Apple today beat the Street by announcing financial results for its fiscal 2018 second quarter ended March 31, 2018. The company posted quarterly revenue of $61.1 billion, an increase of 16 percent from the year-ago quarter, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.73, up 30 percent. International sales accounted for 65 percent of the quarter’s revenue.
“We’re thrilled to report our best March quarter ever, with strong revenue growth in iPhone, Services and Wearables,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Customers chose iPhone X more than any other iPhone each week in the March quarter, just as they did following its launch in the December quarter. We also grew revenue in all of our geographic segments, with over 20% growth in Greater China and Japan.”
“Our business performed extremely well during the March quarter, as we grew earnings per share by 30 percent and generated over $15 billion in operating cash flow,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “With the greater flexibility we now have from access to our global cash, we can more efficiently invest in our US operations and work toward a more optimal capital structure. Given our confidence in Apple’s future, we are very happy to announce that our Board has approved a new $100 billion share repurchase authorization and a 16 percent increase in our quarterly dividend.”
Data Summary:
• iPhone: 52.217 million units (vs. 50.763 million units, +3% YOY), $38.032 billion revenue (vs. $33.249 billion, +14% YOY)
• Mac: 4.078 million units (vs. 4.199 million units, -3% YOY), $5.848 billion revenue (vs. $5.844 billion, 0% YOY)
• iPad: 9.113 million units (vs. 8.922 million units, +2% YOY), $4.113 billion revenue (vs. $3.889 billion, +6% YOY)
• Services: $9.190 billion revenue (vs. $7.041 billion revenue, +31% YOY)
• Other Products: $3.954 billion revenue (vs. $2.873 billion, +38% YOY)
“Services” includes revenue from Digital Content and Services, AppleCare, Apple Pay, licensing and other services.
“Other Products” includes sales of AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, HomePod, iPod touch and other Apple-branded and third-party accessories.
Thomson Reuters consensus estimates called for revenue of $60.82 billion and $2.67 EPS. Consensus estimates called for 52.54 million iPhone units sold in the quarter (StreetAccount estimate) with and ASP of $741. Fiscal Q3 revenue guidance: $51.61 billion expected by Thomson Reuters consensus.
The Company will complete the execution of the previous $210 billion share repurchase authorization during the third fiscal quarter. Reflecting the approved increase, the Board has declared a cash dividend of $0.73 per share of Apple’s common stock payable on May 17, 2018 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 14, 2018.
The Company also expects to continue to net-share-settle vesting restricted stock units.
From the inception of its capital return program in August 2012 through March 2018, Apple has returned $275 billion to shareholders, including $200 billion in share repurchases. The management team and the Board will continue to review each element of the capital return program regularly and plan to provide an update on the program on an annual basis.
Apple is providing the following guidance for its fiscal 2018 third quarter:
• revenue between $51.5 billion and $53.5 billion
• gross margin between 38 percent and 38.5 percent
• operating expenses between $7.7 billion and $7.8 billion
• other income/(expense) of $400 million
• tax rate of approximately 14.5 percent
MacDailyNews Take: All of the iPhone X “concern” was bullshit.
In after hours Nasdaq trading, Apple (AAPL) is up $6.92, +4.09%, to $176.02 per share.
Profit from the painfully gullible. — MacDailyNews, December 26, 2017
SEE ALSO:
Uh, yeah, about those iPhone X ‘concerns’ from analysts: Never mind – May 1, 2018
Apple stock tumbles on one poorly-sourced report of low iPhone X demand – December 26, 2017
Apple and suppliers shares drop on report of weak iPhone X demand – December 26, 2017
Now is a good time for Apple to drastically drop the Mac prices. After all the Mac has become an almost negligible part of Apple’s business, yet it plays a key role for developers. In particular, increased sales of Macbooks (to STEM K12 segment, which will need “trucks” in the future*) would literally put other pc makers in a tight financial spot.
To save face, Apple could make a few changes to “account” for the price drop, such as using an ARM processor.
(*)alternately, Apple could make the iPad a serious development platform, which it isn’t right now. Kids (and others) should be able to develop stand-alone apps on the iPad. Sadly, Swift Playgrounds don’t offer that possibility (yet?). A decent enhancement of the “Files” system, allowing the organisation of dissimilar files and references (aliases don’t work for now) into projects is long overdue.
iOS Apps are sandboxed to manage its own files. There may be a need for Apple to fundamentally change the sandbox model in iOS to allow Apps to access non media (audio/video) files in a ‘globally’ visible file system.
You’re correct in thinking that the iPads will be the trucks of the future.