While the Diary of a Mad Hedge Fund Trader focuses on investment over a one week to a six-month time frame, Mad Day Trader, provided by Bill Davis, will exploit money-making opportunities over a brief ten minute to three-day window. It is ideally suited for day traders, but can also be used by long-term investors to improve market timing for entry and exit points. Read more
Global Market Comments
January 31, 2020
Fiat Lux
Featured Trade:
(LEARNING THE ART OF RISK CONTROL)
Mad Hedge Technology Letter
January 31, 2020
Fiat Lux
Featured Trade:
(APPLE OUTSHINES THE REST)
(AAPL)
I'll give credit when credit is due.
Apple CEO Tim Cook pulled off a quarter to remember.
And yes, I've been hypercritical of his lack of innovation, but I can't question the way he’s insulated the company from being exposed to softness in mainland China.
Analysts expected $88 billion in revenue and Apple easily surpassed this number by posting $91 billion.
When you look under the surface, there are usually some chinks in the armor.
But this time around Apple's quarter was practically flawless albeit with some frosty guidance.
It's no secret that the quality of a Chinese smartphone has picked up and now rivals some of Apple's best products.
However, Apple turned a weakness into a strength and sales of iPhones was one of the highlights of an outstanding quarter.
In fact, it was the iPhone 11 that carried the load this time.
In total, iPhone Revenue rose 8% to almost $56 billion and they shipped 72.9 million units.
The outperformance doesn't just end there.
Wearables have become a meaningful revenue driver in itself.
Specifically, ear buds and the Apple watch have captivated Apple customers who are scooping up these products in droves.
In the prior quarter, 75% of people who bought the Apple watch were first time buyers.
This added up to wearables clocking in $7.3 billion in revenue this past quarter.
Apple’s outperformance dovetails nicely with my overarching theme of the FANG group plus Microsoft separating themselves from the other tech companies in 2020.
The network effect that these companies possess is unrivaled and the longer they stay in business, the stronger these effects seep in.
If there was a negative part of the quarter, Tim Cook failed to delve into the new Apple streaming product and avoided giving too much detail.
Fortunately, Apple has not bet the ranch on streaming and have stuck to what they know best.
Ultimately, Cook struck a lukewarm tone, especially with the spread of China’s coronavirus threatening to shut down production operations for several manufacturers.
The company has restricted employee travel and shut one store due to the outbreak.
Looking forward, management said “there will definitely be an impact on China in terms of consumption.”
Apple is slated to release its first 5G phone later this year which has been the catalyst for the price appreciation in shares.
Apple continues to be a multiprong revenue machine and any dip should be bought.
This is the type of company that should be part of any multi-asset portfolio.
“I love museums but I don't want to live in one.” – Said CEO of Apple Tim Cook
When John identifies a strategic exit point, he will send you an alert with specific trade information as to what security to sell, when to sell it, and at what price. Most often, it will be to TAKE PROFITS, but, on rare occasions, it will be to exercise a STOP LOSS at a predetermined price to adhere to strict risk management discipline. Read more
While the Diary of a Mad Hedge Fund Trader focuses on investment over a one week to a six-month time frame, Mad Day Trader, provided by Bill Davis, will exploit money-making opportunities over a brief ten minute to three-day window. It is ideally suited for day traders, but can also be used by long-term investors to improve market timing for entry and exit points. Read more
Global Market Comments
January 30, 2020
Fiat Lux
Featured Trade:
(HOW TO EXECUTE A MAD HEDGE TRADE ALERT)
"In the US you, had ten bad years in a row (during the Great Depression) and it still turned out to be a pretty good century," said Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs.
DOCU has made a nice run since since the position was initiated a week ago and it is now a bit overbought in the short term.
I suggest you close the position into the strength.
Here is how you close the position:
Sell to Close February 21st - $75.00 call @ $4.10
Buy to Close February 21st - $80.00 call @ $1.35
Net credit will be $2.75 per spread. The position was initiated with a debit of $1.75 per spread, so the cash profit will be $500 in total if you traded the suggested 5 lot.
The return works out to 71% for a week.