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Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

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Re: Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

#41

Post by cstrat »

shock-value wrote: post #32
cstrat wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a lot of Apple devices, and I am sure there are others out there like me who are stick using an original iPad 2. Those devices have not really needed an upgrade unless you wanted to move to the mini. My device is almost at its end, I have dropped it a bunch of times and the battery is struggling to last a 10 hour day at work (I dont use it a lot during the day, only really in meetings and on the run). There is…

IMO the retina screen is a big reason to upgrade from the 2 (and is the reason I waited for the 3rd gen model). I pretty much use my iPad exclusively for reading text of some format--web pages, text-based services like Facebook and Reddit, books, etc. (with the occasional YouTube or Netflix video thrown in)--and having that extra clarity as compared to the first two versions is crucial for me. It's now that I don't r…

Yeah I forgot that the retina was the big selling point. For me I didn't mind the screen the way it was - the battery life is great since the screen is average.

So for people like you who have moved to the iPad 3 (or whatever its stupid name was) - you have another year or two before needing a replacement...

Re: Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

#42

Post by downandout »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #36
downandout wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's remember that everyone was anticipating the iPhone 5s for all but 10 days of the third quarter, which naturally slowed iPhone 5 sales. Then Apple almost instantly ran into supply constraints after its release. Because of these two factors, these results aren't that meaningful. 4th quarter results will give a far more meaningful picture of iOS's place in the current market.

However Apple's product release schedule being as rigorous as it is tends to make quarters more comparable. Perhaps a better indication here is the drop from 40% gross margins to 37% gross margins. That comes right out of the business. Generally lower revenues but same margins is a sign so constraints in the supply chain. Higher revenue but lower profits is a sign of margin erosion. Lower revenue and lower profits an…

IMO, supply constraints mattered....and this quarter is different because Apple threw a lower margin iPhone into the mix: the 5c. These have been consistently available, while the 5s has not. That means that for all but a couple of days during the quarter, all they had to sell was the lower margin 5c, while revenue from the higher margin 5s was waiting in the wings and won't be seen until next quarter.

Re: Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

#43

Post by natch »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #15

No way to hide this: 2013: Revenue $37.5B, Profit $7.5B (20%) 2012: Revenue $36.0B, Profit $8.2B (22%) Loss of 2% net profit year over year. Just under a 5% drop per share on a diluted basis. So its becoming less profitable to be Apple which speaks to the margin pressure they are under from credible Android phones and tablets. I don't think the market expected that (or maybe they did, GOOG is trading over $1000 these…

They explained that. It's a long-term play.

Re: Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

#44

Post by mixmastamyk »

shock-value wrote: post #32
cstrat wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a lot of Apple devices, and I am sure there are others out there like me who are stick using an original iPad 2. Those devices have not really needed an upgrade unless you wanted to move to the mini. My device is almost at its end, I have dropped it a bunch of times and the battery is struggling to last a 10 hour day at work (I dont use it a lot during the day, only really in meetings and on the run). There is…

IMO the retina screen is a big reason to upgrade from the 2 (and is the reason I waited for the 3rd gen model). I pretty much use my iPad exclusively for reading text of some format--web pages, text-based services like Facebook and Reddit, books, etc. (with the occasional YouTube or Netflix video thrown in)--and having that extra clarity as compared to the first two versions is crucial for me. It's now that I don't r…

I use mine for netflix primarily, no need for the retina.

Re: Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

#45

Post by MaysonL »

than wrote: post #40
eltondegeneres wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a moment there I thought Apple was switching to FSF-endorsed free software and I was very confused. The cost of OS X is built into the hardware so it's not like future versions will be free as in freedom or free of cost.

Right. Free as in free-with-purchase.

Or free as in free OS X upgrade for anybody who bought a Mac in the last few years...

Re: Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

#47

Post by jusben1369 »

IBM wrote: post #2

Interesting that iPad sales were flat year over year. I would have thought it would have contracted without new iPads launched. Also the big increase in iPhone sales year over year jives with what Asymco has posted about Android peaking. The easy growth from feature phones being replaced by low-end Android devices is over.

"I would have thought it would have contracted without new iPads launched." Say what? That product line is only 3 or 4 years old and it's already flat? That was very surprising to me and very disappointing. Isn't the iPad now the new iPod? Only that I think took 7 years or more before it went flat. Apple's now a growth company only based on one single product that comes in two flavors and the entire rest of the tech world is gunning to take that away from them.

Re: Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

#49

Post by Shivetya »

Next quarter should be very interesting. New iMacs are out, new iPads, and of course the new Mac Pro. So out of all quarters which tend to be Apple's weakest?

Perhaps getting more predictable in releases softens earnings in certain quarters?

Re: Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results

#50

Post by ChuckMcM »

downandout wrote: post #42
ChuckMcM wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

However Apple's product release schedule being as rigorous as it is tends to make quarters more comparable. Perhaps a better indication here is the drop from 40% gross margins to 37% gross margins. That comes right out of the business. Generally lower revenues but same margins is a sign so constraints in the supply chain. Higher revenue but lower profits is a sign of margin erosion. Lower revenue and lower profits an…

IMO, supply constraints mattered....and this quarter is different because Apple threw a lower margin iPhone into the mix: the 5c. These have been consistently available, while the 5s has not. That means that for all but a couple of days during the quarter, all they had to sell was the lower margin 5c, while revenue from the higher margin 5s was waiting in the wings and won't be seen until next quarter.

That is certainly a fair point, we can come back to this discussion in 3 months :-)
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