bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Reuters

Sales of Apple’s iPhone trumped Wall Street estimates after US shipments soared 51 per cent in the third quarter, lifting its stock 5 per cent even as profit fell.
The world’s largest technology company said profit fell 22 per cent as gross margins slid below 37 per cent from more than 42 per cent in the year-ago quarter.

The iPhone’s solid showing eased concerns that growing competition is hurting demand for Apple’s top-selling product as the global smartphone market matures. Rival Samsung Electronics, which overtook Apple to become the world’s largest smartphone maker last year, fuelled those fears when it issued a disappointing earnings forecast earlier this month.
Apple’s stock, which has fallen 20 per cent since January, rose 5 per cent to US$437.94 in after-hours trade. It closed at US$418.99 on Nasdaq.
“The iPhone number should provide some comfort to investors who were worried about smartphone demand. That’s one of the reasons the stock is up. Expectations were not strong for this quarter,” said Shannon Cross of Cross Research.
The company sold 31.2 million iPhones last quarter - far more than the estimated 26 million - and 14.6 million iPads.
Chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer said iPhone sales rose 51 per cent in the United States from a year earlier, and 66 per cent in Japan.
But revenue from greater China - an increasingly crucial market for the Silicon Valley giant as it strives for growth - dived 43 per cent from the second quarter and 14 per cent from the year-ago period.
Executives blamed China’s slowing economy for the revenue decline but did not elaborate.

	China is a huge opportunity for Apple. I don’t get discouraged over a 90-day kind of cycle
“China is a huge opportunity for Apple,” Chief Executive Tim Cook said on a conference call. “I don’t get discouraged over a 90-day kind of cycle.”
Apple earned US$6.9 billion, or US$7.47 a share, on revenue of US$35.3 billion. That compared with a profit of US$8.8 billion, or US$9.32 a share, on revenue of about US$35 billion in the year-ago quarter.
Wall Street’s average forecast was for revenue of US$35.02 billion and earnings per share of US$7.32, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
The company has US$146.6 billion in cash and short term securities.
Investors’ biggest long-term concern about Apple is whether the company has lost its innovative edge after re-imagining at least three major consumer electronics markets, with iTunes and the iPod, the iPhone and then the iPad.
Since launching the iPad mini last fall, the company has yet to update its major devices.
Cook told analysts to expect new products in coming months, with some “in new categories,” but as usual he played his cards close to the vest.
“We are on track to have a very busy fall,” CFO Oppenheimer said earlier during the call without going into details.
Apple forecast revenue of US$34 billion to US$37 billion this quarter, slightly below Wall Street’s average projection of US$37.04 billion.
It estimated a margin of 36 to 37 per cent. Gross margins came in at 36.9 per cent in the third quarter, sharply below 42.8 per cent a year ago, as Apple sold more cheaper older model iPhones along with the new iPhone 5 model.
“It’s pretty remarkable that they are selling as many phones as they are, given that it’s not a new product,” said Michael Yoshikami, chief executive of Destination Wealth, which owns Apple shares. “That’s really the key for them; they’ve got to come up with a new product.”


China’s Oppo doubles down on foldable smartphones as potential Apple entry looms

First HKIC bet SmartMore seeks Hong Kong IPO amid booming tech pipeline

Apple’s Mac Mini selling out across China as OpenClaw fever rages

Apple reduces App Store commissions in China in move applauded by Tencent, NetEase

Apple

Strong iPhone sales buoy Apple, shares climb

Apple sold more iPhones than expected in the third quarter although earnings still fell. Photo: Reuters

Will Apple’s latest results be latest letdown?

Investors will be poring over Apple’s quarterly results for evidence that the company hasn’t lost its bearings now that Steve Jobs is no longer at the helm. Photo: Reuters

Apple developer site still shuttered four days after attack

Apple says unknown attackers may have accessed mailing addresses and emails when they hacked the site. Photo: AFP

Apple to investigate reported iPhone 5 shock death

Apple controversy lays bare complex Irish tax web

Apple has paid little or no tax on tens of billions of dollars in profits channelled through Ireland. Photo: AP

Apple''s chief executive Tim Cook (second from left) in May at a Senate hearing on offshore profit shifting and the US tax code. Photo: Reuters

Apple case cracks open e-books, digital goods pricing

After ruling against Apple, a US District Court has ordered a new hearing to determine damages. Photo: AFP

Business

Companies

Lifestyle

Tech

Profit at world’s biggest technology company slides 22 per cent as gross margins shrink


Sales of Apple’s iPhone trumped Wall Street estimates after US shipments soared 51 per cent in the third quarter, lifting its stock 5 per cent even as profit fell. The world’s largest technology company said profit fell 22 per cent as gross margins slid below 37 per cent from more than 42 per cent in the year-ago quarter.


Strong iPhone sales buoy Apple, shares climb

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Profit at world’s biggest technology company slides 22 per cent as gross margins shrink

Profit at world’s biggest technology company slides 22 per cent as gross margins shrink