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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Facebook, Nvidia, Apple, Twitter and Alphabet
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – August 29, 2017 – 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 includeFacebook (NASDAQ: – Free Report),Nvidia (NASDAQ: (NVDA - Free Report) – Free Report), Apple (NASDAQ: (AAPL - Free Report) – Free Report), Twitter (NYSE: – Free Report)and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: (GOOGL - Free Report) – Free Report).
If Silicon Valley Were 'Game of Thrones' Characters
Last night, the seventh-season finale of the Emmy-winning hit show Game of Thrones premiered on HBO. “Game of Thrones,” which is based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy novels, has grown into one of the world’s most popular TV dramas, and the internet is buzzing after yet another dramatic episode.
As viewers continue to digest the latest twists, social media platforms and fan forums are rife with speculation, theories, and show-related memes. There will likely be a long layoff between last night’s finale and the eighth—and final—season’s debut, so you can expect this hypothesizing to continue for some time.
One of the most remarkable accomplishments of Games of Thrones, perhaps even more impressive than its 38 Primetime Emmy Awards, has been its ability to transcend television and consume our everyday lives. In our modern world built on technology and instant gratification, it’s worth noting that a slow-moving epic set in a Middle Ages-like world has taken over our pop culture conversations.
At this point, it’s safe to assume that even those who don’t watch the show could recognize its main characters and discuss its basic plotlines. That kind of popularity allows us to have a little fun today—hence the title you see above.
In an effort to connect the Game of Thrones universe with our world of investing and finance, we’ve decided to draw some comparisons between the show’s most important figures and our very-real Silicon Valley tech companies—the companies that represent some of the world’s most iconic brands.
WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!
For all of the Game of Thrones fans and investors out there, here’s our definitive guide to Silicon Valley tech giants, if they were Game of Thrones characters:
Young, handsome, and outrageously popular, Jon Snow has been through quite a bit of hardship over the past seven seasons, including being betrayed by his followers and subsequently stabbed multiple times.
Facebook has hardly faced any challenges that are akin to being revived from the dead, but Mark Zuckerberg and company have proven to be consistent winners with a taste for greatness—just like Jon Snow. Even in their darkest hours, the North can trust Jon Snow’s leadership. Given its consistent penchant for growth and strong forward direction, it feels like tech-focused investors can trust Facebook too.
Impressive growth thus far. A future with the potential for even more growth. A cult-like following. An arsenal with a diverse lineup of weapons. It’s pretty obvious that the Mother of Dragons and Nvidia—an investor-favorite graphics chip maker with a strong foothold in gaming, autonomous cars, and AI—have plenty in common.
Even more interestingly, Nvidia is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Daenerys has assembled the largest (living) army in Westeros and commands two full-sized dragons—weaponry that has made her many people’s odds-on favorite to take the Iron Throne.
Love her or hate her, Cersei Lannister has emerged as one of the show’s most badass characters. A fierce ruler who will do anything to protect her family, Cersei has been in a primary position of power for the majority of the seven seasons—a level of dominance that is akin to Apple’s reign over the tech industry.
Of course, Cersei can be relatively cruel, and I am by no means suggesting that Apple is an evil company. However, one cannot deny the glaring similarity between Apple and Cersei, as their names alone strike fear in those who dare challenge them.
Ok, time for a break from the seriousness. Varys, also known as the Master of Whisperers, is always clambering about what the “little birds” are telling him. The guy must spend a heck of a lot of time on Twitter.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL– Free Report)– Bran Stark/The Three-Eyed Raven
This one is also a pretty simple one. Bran Stark, who has recently transformed into the all-knowing Three-Eyed Raven, can see basically everything that has happened/is happening in the past and present.
Just ask any college student approaching the deadline for their research paper—they’ll say similar things about Google’s unending knowledge. On top of this, Alphabet’s other projects, such as YouTube and Waymo, underscore its diverse portfolio and further proove its “know-it-all” status.
Uber – The Night King
Perhaps I’m being a bit too harsh on Uber here. After all, I am comparing the ride-hailing giant to the show’s number one bad guy. But there’s actually quite a few solid comparisons to be made.
For one, the Night King’s raw power and destructive ability is certainly similar to Uber’s devastation of the traditional taxi industry. Also, the Night King and his White Walkers have assembled a massive army, making his strength similar to the horde of Uber drivers out on the roads. Finally, after its latest round of internal and public relations disasters, Uber has actually emerged as Silicon Valley’s villain this year.
So what do you think? Have we nailed this list, or do you totally disagree? Let me know on Twitter, @Ryan_McQueeney!
Want more stock market analysis from this author? Make sure to follow @Ryan_McQueeney on Twitter!
More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!
It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.
Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >>
Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News
Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year.See these high-potential stocks free >>.
