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Motley Fool: Apple Stock Driven by Retail + Disruption

Motley Fool: Apple Stock Driven by Retail + Disruption

by , 2:30 PM EST, January 2nd, 2008

Apple's stock is a winner due to the combined effects of a very efficient retail sales process in revenue per square foot combined with the disruptive effects of its technologies, according to The Motley Fool on Monday.

Compared to other retailers, Apple generates many times the dollars per square foot. For example, Best Buy generates US$32B on 33 million square feet annually, and while Apple only generates only $4.1B per year retail, it does it with only 1.5 million square feet.


That sales efficiency wouldn't be possible without Apple's disruptive influence on the markets it enters. While other companies appear to be in the same busines as Apple, their focus and execution lag. For example, Apple may be poised to kill off Netflix and Palm. Microsoft is feeling the heat. [Wall-Mart has already cancelled its own movie download service after just one year.]

Not only is Apple disruptive, but it does so at an eye-popping pace. Doing the math, Tim Beyers pointed out that Apple has turned the iPhone into more than a U.S. billion dollar business in a mere six months. Other companies seem to move at a snail's pace by comparison.

The author's conclusion was that Apple's price, at $200 per share, is just the beginning of an explosion in retail presence and disruption: 40 more stores are planned worldwide for 2008.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Guest
Subject: Apple's disruptive influence???

Hmm, talk about a negative slant, Apple's "positive" is being represented as a negative... to everyone else. I guess we can tell what this "fool's" real thoughts on Apple are.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: I think that's actually a positive term...

I'm not in the marketing or economic circles, but I think the term is associated with a disruption against the status quo. If so, that is generally a good thing, in my opinion. See <http://www.macobserver.com/article/2007/11/05.7.shtml> for a similar take on Apple's ability to shake up established markets.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Market Disruption

i.e.: Apple's iPod = sad Record Company Executives, it disrupted their big ol' parTy!

Close Name:tbone1 -   TMO Staff Posts: 3981 Joined: 13 Jul 2001
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
i.e.: Apple's iPod = sad Record Company Executives, it disrupted their big ol' parTy!


It also disrupted record stores, radio, and the makers of home stereo equipment. Plus others I can't think of at the moment, I'm sure.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Motley Fool: Apple Stock Driven by Retail + Disruption

The term "disruptive" here refers to what economists are calling "disruptive innovation." Historically, think of GM radically offering a line of cars with consumer choices like color, which knocked Ford of its pedestal in the 30s. Apple is a company that has staked its very survival on its ability to introduce such disruptive innovations.

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