Operating at the Intersection of Technology and the Capital Markets
Tag: Microsoft
Sophisticated Quant models run billion-dollar portfolios. Autonomous vehicles are on the road. AIs write music. AIs read maps and satellite images for the military. So when may an AI realistically lead a company as CEO? If one considers a large company such as Microsoft (tkr: MSFT), CEO Satya Nadella does not spend his days writing … Continue reading The AI CEO vs. The Augmented Intelligence CEO
Enterprise Software applications will increasingly incorporate AI to guide users by providing them with real-time actionable information. Such applications will generate enormous value assuming they are able to effectively inform users without becoming an overly-used crutch. Think of the benefit such applications may provide employees that lack customer-specific knowledge, process knowledge, domain expertise and/or general … Continue reading AI-Powered Decision Support Capability Is Only Scratching The Surface
Over the weekend Warren Buffett stated that poor leadership is the greatest risk facing companies. Mr. Buffett is preaching to the choir and knows a thing or two about bad leadership having lived through scandal and CEO turnover at Wells Fargo while Berkshire was a large holder. Coca Cola - another Berkshire holding - hasn't … Continue reading CEO Quality Matters. Warren Buffett Agrees.
Infrastructure Technology and CyberSecurity are among the Tech sectors that will benefit from increased consumer spending in the coming months. We recently wrote about elevated Personal Income levels due to multiple rounds of fiscal handouts. Consumers will spend this money now that the warm weather is here. Technology companies outside of "Consumer Tech" will benefit … Continue reading Infrastructure Tech and CyberSecurity Will Benefit From Consumer Spending
CEORater began an experiment several years ago whereby we built a concentrated "buy and hold" equal-weight portfolio consisting of quality Enterprise Software names that would be held for a minimum of five years. The benchmark is the S&P North American Expanded Technology Software Index (SPNASEUP). CEORater is up 4.2% Year-to-Date vs. 2.0% for the benchmark … Continue reading CEORater Portfolio Ahead of The Benchmark
The combination of Google Cloud Platform ("GCP"), YouTube, Google Ads and Search is a powerful bundle for other cloud platform services (AWS and Azure) to compete with in the Media space - particularly as it relates to streaming services. Yesterday Google signed a deal with Univision as the latter transitions to an AVOD (Ad-supported Video … Continue reading Google Will Run This Media Playbook Again
Apple's new Raleigh, NC-area campus announcement is the type of corporate announcement that often flies under the radar. The Raleigh / Research Triangle area is home to many technology companies notably SAS of Cary, NC. The Raleigh-area is home to a highly educated workforce with deep Software experience (not to mention it is a relatively … Continue reading Apple’s New North Carolina Campus Key In AI Race
As we wrote in September of last year, Netflix (tkr: NFLX), Should Acquire Video Game Publishers. Netflix teased a video game strategy on tonight's earnings call. Disney (tkr: DIS), proved the model on the feature film side with acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm. The video game space will prove no different. After all, hit … Continue reading Netflix & Video Games Can’t Happen Soon Enough
Amazon, Apple and Microsoft will never catch the AI leader. Google's AI capability will become increasingly sophisticated (we use "AI" as a catch-all for artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning and related disciplines), with time and will evolve at a faster rate than Amazon, Microsoft and certainly Apple. Google on-device applications such as Google Assistant, … Continue reading Alphabet Is The AI Alpha Dog
We published a piece in March 2020 entitled Battle-Tested Software CEOs, that highlighted a group of CEOs that we believed would hold the line and successfully navigate the COVID waters. Here is our updated thinking regarding that list. Tickers mentioned: AAPL, ADBE, CSGP, CVLT, FISV, MSCI, PYPL, SPGI, SQ, SSNC, VRSK Andy Florance. Founder & … Continue reading Update: Battle-Tested Software CEOs
