February Mac sales up 43%, Apple on track for 2.9M in quarter
New retail sales data shows Apple has continued to have strong Mac and iPod sales at the start of 2010, with February's numbers showing significant year-over-year growth.
Analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray issued a note to investors Monday afternoon detailing the latest retail sales data from the NPD Group. Mac sales in the month of February were up 43 percent for the month, which followed a similarly strong January increase of 36 percent. In all, Mac sales for the first two months of 2010 are up 39 percent year over year.
The latest retail data suggests that Apple will sell between 2.8 million and 2.9 million Macs in the March quarter, which is above Wall Street's consensus of 2.7 million Macs.
Strong Mac sales were accompanied by better-than-expected iPod sales as well, influencing Munster to call February an "impressive" month for Apple. iPod sales in the first two months of 2010 were up 7 percent, an increase in sales for the first time in over a year.
The numbers are particularly favorable for Apple because 2009 got off to a slow start, putting the Cupertino, Calif., company in a position to exceed when compared to the soft numbers from a year ago. In February 2009, Mac sales dipped 16 percent year-over-year.
The data also shows that the average selling price of Macs is down 10 percent year-over-year, while iPod prices were up 3 percent from the same frame in 2009.
The latest NPD numbers have provided even more confidence to Munster and Piper Jaffray, who have called 2010 the "Year of the Mac." He said Monday that the easing comparisons from 2009 represent a buying opportunity for investors.
Apple of late has consistently delivered blowout quarterly results. During the three-month holiday frame, the company sold a record 3.36 million Macs, helping it to achieve a 50 percent spike in profits. Another 2.9 million Macs for the first quarter of calendar 2010 would be a very strong start for Apple.
Piper Jaffray has maintained its overweight rating for AAPL stock, and a 12-month price target of $284.
Analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray issued a note to investors Monday afternoon detailing the latest retail sales data from the NPD Group. Mac sales in the month of February were up 43 percent for the month, which followed a similarly strong January increase of 36 percent. In all, Mac sales for the first two months of 2010 are up 39 percent year over year.
The latest retail data suggests that Apple will sell between 2.8 million and 2.9 million Macs in the March quarter, which is above Wall Street's consensus of 2.7 million Macs.
Strong Mac sales were accompanied by better-than-expected iPod sales as well, influencing Munster to call February an "impressive" month for Apple. iPod sales in the first two months of 2010 were up 7 percent, an increase in sales for the first time in over a year.
The numbers are particularly favorable for Apple because 2009 got off to a slow start, putting the Cupertino, Calif., company in a position to exceed when compared to the soft numbers from a year ago. In February 2009, Mac sales dipped 16 percent year-over-year.
The data also shows that the average selling price of Macs is down 10 percent year-over-year, while iPod prices were up 3 percent from the same frame in 2009.
The latest NPD numbers have provided even more confidence to Munster and Piper Jaffray, who have called 2010 the "Year of the Mac." He said Monday that the easing comparisons from 2009 represent a buying opportunity for investors.
Apple of late has consistently delivered blowout quarterly results. During the three-month holiday frame, the company sold a record 3.36 million Macs, helping it to achieve a 50 percent spike in profits. Another 2.9 million Macs for the first quarter of calendar 2010 would be a very strong start for Apple.
Piper Jaffray has maintained its overweight rating for AAPL stock, and a 12-month price target of $284.
Comments
Piper Jaffray has maintained its overweight rating for AAPL stock, and a 12-month price target of $284.
It has been predicted that as the Recession wears on, people will become more interested in luxury goods like Macintoshes, because they're stopping spending on little unnecessary things.
In my case, a Mac is more than a luxury. I've gone through a series of PCs that I have hated, because Windows just sucks and Linux is forever unfinished and neglected. A Mac is something I could stick with.... if only Apple would announce the new MBPs so that I could get on with buying one.
February Mac sales up 43%
Good, means that Apple won't be replacing their UI on Mac's with the iPad UI.
Mature computer users need a challenge and remain compatible with the Windows of the world, the iPad UI is just too easy.
A Mac is something I could stick with.... if only Apple would announce the new MBPs so that I could get on with buying one.
As long as the current one's are selling great, there is little pressure to update them...
Bummer, because I too am waiting for a refresh. I don't have a Mac now and would really like to get back to them.
The last time I used a Mac regularly was the Mac II I had on my desk in the 80's.
As long as the current one's are selling great, there is little pressure to update them...
Bummer, because I too am waiting for a refresh. I don't have a Mac now and would really like to get back to them.
The last time I used a Mac regularly was the Mac II I had on my desk in the 80's.
I do think Apple wanted a resolution to the Intel/Nvidia wars. Apple couldn't really take a step back in integrated chipsets or battery life, which also meant they couldn't move forward to the i7/i5/i3. Hopefully the Optimus technology is enticing enough for Apple to move forward with Nvidia gpus running this technology on all new MBP's.
It has been predicted that as the Recession wears on, people will become more interested in luxury goods like Macintoshes, because they're stopping spending on little unnecessary things.
