Welcome to John Ransom’s Stocks in the News where the headlines meet the trendlines.
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Stock number one: Facebook, Inc.
Facebook's Egg Freezing Policy Isn't an Evil Plot -- Bloomberg
Facebook and others are covering egg freezing for the same reason they pass out free snacks and collude with one another—to discourage poaching of employees: Skilled tech workers have more professional options than almost anyone else. Companies will continue to offer all kinds of crazy benefits as long as the labor market in Silicon Valley remains tight.
Symbol: FB
Trailing PE: 77; Forward PE: 36
PEG: 1.16
Dividend: NA
Estimate Trend: Up
Ransom Note Trendline: Avoid Facebook
Stock number two: Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft wants to make it easier to build Windows Phone apps--Engadget
Last year, Microsoft created Windows App Studio to get more Windows Phone apps into its Store, and it worked -- developers added almost 50,000 new apps in 14 months. Redmond has just updated the beta web app with a feature that should help even more: Windows 8.1 sideloading. All you have to do is scan a certificate when generating a universal 8.1 app, and it'll install it automatically on your Windows Phone 8.1 device. The update also lets you generate apps in nine extra languages and brings new layouts and templates, among other tweaks
Symbol: MSFT
Trailing PE: NA; Forward PE: 13
PEG: 2.22
Dividend: NA
Estimate Trend: NA
Ransom Note Trendline: Avoid Microsoft
Stock number three: Apple Inc.
Apple's new iPad Air starts at $499--Reuters
Apple Inc said on Thursday its new iPad Air will go for $499, and the smaller iPad mini will sell for $399 and above. Pre-orders begin on Friday.
Executives introduced the new tablets that will lead Apple's battle for holiday-season spending.
Symbol: AAPL
Trailing PE: NA; Forward PE: 13
PEG: 1.34
Dividend: NA
Estimate Trend: Up
Ransom Note Trendline: Buy Apple