Hi everyone, welcome to the Apple earnings announcement live-blog.
by Omar El Akkad 7/24/2012 8:07:03 PM
Hello Everyone! Welcome to our live blog of Apple's earnings announcement. I'm one of The Globe's technology reporters.
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:07:05 PM
Hey Ali, Analysts are expecting about $37.2-billion (US) in sales. And an adjusted earnings per share of about $10.37.
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:08:31 PM
Apple has a habit of not making product announcements during earnings calls. Usually, they'll save something like the new iPhone launch for a dedicated media event
by Omar El Akkad 7/24/2012 8:09:32 PM
Steven, The call is at 5pm -- and the earnings release usually comes out between 4:15 and 4:30pm
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:09:51 PM
As Omar notes, Apple doesn't usually announce or release products in press releases or during earnings calls. So we're unlikely to get any details on iPhone 5 or "Apple TV". It should be said that most analysts are forecasting a new iPhone will probably be pushed out in October, with one analyst saying it could be released as early as mid-September.
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:11:09 PM
The consensus estimates from Bloomberg for roughly $37-billion, though still astronomical, would be slightly down from the $39-billion they had in the second quarter. That's an earnings problem a lot of companies are probably wishing for.
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:12:53 PM
An iPhone 5 launch in September or October would make sense, given that it would set the company up to capitalize on holiday shopping. And now that Samsung has already released its high-end phone and RIM has delayed its new devices to next year, there's fewer competitors to worry about in the fall (with the exception of Microsoft's new Windows 8 devices).
by Omar El Akkad 7/24/2012 8:13:35 PM
I'm pretty sure that Apple is distinct enough from the broader market now that anything they do won't have a follow-through effect on the broader markets. Some economists even factor Apple out of their macro analysis because the company's huge success distorts the broader stock market.
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:14:37 PM
Omar, Thoughts on the kind-of-simmering, kind of epic Samsung vs. Apple battle -- in terms of market share, earnings, court cases?
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:15:29 PM
Abby, The estimates I have in front of me from Bloomberg suggest 4Q adjusted EPS of $10.26 (with revs of $38B)
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:16:22 PM
That is true, IBM did help the market. And Google did great, as well. And even though Microsoft went through their first loss ever, the sentiment around the company's earnings was pretty optimistic given the new products coming out in the next few months (new Office, new Windows, new Windows Phone, Surface, etc.)
by Iain Marlow 7/24/2012 8:19:39 PM