Apple's $59.7B Q3 smashes Street expectations amid ongoing pandemic

Posted:
in AAPL Investors edited July 2020
Apple has reported revenue earnings of $59.7 billion for the third quarter of 2020, beating Wall Street estimates, in a quarter where the company continues to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.




Overall revenue for Apple is up 11% from Q3 2019, when it reported a record-setting $53.8 billion. The gross margin of $22.7 billion is up 12.1% from the $20.2 billion in Q3 2019, and operating expenses for the period were reported as $9.6 billion, up 10.4% from last year's $8.6 billion.

While normally Apple's reported results would be compared against its forecast from the previous quarter, Apple declined to provide guidance in its Q2 2020 results for the first time in over two decades. At the time, Apple cited the first three weeks of the period, which included reduced demand and further retail issues caused from COVID-19, and the associated uncertainty of the entire situation as to why it would not provide revenue guidance on that occasion.

Despite the lack of guidance, analysts offered their own estimates, anticipating a revenue of $51.47 billion on average.

"Apple's record June quarter was driven by double-digit growth in both Products and Services and growth in each of our geographic segments," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "In uncertain times, this performance is a testament to the important role our products play in our customers' lives and to Apple's relentless innovation. This is a challenging moment for our communities, and, from Apple's new $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative to a new commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, we're living the principle that what we make and do should create opportunity and leave the world better than we found it."

Along with mitigating the effects of COVID-19, the quarter also featured some product launches, specifically the popular iPhone SE refresh, which endured some shortages caused through high demand. Though it was unveiled before the quarterly results, its release took place during the Q3 period.

The quarter will also be influenced by a few other launches, including the 13-inch MacBook Pro refresh, new iPad Pro models, and the Magic Keyboard accessory for the iPad Pro.

Sales of the iPhone reached $26.4 billion for the quarter, an increase of 1.7% from $25.98 billion seen in Q3 2019. The iPad saw revenue of $6.6 billion, up 31% from 2019's $5.02 billion. Mac sales were up 21.6% at $7.1 billion for Q3 2020 over $5.82 billion in Q3 2019.

Services continued to see its ever-reliable growth, hauling in $13.2 billion, up 14.8% from the $11.45 billion it was at this time last year. The catchall "other products" category, which includes Apple Watch and AirPods, raked in $6.45 billion, up 16.7% from 2019.

Apple's board of directors approved a four-for-one stock split, the fifth such split in the company's history.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 33
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Not too shabby.
    eriamjhdewmemontrosemacsSpamSandwichwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 33
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,404member
    Superb performance. (AMZN also hit it out of the park).

    I hope that Apple uses this opportunity to permanently stop giving guidance. It's a good thing when analysts have to do real work.
    ronnMacQceriamjhdewmemuthuk_vanalingamMacProSpamSandwichBeatsneil andersonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 33
    stevenozstevenoz Posts: 314member
    Most of us on this site are probably pretty happy... with Apple and with Tim Cook.
    Scot1montrosemacsspliff monkeyRayz2016watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 33
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    Didn't doubt Apple one bit but surprised how well they've weathered the storm.
    muthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 33
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Time to listen to the conference call.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 33
    FatmanFatman Posts: 513member
    Congrats fellow Appleinsiders! Happy day. I'm sure Apple financial wizes factored in post stock split price growth phenomenon. $100/share is more appealing to certain types of traders, which would drive up price for no other reason than more people will buy the stock.
    Beatsbaederboywatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 33
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,644member
    Beats said:
    Didn't doubt Apple one bit but surprised how well they've weathered the storm.
    Would seem to me that Apple is falling into that category some people can't live without.  Like Toilet paper.
    Beatsbaconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 33
    And a dividend. 
    edited July 2020
  • Reply 9 of 33
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    stevenoz said:
    Most of us on this site are probably pretty happy... with Apple and with Tim Cook.
    Not Avon b7 or gatorguy. Avon b7 will be in shortly to explain to us why Huawei is superior to Apple in every metric. Gatorguy will be by to explain why Google is in a better position than Apple. You can count on it like death and taxes.
    tmayronnmike1mwhiteMacProSpamSandwichsweetheart777Beatsandrewj5790watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 33
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    eriamjh said:
    Beats said:
    Didn't doubt Apple one bit but surprised how well they've weathered the storm.
    Would seem to me that Apple is falling into that category some people can't live without.  Like Toilet paper.
    I don’t know what to make of that statement.
    muthuk_vanalingamapplguy
  • Reply 11 of 33
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    lkrupp said:
    stevenoz said:
    Most of us on this site are probably pretty happy... with Apple and with Tim Cook.
    Not Avon b7 or gatorguy. Avon b7 will be in shortly to explain to us why Huawei is superior to Apple in every metric. Gatorguy will be by to explain why Google is in a better position than Apple. You can count on it like death and taxes.
    LOL...
    If I did it would be a first for me. I've never believed Google to be in a better position than Apple and 100% certain I've not claimed it since it's not true. I wish you were as careful with the truth so you wouldn't write such silliness so often.

    Some of the stuff you come up with... 
    :/
     

    edited July 2020 ronnmontrosemacsmuthuk_vanalingamchemengin1FileMakerFeller
  • Reply 12 of 33
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,124member
    Superb performance. (AMZN also hit it out of the park).

    I hope that Apple uses this opportunity to permanently stop giving guidance. It's a good thing when analysts have to do real work.
    Guidance is for shareholders. 
    pscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 33
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,691member
    lkrupp said:
    stevenoz said:
    Most of us on this site are probably pretty happy... with Apple and with Tim Cook.
    Not Avon b7 or gatorguy. Avon b7 will be in shortly to explain to us why Huawei is superior to Apple in every metric. Gatorguy will be by to explain why Google is in a better position than Apple. You can count on it like death and taxes.
    Give me those metrics and let's see if I was right! 

