensors, home appliances and other devices often referred to as part of the Internet of Things. Simona Jankowski, a Goldman Sachs analyst, says that some chipmakers, network gear suppliers and software companies will see an upside in 5G deployment. Jankowski says that Broadcom ( AVGO ), Qualcomm ( QCOM ), Intel ( INTC ), Cisco Systems ( CSCO ), cell tower operator Crown Castle ( CCI ), and bandwidth service provider Zayo Group Holdings ( ZAYO ) could see upside from 5G deployment. “We expect pre-standard 5G commercial deployments to begin in the U.S. in 2017, when AT&T and Verizon plan to be first in the world to roll out fixed wireless 5G broadband to the home, followed by pre-standard 5G mobile networks in Korea in time for the 2018 Olympics,” wrote Jankowski in the report. U.S. regulators are focused on opening up high-frequency airwaves , also called millimeter wave spectrum, for 5G services. “Europe led the 3G transition, with industry giants such as Ericsson ( ERIC ) and Nokia ( NOK ) leading the way,” said Jankowski. “With 4G, the baton passed to the U.S., driven by a new group of industry leaders such as Qualcomm and Apple ( AAPL ). With China, Korea and Japan targeting 5G rollouts on par with or ahead of their Western counterparts, it bears watching whether the wireless industry’s center of gravity shifts once again (to Asia).” The Goldman Sachs analyst says that 5G also could have upside for Cisco, Intel, Zayo and Crown Castle. “We view Cisco’s market leading position in IoT as a strategic differentiator, given that 5G will likely be closely coupled with IoT,”  Jankowski added. “We expect Intel’s server and networking business to benefit from increased data traffic and greater demand for compute-intensive data analytics. “As the largest operator of small cell networks in the U.S. and one of the largest pure-play providers of dark fiber in large metros respectively, Crown Castle and Zayo look well positioned for this long-term investment cycle.”

Cable Firms Prepare To Fight Set-Top Rules That Help Google, Apple

Cable TV companies are readying a court challenge if the Federal Communications Commission approves new set-top box regulations that would let companies like Apple ( AAPL ), Alphabet ( GOOGL ), Amazon.com ( AMZN ) and others sell devices that provide access to cable programming. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association has hired Theodore Olson, an attorney at the noted law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, to battle the FCC’s set-top box proposal. Olson, a former solicitor general, represented George W. Bush in the contested 2000 election vs. Al Gore that ultimately was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Apple also recently hired Olson and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in its battle vs. the Federal Bureau of Investigation involving a court order to unlock an iPhone used by an assailant in the San Bernardino terror attack. President Obama last week stated his support for opening up the set-top box market for more competition. The proposal would require pay-TV and technology companies to jointly develop new standards for devices providing access to cable TV networks. The cable TV industry pays programmers billions of dollars for content rights, and it’s unclear how that business model would be impacted. Comcast ( CMCSA ) and phone company AT&T ( T ), also a pay-TV provider, have criticized the set-top box initiative. The FCC, with three Democratic members and two Republicans, is expected to vote on the plan after a public comment period closes. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says the plan will make it easier for consumers to switch from pay-TV companies’ set-top boxes leased monthly to new devices sold on a retail basis by consumer electronics or Internet companies. Gibson, Dunn ‘Most Certainly Preparing For Litigation’ “We are most certainly preparing for litigation in the event the FCC moves forward with its invasive and illegal plan to restructure the video programming market,” said a spokesperson for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Brian Dietz, a NCTA spokesman said, “We are exploring all options.” The NCTA previously hired Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to challenge the FCC’s Title II-based net neutrality rules that were enforced in mid-2015. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is expected to rule soon on the net neutrality case. Pay-TV companies may have an uphill legal battle vs. the FCC’s set-top box rules, says Paul Gallant, an analyst at Guggenheim Partners. “Cable/telcos will almost certainly challenge any FCC final new set-top rules in court,” Gallant said in a February research report. “They will likely argue, among other things, that the FCC lacks authority to give app makers access to programming/guide information. “It’s far too early to predict the court outcome, but it’s important to note that the FCC is operating under a clear congressional mandate to make the set-top business competitive. That doesn’t necessarily mean the FCC will prevail, but the agency probably will feel good about its chances with that statutory starting point.” Under the proposed new set-top rules, the FCC says that only pay-TV subscribers will gain access to programming, and that copyright protections will be preserved. Google, critics say, aims to swap its own advertising for the local ads sold by cable TV companies.