Editor’s Note: Related tickers: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Sony Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:SNE), Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX), Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Apple Seeks to Trademark ‘IWatch’ in Japan for Devices (Bloomberg)
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), the world’s most valuable technology company, is seeking a trademark for “iWatch” in Japan as rival Samsung Electronics Co. readies its own wearable smartphone device. The maker of iPhones is seeking protection for the name which is categorized as being for products including a handheld computer or watch device, according to a June 3 filing with the Japan Patent Office that was made public last week. Takashi Takebayashi, a Tokyo-based spokesman for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), didn’t respond to a message left at his office seeking comment on the application. …Sony Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:SNE) has sold its SmartWatch for more than a year, which wirelessly connects to smartphones using Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s Android operating system and allows users to take calls and reply to e-mails or texts.
TSMC Shakes Up Apple-Samsung Partnership (WSJ)
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. 2330.TW -2.70% has pulled off its biggest coup yet: winning over Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) +2.66% Inc. as a chip client and, in the process, giving heavyweight rival Samsung Electronics Co. 005930.SE -1.19% a poke in the eye. It’s no surprise that Apple would seek to move away from Samsung as their competition in the smartphone market becomes more heated. But TSMC may have to wait a while to feel the full benefit of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s switch, analysts say. For the next year, at least, Samsung will still be supplying chips to Apple. Nevertheless, the new supply deal for iPad and iPhone chips will give TSMC a boost as it adopts costly new manufacturing technology, analysts said. TSMC is the world’s largest contract manufacturer of chips by revenue.
Apple’s latest TV ads fail to wow viewers (JournalGazette)
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s newest TV commercials, showing consumers enjoying its products while an actor reads the company’s corporate philosophy, are a flop compared with earlier ads from the maker of iPhones and iPads. The company’s latest ad, which began airing June 10, has earned the lowest score of 26 Apple TV ads in the past year, according to Ace Metrix Inc., a consulting firm that analyzes the effectiveness of TV ads through surveys of at least 500 TV viewers. The ad scored 489 on the company’s scoring system, below an industry average of 542 and far below past iconic Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) campaigns that often topped 700.
Raymond James Upgrades Apple to “Strong Buy” (AAPL) (Dividend)
Raymond James analysts expect that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s near-term financials will soon stabilize and then improve. As such, the analysts upgraded the tech giant on Monday. The analysts upgraded Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) from “Outperform” to “Strong Buy” and now see shares reaching $600. This price target suggests a massive 51% upside to the stock’s Friday closing price of $396.53. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares were up $5.27, or 1.33%, during pre-market trading on Monday. The stock is down 25.49% year-to-date.
Apple Inc joins Starbucks Corporation and Google Inc with UK corporation tax avoidance (SmeWeb)
Following recent controversy over Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s UK corporation tax avoidance, it’s now come to light that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) paid no UK corporation tax in 2012, despite all of its main British subsidiaries posting multi-million pound profits. The US technology giant used tax deductions from share awards to employees to help wipe out the corporation tax liabilities of its UK businesses. Accounts filed by one of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s two main UK divisions, Apple Retail UK Ltd, showed the company made a pre-tax profit of £16m on sales of almost £1bn in the year to September 29. Another subsidiary, Apple (UK) Ltd, made a pre-tax profit of £43.8m on sales of £93m, according to accounts filed at Companies House, while a third, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Europe, made a pre-tax profit of £8m.
