Wall Street is expecting the technology giant to post fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of $7.93 per share on revenue of $36.84 billion.
That's at the higher end of Apple's own estimates, which were revised in an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in September, days after it launched its refreshed iPhone lineup.
For fiscal 2013, Apple is expected to report earnings of $39.41 per share on revenue of $170.3 billion.
Apple's bread and butter rests on the iPhone's success. The smartphone division makes up about half the company's total revenue. But analysts remain cautious on the state of affairs from its newer, lower-end smartphone sibling, the iPhone 5c. Reports have pointed to Apple pulling back on iPhone 5c production due to low demand. The company historically hasn't broken out sales of its device portfolios, and that isn't expected to change.
In all, Apple is expected to report 33.41 million iPhones sold during the quarter, based on estimates by Fortune, an increase in sales by almost 25 percent on the same quarter a year ago. For the third quarter, Wall Street was expecting a mediocre 5 percent growth, but Apple delivered a surprise blowout of 20 percent.
In other words, the iPhone as a business unit is still likely powering the company through, despite claims of lack of innovation and market saturation.
The likely continued success of the iPhone is, however, likely to offset areas that are underperforming or losing traction.
Where previous quarters have seen the iPad chip away at Mac sales, a surge in popularity in the company's notebook and desktop range may end up reversing this decline, albeit slightly.
Source : ZDNet
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