Apple Still Expects To Sell 10 Million iPhones In Calendar 2008 Apple (AAPL) CFO Peter Oppenheimer, speaking on the company’s post-earnings conference call this afternoon, said the company continues to expect to sell 10 million iPhones in calendar 2008. Here are some other tidbits from the call. Oppenheimer noted that FY Q3 operating margins of 19.2% were higher than expected, due in part to a favorable commodity cost [...]
Apple (AAPL) CFO Peter Oppenheimer, speaking on the company’s post-earnings conference call this afternoon, said the company continues to expect to sell 10 million iPhones in calendar 2008.
Here are some other tidbits from the call.
- Oppenheimer noted that FY Q3 operating margins of 19.2% were higher than expected, due in part to a favorable commodity cost environment.
- Macs had their best quarter ever in units, by more than 150,000; Macs were 60% of revenue, with units up 33% growth year over year.
- Notebooks were 64% of Mac sales in the quarter.
- iPods were up 21% year over year in units.
- Apple plans to launch iPhone sales in a few countries in Europe in the fourth calendar quarter, expanding into more countries into 2008.
- Sales in Apple stores totalled $915 million, up 33% year-over-year; there are 185 stores; average stores in the quarter was 180, generated on average $5.1 million revenue per store, up from $4.7 million a year ago.
- Apple expects to open 12 stores in September quarter to end year at 197.
- Gross margin in the quarter was 36.9%, higher than guidance; the difference came from a more favorable expected pricing environment for the Mac; better than expeted product mix; and component costs that were more favorable than expected.
- For the fourth quarter, the company sees gross margins down to 29.5%, reflecting a back to school promotion, higher commodity costs and a “product transition,” which it did detail.
- The company did not book any revenue from AT&T in the quarter.
- On commodity pricing, Apple sees NAND flash memory tightening in the current quarter, with DRAM expected to stabilize; they also see LCD panels in “greater than typical imbalance” with little expanding supply and accelerating demand for flat panel televisions.
Apple is now up $10.79, or 8%, to $148.05.
Sun CEO Schwartz Dreams Of A World With No Press Releases Sun Microsystems (SUNW), which will report results for its fiscal fourth quarter on Monday, will disclose the news on its Web site and RSS feeds before providing the data through other paid third party press release services, CEO Jonathan Schwartz disclosed on his blog yesterday. Schwartz says it is a “small, but exceptionally symbolic [...]
Sun Microsystems (SUNW), which will report results for its fiscal fourth quarter on Monday, will disclose the news on its Web site and RSS feeds before providing the data through other paid third party press release services, CEO Jonathan Schwartz disclosed on his blog yesterday. Schwartz says it is a “small, but exceptionally symbolic change.”
Specifically, we will publish our results to this web site on July 30th at 1:00 PM (Pacific Time), which will in turn be disseminated via open syndication protocols (namely, RSS) to those who have subscribed to Sun’s news feeds. 10 minutes after publication to the Internet, we will distribute this information via traditional news wires for dissemination to private news agencies and distribution vehicles.
Schwartz says “this will place, for the first time, the general investing public - those with a Web browser or a cell phone - on the same footing as those with access to private subscription services. In effect, driving an open dialog directly with investors, rather than routing information through proprietary sources. Open is as open does.”
Schwartz says this is “a sea change” in how Sun communicates, “and sets a path for other public companies seeking to drive greater transparency.”
Writes Schwartz: “I wonder how far off we are from ceasing to issue traditional press releases altogether… after all, no news agency could possibly suggest they reach a greater portion of the planet than the Internet.”
A world with no press releases? I’m not holding my breath for that one.