    Ball's in your court. 

    Let's see if what I said matches what you think I said.

    Just today, Canalys has stated that Huawei has claimed the top spot worldwide in handset sales in spite of the pandemic, not having access to one of the world's largest handset markets and with the U.S government literally trying to destroy the company. For context, this is the first time in nine years that Samsung or Apple hasn't held the position. 

    I said for years that the eventual 'SE' move was much needed and applauded it when it finally happened.

    I said the model spread had to widen and Apple did that. 

    I said pricing needed to be adjusted and Apple did that too. 

    I said it needed catch up with top Android flagships in many areas. It is (slowly) doing that. 

    5G was the last big issue (and 100% thanks to QC) we know that is coming.

    And the relevant point in these earnings is that iPhone revenues remain pretty much flat - again ! 

    But if you actually bothered to read what I said, about this quarter (and the last one), you would see how wrong you are, but instead of regurgitating what I've already gone on record as saying myself, why not do some actual work yourself (but quoting me) and tell me if what you have just claimed actually holds up to scrutiny?


    gatorguymuthuk_vanalingamlkrupprundhvidchemengin1
  • Reply 14 of 33
    pscooter63pscooter63 Posts: 1,080member
    Ok, so how does the split play off against their penchant for stock repurchases?
    (Not complaining, ecstatic in fact... just curious.)
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 33
    seankillseankill Posts: 566member
    Hope the liberals break Apple and the other giants up. 
    Beats
  • Reply 16 of 33
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,340member
    avon b7 said:
    lkrupp said:
    stevenoz said:
    Most of us on this site are probably pretty happy... with Apple and with Tim Cook.
    Not Avon b7 or gatorguy. Avon b7 will be in shortly to explain to us why Huawei is superior to Apple in every metric. Gatorguy will be by to explain why Google is in a better position than Apple. You can count on it like death and taxes.

    Just today, Canalys has stated that Huawei has claimed the top spot worldwide in handset sales in spite of the pandemic, not having access to one of the world's largest handset markets and with the U.S government literally trying to destroy the company. For context, this is the first time in nine years that Samsung or Apple hasn't held the position. 

    Huawei sells more low ASP, low Margin phones than Samsung for a single quarter.

    Hurrah!

    Apple continues to generate more than half of the world's smartphone profits.

    But wait, there's more;

    https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/after-britain-could-germany-be-next-to-ban-huawei-5g-technology-/5518762.html

    Probable...

    Sad for Huawei that they are so closely aligned and controlled by the PRC/CCP, and ironically, benefit so much from that.
    ronnbaconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 33
    Ok, so how does the split play off against their penchant for stock repurchases?
    (Not complaining, ecstatic in fact... just curious.)
    It’s doesn’t matter. When Apple removes a billion of stock from the market it removes a billion dollars from the market. It doesn’t matter if that billion is spread across 100, 50  or 25 shares. It’s less that people can buy. 
  • Reply 18 of 33
    ramanpfafframanpfaff Posts: 134member
    Ok, so how does the split play off against their penchant for stock repurchases?
    (Not complaining, ecstatic in fact... just curious.)
    It changes how they are weighed in the Dow. This way Apple going up just a percent won't bring the Dow up five percent (arbitrary numbers). The Dow always likes"reasonable" prices. Apple did their 7-1 split to get included on Dow. Note: I'm not an expert on any of this stuff, but do own a lot of AAPL. :)

    https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-apples-stock-will-influence-the-dow-2015-03-19
    edited July 2020 watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 33
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    melgross said:
    eriamjh said:
    Beats said:
    Didn't doubt Apple one bit but surprised how well they've weathered the storm.
    Would seem to me that Apple is falling into that category some people can't live without.  Like Toilet paper.
    I don’t know what to make of that statement.

    He's not wrong. They surveyed people and asked them what was a better invention: the toilet or iPhone, and the iPhone won.

    avon b7 said:
    lkrupp said:
    stevenoz said:
    Most of us on this site are probably pretty happy... with Apple and with Tim Cook.
    Not Avon b7 or gatorguy. Avon b7 will be in shortly to explain to us why Huawei is superior to Apple in every metric. Gatorguy will be by to explain why Google is in a better position than Apple. You can count on it like death and taxes.
    Give me those metrics and let's see if I was right! 

    Ball's in your court. 

    Let's see if what I said matches what you think I said.

    Just today, Canalys has stated that Huawei...


    I stopped reading there. you just HAD to prove his point didn't ya?

    gatorguy said:
    lkrupp said:
    stevenoz said:
    Most of us on this site are probably pretty happy... with Apple and with Tim Cook.
    Not Avon b7 or gatorguy. Avon b7 will be in shortly to explain to us why Huawei is superior to Apple in every metric. Gatorguy will be by to explain why Google is in a better position than Apple. You can count on it like death and taxes.
    LOL...
    If I did it would be a first for me. I've never believed Google to be in a better position than Apple and 100% certain I've not claimed it since it's not true. I wish you were as careful with the truth so you wouldn't write such silliness so often.

    Some of the stuff you come up with... 
    :/
     


    Correct me if I'm wrong, but were you the guy who said Google had "unlimited growth" potential because of online ads? Nothing is unlimited. Someone can invent the next iPhone and put Apple out of business.

    Just today it was announced that Google revenue was down for the first time in it's history because of lost ad revenue.
    baconstangwatto_cobraronn
  • Reply 20 of 33
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    eriamjh said:
    Beats said:
    Didn't doubt Apple one bit but surprised how well they've weathered the storm.
    Would seem to me that Apple is falling into that category some people can't live without.  Like Toilet paper.
    Or crack cocaine. 
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