Apple Q109 roundup

Apple reported what it calls its best quarter ever on Wednesday, noting that it cracked over $10 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time during fiscal Q109. Net profit was $1.61 billion, and gross margin was 34.7 percent, perhaps unexpectedly high given guidance calling for margins closer to the 30 percent mark. These and other figures are somewhat skewed, however, as Apple is still deferring recognition of most iPhone and Apple TV revenue.

Helping to buoy Apple finances was a surprisingly high number of iPod sales, over 22.7 million; analysts had been expecting roughly 18 to 20 million. iPhone shipments are thought to have been somewhat disappointing though at less than 4.4 million, compared to the 5 million or more sought by Street consensus. Mac shipments merely met expectations at slightly more than 2.5 million.

In terms of retail, the company claims it brought in $1.74 billion from its stores, with an average of $7 million per location. Margins shrank however, and the company is planning to open just 25 stores in 2009, half of which will based outside of the US.

Looking to the future, Apple has denied the likelihood of an iPhone nano, insisting that the company is not interested in low-end phones. A netbook may be a possibility, but COO Tim Cook argues that most such systems are cramped, underpowered and hampered by inferior software. This is the same reason the company is said to be unafraid of the Palm Pre, a phone sometimes seen as the leading rival to the iPhone 3G.

by MacNN Staff