Stop the Barron's Microsoft Series

That particular story about how Microsoft was still a growth stock was dated July 26, 2004. Between then and now, it bears mentioning, Microsoft's stock price has been stuck in the mud, barely budging in a market that has flown to the heavens.

But a horrid call, even made twice, is forgivable. What got me was that somewhere else in my steel trap of a mind was the memory of yet a third big bullish profile in Barron's by Savitz about how Microsoft was, uh -- hey, you're really catching on here -- still a growth stock! That was titled "Pointing Up," from a bit over a year ago, April 3, 2006.

The Business Press Maven has a couple of concerns here. These articles appear written from the same template, without enough new information to merit such repetition, especially this latest one.

Stop the presses! A company stated publicly that it was still relevant! It is overkill, boosterism. Microsoft has a public relations department that takes care of that; it does not need outside help.

All articles in this collection (maybe I should market a collector's edition) start by talking about how Microsoft is misunderstood by investors before going on to make faintly similar cases for why the stock is ... c'mon, everyone together this time ... a growth stock.