What to expect ahead of Apple’s first quarter earnings since the iPhone 6 launched
The figures
Apple’s first quarter results are always big as they almost always follow an iPhone launch. This year’s no different: we'll find out just how well the iPhone 6 has done.
Earnings per share are expected to come in at $2.60, up from expectations of $2.55 a month ago and $2.52 three months ago. The same quarter last year produced earnings per share of $2.07.
At the same time last year, it recorded record quarterly revenue of $57.6bn, in 2013 it was a record $54.5bn, 2012 a record $46.33bn and a $26.74bn record in 2011.
There’s a trend here, and don’t think this year won’t follow suit: analysts expect record smashing quarterly revenue to come in at around $65bn.
Here's what Apple's share price has been doing over the last year – including hitting an all-time high in November.
And here's how it's done previously, post-iPhone launches.
Record iPhone sales
In terms of units sold, it’s another record-breaker.
Looking at the same post-iPhone launch quarters for previous years, here are the numbers to beat.
Some say sales could touch a pretty massive 70m this quarter. Apple had already sold 10m in the first weekend it went on sale and that’s even before it launched in another 30-odd countries. Which brings us nicely on to…
More iPhone sales in China than the US
Analysts have made a big call on Apple. UBS predict China will account for 36 per cent of sales versus 24 per cent in the US. That would be a big shift since the US market has always dominated. Last year that share was 29 percent versus 22 percent in favour of the US.
Despite much-hyped Chinese rival Xiaomi gaining share, so large is the market, it looks like Apple is too as it breaks into the emerging market. In addition to the iPhone 6 launch, its deal with China Mobile looks to be paying off.
In short
It’s all about the iPhone 6 here. Yes, there’ll be iPad numbers (not expected to recover immensely from the doldrums as the lifespan of the device is much longer than for iPhones resulting in more muted sales) and Mac numbers, but post-launch iPhone 6 figures are where it’s at.
Tim Cook, who boasts taking Apple to all-time highs under his leadership, should make The Lego Movie's "Everything Is Awesome" his new theme song.
Buoyed by the good news momentum, will Cook hint at further developments for the Apple Watch or a worldwide roll out of Apple Pay? Investors hope so.