Apple reports 4th-quarter profit of $8.2 billion

[BoredBozirini]

Despite a new iPhone 5, Apple released earnings Thursday that missed Wall Street estimates.

After the stock market closed Thursday, Apple said it earned $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per share, on sales of $36 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter. The earnings-per-share missed Wall Street's expectations, which had forecast $8.75 on sales of $35.8 billion.

Apple earned $7.05 per share on $28.3 billion in revenue in the same period a year ago.

Forecast-cautious Apple said it expected earnings of $7.65 per share and revenue of $34 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet, on average, expected earnings of $8.82 per share on revenue of $35.8 billion.

Apple shares tumbled $9 a share to trade, to $608.35, before it announced its results.

Several analysts expect boffo sales of iPhone 5 to propel Apple shares back to all-time highs, set last month with that product's launch. Despite a recent dip in its stock price, Apple remains the world's most valuable public company, at about $575 billion.

A record 5 million iPhone 5s were sold in the first week, prompting analysts to pull out their calculators to determine how that might impact Apple's revenue in the recently-completed quarter. Their task has been complicated by reports that Apple slowed production to fix problems with tools scratching the phone.

A burst in sales was likely offset by a slowdown in the prior two months as consumers waited for the new smartphone,says IDC analyst Karsten Weide. Analysts, on average, are expecting iPhone shipments of about 26 million for the September quarter ? roughly flat, compared to June.

The same may hold true for iPad. Analysts expect about 16.5 million iPad sales, down slightly from 17 million units shipped in the period before, because consumers waited for Tuesday's announcement of the iPad Mini.

iPhone 5 is the crown jewel of a rejiggered Apple product lineup designed to cash in on the holiday shopping season -- from smartphones and tablets to desktop computers.

In addition to the iPad Mini -- a smaller, 7.9-inch version of its hugely popular tablet -- Apple on Tuesday trotted out a full-sized iPad, a 13-inch version of a MacBook Pro laptop with sharper display, and an iMac without a DVD drive.

The brand new lineup of computers covers the spectrum of price points and functions as it heads into the holidays, says Noah Elkin, an analyst at eMarketer.

Apple is "certainly positioned to have the strongest holiday season yet," says Carolina Milanesi, consumer technologies and markets analyst at Gartner. She expects Apple's quarter to help it challenge Samsung for the No. 1 spot in the smartphone market.

Apple's results come in the midst of a high-tech tidal wave of high-profile product announcements and earnings reports this week as Apple and its rivals vie for a slice of the consumer market.

Apple started the week with iPad mini, followed by a Windows 8 event today in New York. On Monday, Google is expected to unfurl new Android phones in New York.

Source

Gotta love it. Apple beats their own expectations and misses the insane predictions by crazy analysts by just a little. Next quarter is going to be yet another beast in earnings.

[+Majesticmerc MVC]

You know, I don't think I'll ever understand how Apple became the worlds most valuable public company. People need oil much more than they need an iPhone :s.

[mrchetsteadman]

You know, I don't think I'll ever understand how Apple became the worlds most valuable public company. People need oil much more than they need an iPhone :s.

They have over priced products that people are willing to buy. Pretty genius I guess...

[still1]

17 million ipad last Quarter 14 million ipads this Quarter

26 million iphones this and last quarter.

thats a let down. Competition from S3,Nexus 7 coulld have impacted.

I am sure next Q would be interesting to see the no of iphones and ipads Apple sells.

[+devHead Subscriber²]

Well, when you sell the most overpriced computers in the world and have your loyal customers duped into thinking their worth it, you've got a perfect combination for making money hand over fist.

[Eric Veteran]

Apple recap:

- Revenue for 2012 Q4 at $36 billion (I/B/E/S view $35.8 billion)

- Sold 5.3 million iPods, a 19 percent decline from year-ago quarter

- Sold 14 million iPads, a 26 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter

- Sold 4.9 million iMacs, a 1 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter

- Sold 1.3 million Apple TV devices in Q4, sold 5 million in the fiscal year

- iTunes revenue at $2.1 billion (music, movies, TV shows, books)

- International sales accounted for 60 percent of quarter's revenue

- Forecasts Q1 2013 revenue about $52 billion; share about $11.75

Source: http://live.reuters.com/Event/Apples_2012_Q4_earnings_report

[thealexweb]

Apple recap:

- Revenue for 2012 Q4 at $36 billion (I/B/E/S view $35.8 billion)

- Sold 5.3 million iPods, a 19 percent decline from year-ago quarter

- Sold 14 million iPads, a 26 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter

- Sold 4.9 million iMacs, a 1 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter

- Sold 1.3 million Apple TV devices in Q4, sold 5 million in the fiscal year

- iTunes revenue at $2.1 billion (music, movies, TV shows, books)

- International sales accounted for 60 percent of quarter's revenue

- Forecasts Q1 2013 revenue about $52 billion; share about $11.75

Source: http://live.reuters....earnings_report

That's the slowest growth for Macs we've seen for years, but at a time when the PC industry is shrinking slightly in terms of shipments growth is still good.

[Growled Member]

There main problem is all the gadgets they've released of late. All that eats into your profits.

[Eric Veteran]

There main problem is all the gadgets they've released of late. All that eats into your profits.

They're starting to fragment themselves, too. iPad 2, new iPad (new and 6 months ago), iPhone and iPad mini...

[123456789A]

There main problem is all the gadgets they've released of late. All that eats into your profits.

And the lawsuits.

[still1]

Apple recap:

- Revenue for 2012 Q4 at $36 billion (I/B/E/S view $35.8 billion)

- Sold 5.3 million iPods, a 19 percent decline from year-ago quarter

- Sold 14 million iPads, a 26 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter

- Sold 4.9 million iMacs, a 1 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter

- Sold 1.3 million Apple TV devices in Q4, sold 5 million in the fiscal year

- iTunes revenue at $2.1 billion (music, movies, TV shows, books)

- International sales accounted for 60 percent of quarter's revenue

- Forecasts Q1 2013 revenue about $52 billion; share about $11.75

Source: http://live.reuters....earnings_report

the iphone sales remain flat compared to last Quarter. where did the growth go?? In to Samsung's pocket http://www.engadget....ng-Q3-earnings/

Q2 for samsung was 5.82 billion s3 releases in May end-June beginning

Q3 for samsung is 7.4 billion