We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Google, Fitbit, Apple, Facebook and Amazon
Read MoreHide Full Article
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – November 19, 2019 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Google (GOOGL - Free Report) , Fitbit , Apple (AAPL - Free Report) , Facebook and Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) .
Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:
Google + Fitbit + Antitrust Concerns
On November 1st, Google announced it would acquire smart wearables company Fitbit for $2.1 billion. This price represents a considerable discount from the $10 billion market cap that FIT was trading at following its IPO in mid-2015. This stock has done nothing but break down since, as consumer demand for the product faded.
Fitbit watches were all the hype in wearable technology before the Apple Watch release in 2015, which seemed to shift consumer focus. The Apple Watch was a device that seamlessly integrated with the US’s favorite smartphone (the iPhone) and has been taking a substantial amount of market share from Fitbit.
Consumer Concerns
So the question remains, why would Google acquire a firm with a dying product? Some think this is a play for Google to gain more consumer data on anyone wearing one of these devices. This idea has caused quite a few people to set down their Fitbit watches for the last time.
This is following Google’s promise to customers that they would never sell anyone’s personal or health information.
At the end of the day, Google is a data business and is likely purchasing Fitbit to collect data from users. Whether this is good or bad for consumers remains to be seen.
I personally think that this is going to make Fitbit products cheaper and more functional. There use of my data will likely improve functionality.
Google and The Internet of Things (IoT)
Google has been building out its IoT capabilities with its Google IoT platform, which “provides a complete solution for collecting, processing, analyzing, and visualizing IoT data in real time to support improved operational efficiency,” according to the company’s site.
Alphabet also provides developers with an easy to use platform called Android Things (formerly known as Brillo), which offers innovators with “a turnkey solution for building devices.”
Google has now been purchasing IoT device companies like Nest and Fitbit to entrench itself into the space. IoT has an enormous amount of potential future profitability with its integrative capabilities being pushed even further with the rollout of 5G, which is unraveling over the next few years.
Regulatory Concerns
Companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon are under the regulatory microscope as they all dominate the space they operate in, with no close competitors. Regulatory bodies have been investigating these large tech conglomerates for years, searching for some ill practice they can use to break these giants up.
The more these companies acquirer and the larger they get, the more regulatory bodies will focus on them. Google has been slammed with a combined $9.5 billion in fines from the EU since 2017 for antitrust violations, with most of these having to do with anti-competitive behavior.
US regulators have been much more lenient on their Silicon Valley stars, as these firms have been driving innovation and propelling the US economy. This is all about to change as US regulators begin to redefine the antitrust laws.
Who will prosper from these regulatory changes? Will the new laws inhibit only the big players’ ability to control more of the market, or will it also impede new entrances from being competitive in the tech space. There is a balance that these regulators must reach.
Take Away
Fitbit is just one more small piece in the giant Google puzzle that may be getting too large. Google is well-positioned to take on 5G’s next wave of IoT tech, but will regulatory efforts inhibit its potential returns?
Keep an eye out for any regulation news regarding these tech companies, as this may have a material effect on your holdings.
Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation
Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.
A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time. See 8 breakthrough stocks now>>
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Google, Fitbit, Apple, Facebook and Amazon
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – November 19, 2019 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Google (GOOGL - Free Report) , Fitbit , Apple (AAPL - Free Report) , Facebook and Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) .
Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:
Google + Fitbit + Antitrust Concerns
On November 1st, Google announced it would acquire smart wearables company Fitbit for $2.1 billion. This price represents a considerable discount from the $10 billion market cap that FIT was trading at following its IPO in mid-2015. This stock has done nothing but break down since, as consumer demand for the product faded.
Fitbit watches were all the hype in wearable technology before the Apple Watch release in 2015, which seemed to shift consumer focus. The Apple Watch was a device that seamlessly integrated with the US’s favorite smartphone (the iPhone) and has been taking a substantial amount of market share from Fitbit.
Consumer Concerns
So the question remains, why would Google acquire a firm with a dying product? Some think this is a play for Google to gain more consumer data on anyone wearing one of these devices. This idea has caused quite a few people to set down their Fitbit watches for the last time.
This is following Google’s promise to customers that they would never sell anyone’s personal or health information.
At the end of the day, Google is a data business and is likely purchasing Fitbit to collect data from users. Whether this is good or bad for consumers remains to be seen.
I personally think that this is going to make Fitbit products cheaper and more functional. There use of my data will likely improve functionality.
Google and The Internet of Things (IoT)
Google has been building out its IoT capabilities with its Google IoT platform, which “provides a complete solution for collecting, processing, analyzing, and visualizing IoT data in real time to support improved operational efficiency,” according to the company’s site.
Alphabet also provides developers with an easy to use platform called Android Things (formerly known as Brillo), which offers innovators with “a turnkey solution for building devices.”
Google has now been purchasing IoT device companies like Nest and Fitbit to entrench itself into the space. IoT has an enormous amount of potential future profitability with its integrative capabilities being pushed even further with the rollout of 5G, which is unraveling over the next few years.
Regulatory Concerns
Companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon are under the regulatory microscope as they all dominate the space they operate in, with no close competitors. Regulatory bodies have been investigating these large tech conglomerates for years, searching for some ill practice they can use to break these giants up.
The more these companies acquirer and the larger they get, the more regulatory bodies will focus on them. Google has been slammed with a combined $9.5 billion in fines from the EU since 2017 for antitrust violations, with most of these having to do with anti-competitive behavior.
US regulators have been much more lenient on their Silicon Valley stars, as these firms have been driving innovation and propelling the US economy. This is all about to change as US regulators begin to redefine the antitrust laws.
Who will prosper from these regulatory changes? Will the new laws inhibit only the big players’ ability to control more of the market, or will it also impede new entrances from being competitive in the tech space. There is a balance that these regulators must reach.
Take Away
Fitbit is just one more small piece in the giant Google puzzle that may be getting too large. Google is well-positioned to take on 5G’s next wave of IoT tech, but will regulatory efforts inhibit its potential returns?
Keep an eye out for any regulation news regarding these tech companies, as this may have a material effect on your holdings.
Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation
Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.
A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.
See 8 breakthrough stocks now>>
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
http://www.zacks.com
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.