“Corporate profits came roaring back in 2003. The economy, hesitant and unsure of itself in the first half, ultimately gained the self-confidence it needed to get moving and shifted into high gear. The result was dazzling: Profits for the 900 companies on BusinessWeek’s Corporate Scoreboard rose 76% from the year before, with fourth-quarter earnings up by 322%,” BusinessWeek reports.
“The big resurgence in capital spending lifted tech companies sharply, as corporations began investing again in information technology. Earnings for the computer industry soared 210%. Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) recorded the largest increase for the group, a 552% jump in annual profits to $137 million, thanks to strong sales of its computers and the iPod. IBM’s (IBM ) yearly profit increased 43%, to $7.6 billion, on the strength of consulting services and software sales. And hardware sales accelerated sharply in the fourth quarter. IBM Chief Financial Officer John. R. Joyce recently told investors that ‘2004 is the year when the IT industry will begin its next growth cycle,'” BusinessWeek reports.
Full article here.
this growth cycle will happen only if there isnt ans equivalent “dot com boom” thats what killed the last one. as well being n election year people arnt certain of the next leader yet that might make them hesitate.
statistics….hmmmmm.
Let�s see, a 552% jump in profits to $137 million means that the year before they made a profit of about $2 million…
starting from nothing and making a big jump is, well, not real impressive…
The stat that should be of interest is profit per total revenue. (BTW,IBMs yearly profit is more than the total revenue for Apple.)
But a profit is a profit and better than a loss.
Or to keep it in Apple lingo, should I said an “iProfit” is better than an “iLoss”?????
Considering so many computer manufacturers have been posting losses recently this is much more significant of a number. Go Mac!
Actually a 552% jump in profits means that the previous years profits were about 25 Million… not too bad for tech company last year either.
Actually, a 552% increase is about 6.5 times as much (a 100% increase is twice as much, 200% = 3x, etc.), so Apple’s profit last year was about 21 million. It’s not fantastic, but it’s certainly better than 2 million.
Eh, you beat me to it.
Of course profits should increase across the board. It was all from shifting jobs overseas.
Except for Apple’s case.
Apple:
Posted a huge profit.
Is DEBT-FREE!
A technology innovator and leader.
Has a user-friendly OS with NO viruses.
Macs may be a minority, but I am sure Steve & Co. doesn’t mind being the only Porsche on an expressway filled with used Fords.
So does this mean that everyone took their Federal Tax Rebate check from the “Dummya” and bought an iPod?
Jeff S. — not so fast. Obviously, all the profit isn’t from exporting jobs, but apparently some of it is.
http://www.macminute.com/2004/02/18/exportingamerica
I bought a nice little iPod with my tax rebate check and it was the best money I ever spent.
I bet all those idiots over at MacCentral are thinking I won’t be able to counter this. HA! I’ve already managed to convince quite a few of their pitiful bunch to switch to Windows. Soon there will be nobody who uses a Mac.