New products, services keep them on top

Article Excerpt

These three tech giants continue to adapt to rapid changes in their markets. For example, innovations such as cloud computing (where users access computer software online) have made it easier for software makers Microsoft and Adobe to sell their products as an ongoing subscription service. That cuts their distribution costs. Apple also continues to expand its online services to help reduce its exposure to an increasingly competitive smartphone industry. We see Microsoft as buy for right now and like the long-term prospects for all three companies. APPLE INC. $188 (Nasdaq symbol AAPL; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 4.7 billion; Market cap: $883.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.4; Dividend yield: 1.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.apple.com) gets 65% of its revenue from iPhone sales. The remaining 35% comes from sales of its Mac computers, iPad tablets, Apple watches as well as the software, movies and music sold through its online stores. Apple earned $19.97 billion in its fiscal 2019 first quarter, ended…