As analysts line up their predictions for Apple's (
AAPL) upcoming quarterly earnings report, one thing stands very clear. Records are made to be broken. In the quarter that saw the continued success of iPhone 3GS, price cuts on Mac Computers and a slew of upgraded or new iPods, the company is firmly poised to deliver its best back to school season ever. Apple's typically conservative guidance for this quarter called for earnings in the range of $1.18 to $1.23 in profit/share on sales of $8.7 to $8.9Billion.
Standing in stark contrast are analysts with Revenue figures at $9.2Billion and profits of $1.42/share on average. Apple over the last few years has beaten earnings expectations by a staggering 39% and Revenue by 7%. Perhaps the analysts have caught up this time? Not yet. 90 days ago the average estimates stood at $1.27 and have climbed since to $1.38 and where it currently stands at $1.42.
But, since when do analysts really have a handle on the hot trends of the day. The Apple generation of the 2000s have grown up with iPods being a must-have, the Mac as a must-have College tool and now the iPhone as the it mind-share capturing device. But analysts, like most things come in all shapes and sizes and estimates, certainly for Apple, can vary wildly.
On the Computer front, expectations have risen for Apple to sell upwards of 2.8Million machines, a new record for the company. In the year ago period, that number was 2.6Million. While iPods are slowly an eroding business, another 10Million units are expected to cross hands, and the stunning growth of the iPhone business will continue with estimated sales of about 7Million units.
While Apple's been dropping prices on Macs and iPods to maintain sales and grow share, it has plenty of room to keep margins steady as the iPhone is by all accounts a profitable monster, and the launch of Snow Leopard software adds to the margin story. Taken altogether and the pros are calling for continued sales success at Apple.
Whether the market believes it too is the next test.
Disclosure: Author owns AAPL
