Google Keeps Scoring

Yesterday, Google reported Q2 earnings of $4.63 a share (excluding stock-based compensation costs), missing Wall Street’s expectations of $4.74 EPS. The company reported a weaker-than-expected 35% rise in quarterly net profit, according to Reuters. Google attributes this to lower returns from its cash pile (which is now $12.7 billion), rather than slacking online ad sales.

Will Netflix Survive iTunes Movies?

Amidst weak economic conditions, Netflix reported a solid 4Q07 beating the street’s expectations. Revenues in 4Q07 was $302.4 million, up 9% y-o-y. Gross Profit margin was 33.8% compared to 38.9% a year ago. Net profit increased to $15.8 million, up 6% driven mainly by a 9% q-o-q decline in Subscriber Acquisition Cost (SAC) to $34.60,

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Apollo Needs Succession Planning

The Apollo Group, Inc. (APOL), provides educational programs through its subsidiaries the University of Phoenix, Institute for Professional Development, the College for Financial Planning Institutes, Western International University, and Insight Schools. I previously discussed Apollo under potential LBOs, and later on in the context of Educate’s buyout. Apollo, however, is still public. Apollo announced Q4

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Cognos Off The Table

Bringing an end to the speculation on who would buy Cognos, IBM has announced that it will pay $5 Billion in cash to buy the Business Intelligence leader. Earlier, SAP bought Business Objects. Cognos is IBM’s 27th acquisition since 2006. Business Intelligence is a hot space right now, which we have been covering in a

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