As you are all likely well aware, Mac fans typically don't get along terribly well with financial analysts-- or, should we say, with those entities that the rest of the world calls "financial analysts," but that we more commonly refer to as "scum-sucking sleaze-weasels." Aside from that brief period a year or so ago when the analysts were falling all over themselves to praise Apple to the moon, more typically they fall into a default state of telling investors that Apple is doomed. (That's why viewers are frequently disappointed to discover that our quarterly "Beat The Analysts" contest is actually about outguessing the pessimistic little buggers and not about pounding them into paste with heavy blunt instruments-- though, due to viewer feedback, we're considering changing that next quarter.)

Anyway, we're always delighted when we can find an analyst we actually like, and at least for now, Brett Miller of AG Edwards certainly qualifies. As faithful viewer Bob Gulien kindly pointed out, a Macworld UK article reports that Miller is currently "optimistic" about Apple's future. In particular, he rates Apple's stock a "buy" because iTunes, iMovie, and iDVD represent the "best available" consumer digital video and audio packages out there. Moreover, he thinks there's at least one upside to the current economic meltdown: it's "creating one of the best opportunities for Apple to gain market share."

How? Well, it's nothing we haven't heard before, but basically Miller thinks the "vicious warfare" raging between PC manufacturers in the consumer space isn't going to affect Apple's prices or margins overly much, since Apple customers-- that's us, by the way-- are "'materially uninterested' in Wintel alternatives." So while the Wintel boxmakers are slashing each other to bits, Apple can keep right on doing its own thing without being ravaged by disappearing margins, mounting debt, and a tidal wave of pink slips. And while a beleaguered Gateway is closing stores left and right, Apple is opening retail locations at the rate of one a week, thus sticking the Mac in front of an ever-increasing number of eyeballs. Because of this, "Apple will be in the face of the consumer and education markets like never before."

Now this is an analyst we can trust. And then, just as icing on the cake, AG Edwards rated DELL as "reduce." Do we love these guys, or what?