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
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 https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Facebook, Nvidia, Apple, Twitter and Alphabet
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – August 29, 2017 – 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 includeFacebook (NASDAQ: – Free Report),Nvidia (NASDAQ: (NVDA - Free Report) – Free Report), Apple (NASDAQ: (AAPL - Free Report) – Free Report), Twitter (NYSE: – Free Report)and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: (GOOGL - Free Report) – Free Report).
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:
If Silicon Valley Were 'Game of Thrones' Characters
Last night, the seventh-season finale of the Emmy-winning hit show Game of Thrones premiered on HBO. “Game of Thrones,” which is based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy novels, has grown into one of the world’s most popular TV dramas, and the internet is buzzing after yet another dramatic episode.
As viewers continue to digest the latest twists, social media platforms and fan forums are rife with speculation, theories, and show-related memes. There will likely be a long layoff between last night’s finale and the eighth—and final—season’s debut, so you can expect this hypothesizing to continue for some time.
One of the most remarkable accomplishments of Games of Thrones, perhaps even more impressive than its 38 Primetime Emmy Awards, has been its ability to transcend television and consume our everyday lives. In our modern world built on technology and instant gratification, it’s worth noting that a slow-moving epic set in a Middle Ages-like world has taken over our pop culture conversations.
At this point, it’s safe to assume that even those who don’t watch the show could recognize its main characters and discuss its basic plotlines. That kind of popularity allows us to have a little fun today—hence the title you see above.
In an effort to connect the Game of Thrones universe with our world of investing and finance, we’ve decided to draw some comparisons between the show’s most important figures and our very-real Silicon Valley tech companies—the companies that represent some of the world’s most iconic brands.
WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!
For all of the Game of Thrones fans and investors out there, here’s our definitive guide to Silicon Valley tech giants, if they were Game of Thrones characters:
Facebook (NASDAQ: FB– Free Report)– Jon Snow
Young, handsome, and outrageously popular, Jon Snow has been through quite a bit of hardship over the past seven seasons, including being betrayed by his followers and subsequently stabbed multiple times.
Facebook has hardly faced any challenges that are akin to being revived from the dead, but Mark Zuckerberg and company have proven to be consistent winners with a taste for greatness—just like Jon Snow. Even in their darkest hours, the North can trust Jon Snow’s leadership. Given its consistent penchant for growth and strong forward direction, it feels like tech-focused investors can trust Facebook too.
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA– Free Report)– Daenerys Targaryen
Impressive growth thus far. A future with the potential for even more growth. A cult-like following. An arsenal with a diverse lineup of weapons. It’s pretty obvious that the Mother of Dragons and Nvidia—an investor-favorite graphics chip maker with a strong foothold in gaming, autonomous cars, and AI—have plenty in common.
Even more interestingly, Nvidia is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Daenerys has assembled the largest (living) army in Westeros and commands two full-sized dragons—weaponry that has made her many people’s odds-on favorite to take the Iron Throne.
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL– Free Report)– Cersei Lannister
Love her or hate her, Cersei Lannister has emerged as one of the show’s most badass characters. A fierce ruler who will do anything to protect her family, Cersei has been in a primary position of power for the majority of the seven seasons—a level of dominance that is akin to Apple’s reign over the tech industry.
Of course, Cersei can be relatively cruel, and I am by no means suggesting that Apple is an evil company. However, one cannot deny the glaring similarity between Apple and Cersei, as their names alone strike fear in those who dare challenge them.
Twitter (NYSE: TWTR – Free Report)– Varys
Ok, time for a break from the seriousness. Varys, also known as the Master of Whisperers, is always clambering about what the “little birds” are telling him. The guy must spend a heck of a lot of time on Twitter.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL– Free Report)– Bran Stark/The Three-Eyed Raven
This one is also a pretty simple one. Bran Stark, who has recently transformed into the all-knowing Three-Eyed Raven, can see basically everything that has happened/is happening in the past and present.
Just ask any college student approaching the deadline for their research paper—they’ll say similar things about Google’s unending knowledge. On top of this, Alphabet’s other projects, such as YouTube and Waymo, underscore its diverse portfolio and further proove its “know-it-all” status.
Uber – The Night King
Perhaps I’m being a bit too harsh on Uber here. After all, I am comparing the ride-hailing giant to the show’s number one bad guy. But there’s actually quite a few solid comparisons to be made.
For one, the Night King’s raw power and destructive ability is certainly similar to Uber’s devastation of the traditional taxi industry. Also, the Night King and his White Walkers have assembled a massive army, making his strength similar to the horde of Uber drivers out on the roads. Finally, after its latest round of internal and public relations disasters, Uber has actually emerged as Silicon Valley’s villain this year.
So what do you think? Have we nailed this list, or do you totally disagree? Let me know on Twitter, @Ryan_McQueeney!
Want more stock market analysis from this author? Make sure to follow @Ryan_McQueeney on Twitter!
More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!
It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.
Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >>
Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News
Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year.See these high-potential stocks free >>.
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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 https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.