As of today's market close of $143.64, AAPL is trading at a 13.8x multiple on my next-twelve-months EPS estimate (10.5x when excluding next-12m net cash and div).
For the first time ever I've decided to "collar" ($140-145) at least half of my AAPL position given that it's trading above my FV and not too far from my 12-month target, but mostly because it represents over 80% of my portfolio, so this is the best opportunity I can see for me to diversify. I'd still remain hugely overweight with roughly a 40% AAPL weight (while AAPL just 3.5% of the S&P). The only problem is I have no idea what to do with the proceeds, and most likely would end up reinvesting in AAPL on pullbacks. So much for trying to diversify. This is in no way intended as investment advice for anyone, just a disclosure of my decision. Please do your own due diligence.
I expect an additional $35-40b buyback authorization extended another year to March 2019, and a 9% increase to the quarterly dividend to 62 cents. Still no way for me to confidently model any repatriation plans. Most likely there'd be a big one-time tax gain which would need to be excluded from trailing EPS, so I see no easy way to get this event to affect my valuation model. In reality, it affects the market's perception of the value of the trapped offshore cash, but because I fully exclude it (net cash valued at 100%) in my model, it only shows up as a negative (the cash hit due to the actual repat tax paid). Consider this a sort of built-in conservativeness in my model. Or a flaw, if you prefer. Maybe I'll figure something out when it happens. What would definitely affect my valuation is a permanent reduction of the corporate tax rate, but again, not going to speculate how much lower or when it might happen. We'll have to wait and see how it all pans out.
Next year or two projections are on pretty standard assumptions, just slightly above WS analysts consensus. I'd be much more confident in this whole "supercycle" theory if it weren't so hyped by now. I tend to become a bit skeptic when I see this kind of unoriginal analysis and groupthink in WS and tech media. Can't stand the way everyone hangs it all on the never ending rumor mill. At this point I just want to fast-forward to October and January and get it all over with. Not asking much, just show me at least high single-digit revenue growth and steady margins next year and I'll be happy. One thing worth mentioning is the newly discovered Services growth narrative (yet double-digit growth's been there forever). Even if it just compensates for other products declines (e.g. iPad) this is a big positive since it replaces lower margin with higher margin revenues. Having said that, iPhone is still "it" for now, in terms of meaningful growth.
Detailed estimates: 3mo ending Mar-2017 Rev($M) GM(%) EPS($) ------------------- ------- ----- ------ Analysts consensus 52,970 - 2.02 Apple guide low 51,500 38.0 1.90* Apple guide high 53,500 39.0 2.07* My estimates 53,689 39.0 2.09 (5.24b shares)
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