Long before I ever started writing here, I used to review mobile phones. And some of the most unquestionably interesting devices came out of China. They weren’t exactly top-of-the-line smartphones, so they focused on gimmicks to succeed. Some included built-in gamepad controls for gamers. One model incorporated an analog television, complete with an extendable antenna built into the side. And Xiaomi (XIACF) may have hit on a surprising gimmick of its own. Investors weren’t impressed, though, and Xiaomi shares were down nearly 1.5% in Friday morning’s trading.
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The new Xiaomi device has a bit of that old retro-styling to it, as it’s a flip phone. That by itself might be compelling, particularly when you tack on the fact that the device, known as the Mix Flip, comes with an $800 price tag. But it gets better, as it boasts an unexpected add-on: a portable printer that can print photos out immediately for an extra $68.
Xiaomi also brought out the Mix Fold 4, which doesn’t seem to boast a printer option but does come with the ability to handle simultaneous language translations. And Xiaomi’s founder, Lei Jun, came out to warn people that getting their hands on one of those tiny printers might be a tall order, as supplies would be fairly short going into early sales. Ostensibly, that would be fixed as time goes on, but for now, it’ll be tough to actually get one.
But That’s Not All!
Xiaomi also released some other items in recent days, some of which might capture even more attention and interest. For instance, it’s set to bring out a new curved gaming monitor for the U.S. PC gaming market. The 34-inch monitor, with curves, boasts a 1440p resolution and a refresh rate of a downright surprising 180Hz.
Perhaps best of all, the new monitor—the Xiaomi Curved Gaming Monitor G34WQi—will sell on Amazon for $290, making it a fairly accessible and high-quality addition to a standard PC gaming lineup. And as reasonable as that price sounds, it actually represents a substantial markup from its Chinese retail price, which is about $210.
Is Xiaomi Stock a Good Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on XIACF stock based on eight Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 49.65% rally in its share price over the past year, the average XIACF price target of $2.99 per share implies 41.71% upside potential.
