Neil Hughes
Apple's biggest quarter ever was something of a mixed bag for the company — Â it sold more iPhones than ever, but the company also expects revenues to fall next quarter. Following the announcement of its first quarter of fiscal 2016 results, executives from the company participated in a conference call with analysts and the media, and notes of interest follow.
Participating in Monday's call were Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook, and Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri.
Highlights
- To start the call, Cook highlighted currency fluctuations impacting Apple's results
- Revenue in China was up 14 percent year over year, representing Apple's best quarter ever
- Cook admitted there is some short-term volatility in China, but he's confident about the country's economy longer term
- Apple TV had its "best quarter by far," Cook said
- Apple Watch set a new quarterly record, with an especially strong December
- Apple has nearly $216 billion in cash, or $39 per diluted share of AAPL stock
- Product install base has grown to over 1 billion active devices
Apple's iPhone business
Cook cited stats that show iPhone satisfaction levels twice that of the next closest competitor.
Sales were up 300,000 from the same period a year ago.
ASP of iPhone was $690, up about $3 year over year.
Number of Android switchers was highest ever last quarter. Cook said Apple was "blown away" by the numbers.
Cook believes emerging markets and improving LTE penetration will help the iPhone going forward.
Cook admitted that Apple believes iPhone units will decline year over year, for the first time ever, in the current March quarter.
60 percent of Apple's install base has not yet upgraded to a larger iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, or iPhone 6s Plus.
Apple's iPad business
Maestri cited stats saying that the iPad accounts for 85 percent of the U.S. tablet market.
Apple Watch
Apple once again declined to give any specifics on Apple Watch sales, but did say that the December quarter was the product's best yet.
Revenue in Apple's "other products" category was up 63 percent year over year, thanks to Apple Watch and the new Apple TV.
Apple's Mac business
Though Mac sales were down slightly year over year, Apple still gained overall marketshare amidst a slumping PC market.
Apple's next (Q2 2016) fiscal quarter
Apple is projecting revenue between $50 billion and $53 billion, with gross margins between 39 and 39.5 percent.
Operating expenses are expected to be between $6 billion and $6.1 billion, with other income of $325 million, and a tax rate of 25.5 percent.
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Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Amber Neely
41 Comments
The biggest news in iPad sales are down 25% YOY. I think they are levelling out. I also believe what's hurting iPad sales (relatively speaking) is iPads are overpriced and the product family matrix is confusing. Apple needs to cull old iPads and sell new iPad minis and iPad regulars starting at 32 GB for $299 and $399. And add $99 for 64 GB and $219 for 128 GB.
This would be the agreesive move needed the kickstart sales numbers higher again.
Tim's "mother of all balance sheets" and talking at length about services may suggest the direction of future acquisitions.
And expect the stocks to drop because they didn't reach the anal-cysts expectations of $76.9 billion.
66% of Apple's sales come from outside the USA. I see that as a good sign that Apple is drawing business from all over... no longer relying on USA business like pre-2010.