Jack Narcotta

Editor’s note: What’s driving the continuing growth at Internet giant Google? Technology Business Research analyst Jack Narcotta offers his insight after reviewing Google’s latest financial report. HAMPTON, N.H. – Google’s 2Q16 performance highlights the company’s success in asserting leadership in mobile, video and programmatic advertising markets as well as driving greater participation from advertisers across its Chrome and Android platforms. Greater mobile user engagement fueled a surge in advertising revenue, propelling Google’s overall revenue and profits to record levels for the company. Google’s revenue, gross profit and operating profit climbed 21.3%, 20% and 23.7% year-to-year to $21.3 billion, $13.4...

Microsoft appears to have shed most of the lingering effects of declining Windows licensing revenue that hampered its performance over the last two years. The maturation of the Windows 10 operating system is helping PC OEMs in commercial markets sell Windows Pro licenses with new PCs more effectively, and a broader range of Windows 10 powered premium 2-in-1 and thin-and-light notebook PCs are garnering the attention of consumers, lifting Windows’ non-Pro license revenues. While global PC demand remains weakened, pockets of growth are emerging in these premium consumer and commercial PC segments. While year-to-year revenue growth in its Productivity...

Editor’s note: HP Inc, the business group for PCs, printers and more that split off from parent HP, battles declining revenues with new products. But a review of its latest earnings shows HP Inc remains “mired among many of the same challenges” facing the group before the split, writes Technology Business Research Analyst Jack Narcotta. HAMPTON, N.H. – A flurry of new PC, Chromebook and printer product releases in the first six months of calendar year 2016 highlights how HP Inc. is aware of the trends shaping its addressable market and the opportunities within its customer base. TBR expects...

Editor’s note: Lenovo’s latest earnings report last week highlights the challenges the world’s No. 1 PC maker faces as inorganic growth disappears. So says Technology Business Research analyst Jack Narcotta. HAMPTON, N.H. – Despite year-to-year corporate operating margin improvement, revenue growth in its Motorola and System x server segment, and nearly delivering on its promise to restore its Mobile segment to operating profitability, a stout challenge remains for Lenovo: halting revenue declines in its PC segment despite, per Lenovo, record-high global PC market share of 21.6%. The upward trajectories of its Motorola and System x businesses speak to Lenovo’s...

Editor’s note: Google’s (Nasdaq: GOOG) latest earnings report on Monday shows that the technology giant is beginning to solve the mobile advertising conundrum as YouTube, mobile and programmatic advertising services begin firing on all cylinders, writes Technology Business Research analyst Jack Narcotta. HAMPTON, N.H. – If the year leading up to 4Q15 was the break-in period for Google’s new mobile-centric advertising platforms, then TBR believes 4Q15 should be considered Google’s proof-of-concept, and its largest step forward to-date in removing the obstacles in front of it as its revenue streams and customer base shift from desktop to mobile. Google’s 4Q15...

Editor’s note: Microsoft is a study in contrasts as cloud, search and Surface segments soar past its legacy Windows business, writes Technology Business Research analyst Jack Narcotta after reviewing the tech giant’s latest earnings last week. HAMPTON, N.H. – Strong revenue growth in cloud services is a positive sign for Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), but overcoming a weakened PC market remains a challenge It is clear that CEO Satya Nadella’s efforts to focus Microsoft around cloud services such as the Azure cloud computing platform and online productivity platform Office 365 are helping strengthen the company’s footprint in the fast-growing cloud...

Editor’s note: Intel aims to reinvigorate the PC business with its new line of Skylake processors. No. 1 PC manufacturer Lenovo already is planning to include Skylake processors in a number of models as WTW reported last week. (See links with this post.) But weak demand and longer life cycles will limit opportunities for its own revenue growth, writes Jack Narcotta of Technology Business Research. HAMPTON, N.H. – Skylake, Intel’s newest chipset, highlights the stalwart chipmaker’s renowned “tick-tock” release schedule is no longer entirely about adhering to Moore’s Law. Numerous announcements in early September 2015 at renowned consumer electronics...