Domestic data shows Apple's Mac sales up 5% in March quarter
The latest U.S. sales data from NPD suggests Apple's Mac sales were up 5 percent year over year during the March quarter, a number lower than some have expected.
Analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray believes the numbers suggest Apple could miss expectations on Wall Street when it reports official Mac quarterly sales during its earnings call next Tuesday. Investors generally expect Apple sold 4.3 million units during the three-month period, representing a 14 percent year-over-year increase.
Mac sales may end up lower than expected because Apple has not issued a meaningful refresh for its core MacBook Pro and iMac lineups in over a year. Munster believes those two product lines combine to account for 50 percent of Mac sales.
Given the latest NPD data for the March quarter, Munster expects Apple will report Mac sales in the range of 4.1 million to 4.4 million, representing 9 percent to 17 percent year-over-year growth, respectively.
But Mac revenue is expected to be just 15 percent of Apple's overall revenue in the March quarter. Because of that, Munster believes that any Mac "softness" reported by Apple will be offset by strong iPhone and iPad sales.
Looking forward, Munster expects the Mac lineup to pick up steam in the coming months, as Apple is widely believed to be preparing a refresh of its Mac lineup. Specifically, the MacBook Pro, iMac and MacBook Air are all candidates for updates with Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors.
If all three major Mac products are given an update in the June quarter, Munster believes it would result in a reacceleration of Mac sales that would compensate for any perceived disappointment in the March quarter.
Indications also surfaced earlier this month that Mac shipments were slow in the first quarter of 2012 due to a lack of new hardware. At the same time last year, Apple refreshed its major MacBook Pro notebook line, but this year Apple has been waiting for Intel's next-generation Ivy Bridge processors.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
No matter, I know they'll be over $700 by years end, even considering all worst case scenario's.
No matter, I know they'll be over $700 by years end, even considering all worst case scenario's.
Conflict with Iran involving Saudi Arabia and Israel? Second Great Depression caused by a US default on debt still sends Apple to $700?
May as well restructure the country (world) around Apple, then.
Well, Apple had a nice run I guess.
Apple will report fantastic increases in sales all around but irrational exuberance will punish the stock. The Wall Street Casino doesn't like it when the house looses. Time to send in the Cooler (William H. Macy).
Great movie by the way.
Maybe the Wall Street games are finally getting into my head, but I'm feeling that AAPL will get punished this earnings quarter.
If so, I expect it'll be one of the last great AAPL buying opportunities that'll come around for people with longer investment horizons.
So I ask why would wall street expect so much this quarter?
If so, I expect it'll be one of the last great AAPL buying opportunities that'll come around for people with longer investment horizons.
This could be the last great opportunity to get out near the top:
This could be the last great opportunity to get out near the top:
Satire?
Satire?
No, I really do think there are a lot of question marks out there about the future of Apple. What they have achieved in recent years is truly phenomenal. But Apple isn't going to go on forever creating blockbuster new products that sell in huge volumes. They are going to have to keep doing truly spectacular things to maintain the price trajectory many investors are expecting out of them.
I'm certainly not brave enough in my predictions to short AAPL (although I have been buying up some MSFT shares over the course of the past 12 months, because I do think they are onto something with their own mobile strategy) anytime soon.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showp...8&postcount=31
No, I really do think there are a lot of question marks out there about the future of Apple. What they have achieved in recent years is truly phenomenal. But Apple isn't going to go on forever creating blockbuster new products that sell in huge volumes. They are going to have to keep doing truly spectacular things to maintain the price trajectory many investors are expecting out of them.
And? what makes you think they won't do that?
And? what makes you think they won't do that?
History is against them.
History is against them.
"History" being "Steve Jobs is gone", right?
"History" being "Steve Jobs is gone", right?
History is that every high flying stock eventually comes down to earth.
History is that every high flying stock eventually comes down to earth.
Like IBM?
History is against them.
Baseless, irrational words. AAPL has soared this year and is still undervalued, and a few days of downtrend and you shaky hands all of a sudden can't see the investment worlds most basic great value right in front of your eyes.
If so, I expect it'll be one of the last great AAPL buying opportunities that'll come around for people with longer investment horizons.
Very much so. I just hope I have enough on the side to buy up enough shares if it does go down after earnings for a bit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eksodos
No, I really do think there are a lot of question marks out there about the future of Apple. What they have achieved in recent years is truly phenomenal. But Apple isn't going to go on forever creating blockbuster new products that sell in huge volumes. They are going to have to keep doing truly spectacular things to maintain the price trajectory many investors are expecting out of them.
I'm certainly not brave enough in my predictions to short AAPL (although I have been buying up some MSFT shares over the course of the past 12 months, because I do think they are onto something with their own mobile strategy) anytime soon.
Depending on when you bought MSFT (and at what price), that is a good move. The only danger I see in that is that Microsoft tends to under deliver when it comes to expectations and product launches. The WIndows Phone still hasn't managed to get much traction in the market. And Nokia (Microsoft's wheel man on WP) appears to be wheezing the prattle of the dead. But if you bought in the mid to upper 20's and you're content with the decent dividend, that has proven to be a good trade so far. MSFT has been dead money for about a decade. And it's now at the top of its trading range over that period. So will it break put or will it sink back to the mid-upper 20's? Dunno. But good luck.