Actually, Mac's are cost effective because they last so long.
The hardware is good and the OS doesn't get malware.
The thing with Mac's is the storage, Apple makes it hard to access the hard drive to upgrade it so one can keep using the same machine much longer.
In my case, a Mac is more than a luxury. I've gone through a series of PCs that I have hated, because Windows just sucks and Linux is forever unfinished and neglected. A Mac is something I could stick with.... if only Apple would announce the new MBPs so that I could get on with buying one.
No argument about PC's or Windows, most are total and absolute garbage.
Ubuntu makes for a very good and secure netbook OS as it's permission based copy of Unix, it can be themed to look like XP or even OS X.
It has Firefox which gives you a great browser and all those plug-ins, there is plenty of free software like OpenOffice too. I agree though it's lacking on development, much like OS X is lacking compared to Windows. It's all about market share.
The theme for Ubuntu to look like OS X is called Mac4lin, a little difficult and outdated.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mac4lin/
The theme for XP (scary too) is here and it does everything in about a few seconds. Great for those who are mentally stuck in XP and need a simple secure familiar machine.
http://ubuntu.online02.com/node/14
I too am waiting for the MacBook Pro updates, I hope Apple doesn't pull a whopper of a change on us neither.
I hope they are working on eliminating the glare and reflections while preserving the clarity of the glass screens. Also a way to user remove the hard drive. I've had to upgrade mine twice already in three years. It's costs plenty to do something that shouldn't really cost much more than the drive itself.
people satisfied with their cell phones are buying iPod Touch's instead.
great news for Apple.
The thing with Mac's is the storage, Apple makes it hard to access the hard drive to upgrade it so one can keep using the same machine much longer.
It depends on the model. The hard drive in my MacBook (Late 2006) was really easy to upgrade.
I do think Apple wanted a resolution to the Intel/Nvidia wars. Apple couldn't really take a step back in integrated chipsets or battery life, which also meant they couldn't move forward to the i7/i5/i3. Hopefully the Optimus technology is enticing enough for Apple to move forward with Nvidia gpus running this technology on all new MBP's.
This is one of the best reads explaining why the MBP haven't been upgraded in quite a while. Until these issues are worked out, may be some time before there's an upgrade--despite the rumors.
It depends on the model. The hard drive in my MacBook (Late 2006) was really easy to upgrade.
There are a few more screws to get to the MB HDD, but only a handful and one a minute or two more effort. The MBPs are now much more accessible than they were before in many ways. It's not like people need to swap HDD and RAM out on a daily basis.
This is one of the best reads explaining why the MBP haven't been upgraded in quite a while. Until these issues are worked out, may be some time before there's an upgrade--despite the rumors.
If Apple is waiting for nVidia and Intel to settle things we won't see a new MBP until 2013.
I think they're taking their sweet time because sales have been so good. They simply don't feel any pressure to upgrade the machines.
Actually, Mac's are cost effective because they last so long.
The hardware is good and the OS doesn't get malware.
'Ain't that the truth! A couple of months ago I had to finally retire my G4 iMac after over eight years of sterling service. It was used pretty much every day, and had to do quite a bit of heavy lifting in its time, but as the saying goes 'it just worked'! Eight years of internet use, without any AV software and not one single piece of malware to blight my life.
In the end it was the fluorescent panel on the monitor that failed, the computer itself still works allowing me to access it in target mode and migrate effortlessly to the Mini I bought to replace it. What excellent value it proved to be, leaving me one very satisfied customer indeed.
If Apple is waiting for nVidia and Intel to settle things we won't see a new MBP until 2013.
I think they're taking their sweet time because sales have been so good. They simply don't feel any pressure to upgrade the machines.
I for one hope this isn't the case. Core 2 Duo is unacceptable when everyone else is bringing the new stuff.
All my humble opinion of course.
like i said before, the dip in iPhone sales is offset by the increase in iPod sales and this article confirms it.
What dip in iPhone sales ?
What dip in iPhone sales ?
maybe his chart was upside down?
This is one of the best reads explaining why the MBP haven't been upgraded in quite a while. Until these issues are worked out, may be some time before there's an upgrade--despite the rumors.
what is the problem with shipping a MBP with Intel graphics and a dedicated ATI or Nvidia chip as well?
Bummer, because I too am waiting for a refresh. I don't have a Mac now and would really like to get back to them. The last time I used a Mac regularly was the Mac II I had on my desk in the 80's.
Wow, that's kinda like saying the last time you listened to music it was the Bee Gees and Donna Summer on tape.
Not saying you have bad taste, just that Macs have changed more than you might realize. Similar to how Simon Fuller on "American Idol" isn't very much like Ed McMahon was on "Star Search."
The last time I used a Mac regularly was the Mac II I had on my desk in the 80's.
My last Mac was a Quadra 605, to which I connected a grayscale portrait monitor i.e. it was taller than it was wide. It was a great experience but when Linux came out, I switched to PCs to use it.