In an effort to replicate Snapchat, Facebook (FB) has updated its Messenger application so that users can send their friends 15-second videos (read The Ghost Of Snapchat for more information). This effort is the latest push by Facebook to increase its mobile messaging presence. The company previously purchased its most notable competitor, WhatsApp, for $19 Billion. Facebook’s Messaging application alone has over 200 million active users per month.
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Elon Musk, The Game Changer
Last Thursday, Tesla Motors (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk announced the electric car company will publish its technology patents. Musk stated that he and the company will not sue anyone who utilizes the patents, so long as they are used “in good faith.” The patents reference, but are not limited to, the technology within Tesla car batteries and the company’s charging station network. Since the announcement, analysts and investors alike are focused on how Tesla’s publication of valuable patents will (negatively) affect its future.
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Minimize Risk, Maximize Return
There is a discernible thrill to picking stocks correctly. Carefully considering risks, weighing possible options, and evaluating every aspect of a company, pulling the trigger, and finally seeing all your hard work pay off is extremely satisfying—and it can be very profitable too. While one must take care to avoid being sucked into the gambler’s paradise of day-trading, there is clearly an important role for the active investor, in value and growth. But there is an obvious catch: consistently successful trading is extremely difficult (read more here).
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Arista Networks IPO
Last Friday, June 6, 2014, cloud-networking company, Arista Networks (ANET), made its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The company’s shares were initially priced at $43. Although Cisco (CSCO), IBM, and Microsoft (MSFT) have dominated the networking market for the past two decades, Arista may finally present a credible challenge to these tech behemoths. Investors showed optimism in Arista’s future, as shares hit $59.72 in the first week of its IPO and now sit at roughly $65.
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An Uber Investment
Last Friday, transportation network provider Uber announced that it raised an additional $1.2 billion of primary capital, raising its valuation to $17 billion. In just one year, Uber’s perceived value has quadrupled; furthermore, the company is a mere four years old. Now, Uber operates in 128 cities, in 37 countries, around the world and is worth more than rental car competitors Avis (CAR) and Hertz (HTZ).
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Navigating The Maps Market
Apple (AAPL) has acquired social maps application Spotsetter to address its problematic maps application. In an attempt to differentiate itself from the competition, Spotsetter was designed to provide personalized destination recommendations for its users. This is accomplished by linking your social media accounts to Spotsetter's mapping service (i.e. via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter).
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Apple Beats Down Critics
Last Wednesday, May 28, 2014, Apple (AAPL) announced its $3 billion acquisition of Beats Music. The deal was finalized after three weeks of intense media coverage, and after the negotiations were leaked to the press. Previously, I endorsed Apple’s decision to purchase Beats for several reasons, including its brand recognition value, headphone market share, and popular music streaming service.
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