What I saw in today’s headlines – March 29, 2023

Here are 5 headlines I saw today and my interpretation or comments about them below each one.

Note: There is an anti-trust tone in today’s news.

Headline 1: Apple (AAPL) introduces Apple Pay Later to allow consumers to pay for purchases over time

RZ: this extends my thinking that Apple (and a few others) can choose to do (or try) most anything and we collectively think that it’s a natural business line for them. i.e. Pfizer could never announce that they are building a car.

Headline 2: Disney (DIS) eliminated its Metaverse division

RZ: an incumbent content giant such as Disney can’t see how the Metaverse develops into anything commercial or serious.

Headline 3: Alibaba (BABA) aiming to split into six additional units

RZ: perhaps better to announce a break-up of your business divisions before the government makes you do it. It looks better that you are seen doing it on your terms. Whether the sum of pats is greater than the whole is a seperate topic.

Headline 4: Microsoft (MSFT) and others preparing to settle EU complaints, according to Bloomberg

RZ: Maybe heed the above commentary?

Headline 5: Google (GOOG) asks judge to dismiss antitrust suit, according to Bloomberg, a quote from article includes, “In an earlier statement, Google vowed to fight the DOJ attempts to break up its ad business.”

RZ: Google is going to fight this case hard….perhaps Alphabet should break up the business before “trust busters” do it for them?

March 29, 2023

by Rob Zdravevski

rob@karriasset.com.au