GristyMcFisty used our news submit to tell us that Apple has reported a bumper 4th quarter profit. Apple's profit doubled from the previous quarter thanks to strong sales of the Apple iPod and its brand of notebook computers. The revenue for this current quarter had topped Wall Street estimates with shares being 50 percent better than Wall Street expectations. Apple's shares jumped 4 percent after their results release. Net income for 4th Quarter rose to $106 million or 26 cents per share from $44 million or 12 cents per share 1 year ago. Revenue rose from $1.72 billion a year ago to $2.35 billion an increase of 37 percent. Apple said that this quarter has seen the highest revenue in nine years Without the 1 cent per share restructuring charge Apple had a profit of 27 cents per share.
Analysts had predicted 18 cents per share on revenue of $2.15 billion, apple's financial officer said the results were down to improved sales of its iBook and Powerbook notebook pc's. Other reasons for the strong results include strong sales of their computers to US schools and 95 percent rise in its retail business. Powerbook revenue expanded by 20% with revenue of $419 million while iPod sales quadrupled to $537 million and accounted for 23% percent of apples revenue.
Apple was able to ship 2.02 million Apple iPods up six fold from last year, these figure include results from other companies that make iPods such as Hewlett Packard. The alliance between Apple and Hewlett Packard accounted for around 6% of digital music players sold in the last quarter.
For the next Q1 quarter of 2005 Apple predicts 39 to 42 cents per share with sales reaching $2.8 to $2.89 billion. Analyst's are were forecasting 28 cents per share or average between 23 and 34 cents on revenue of $2.52 billion but these predictions will need changed thanks to apples strong 4th Quarter. In after hours trading on INET apples shares rose 4.4% to $41.50, On NASDAQ Apple's stock rose $1.46 around 3.3% to close at $39.75. Apples stock has gained a massive 109 percent since last December.
| Apple Computer on Wednesday reported its quarterly profit Analysts had forecast a profit, on average, of 18 cents a share, on revenue of $2.15 billion, on the same basis. Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer said the far-better-than-expected quarter reflected robust sales of the iBook and PowerBook notebook PCs, a 95-percent rise in Apple"s retail store business and strong sales to U.S. schools. In the fourth quarter, PowerBook revenue climbed 20 percent to $419 million, while iPod revenue more than quadrupled to $537 million and accounted for 23 percent of total revenue. Apple shipped 2.02 million of the popular digital music players, up sixfold from a year ago. The figure included iPods manufactured by Hewlett-Packard, a new production alliance that accounted for 6 percent of the digital music players sold in the past quarter.
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Looks like Apple is going from strength to strenght, though they should really branch out a bit as the Apple ipod can't sustain them forever especially with competition from creative and many more on the way.
Source: NEWS.COM
