Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Falling profits: Apple disappointed and throws money around - STERN.DE

 Apple computer industry, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple dividend, iPhone, iPod, iPad

itemprop=”caption”> Apple recently disappointed its fans and its shareholders. The market is eagerly waiting for something new from the Californians. ©

D he unprecedented run of success of at least Apple seems to have been stopped. First time in almost ten years decreases the profit of the Californian cult group. Although the manufacturer of the iPhone still earned $ 9.5 billion in the quarter, so the equivalent of about 7.3 billion euros, the new figures are the company interpreted as weakness. Because so far it was used by Apple that it constantly goes up.

Although the company co-founded by Steve Jobs once reached between early January and late March is still the fourth-highest quarterly profit in its history. Compared to the corresponding three-month period a year earlier, however, this meant a double-digit decline – namely, a decrease of over 18 percent. In terms of sales, there was an increase, rising by 11.2 per cent to 43.6 billion dollars.


anxious wait for the next technology revolution

Once Apple revolutionized the way we listen to music – with the iPod. Even the category of tablet computers made the innovative American popular. Now what? If anything new from Apple? The wonder now many observers.

In the conference call after the presentation of the quarterly figures CEO Tim Cook was also stronger than ever because of a worry that the company had lost its pace of innovation. He mentioned the “potential for exciting new product categories.” And spoke of “hardware, software and services, for which we can not wait to introduce it this fall and in 2014.”

At least for Apple, the conditions were unusually frank words. Normally, the Group does to everything he is planning a huge secret. But really concrete Cook was not also. Notes to which new product categories could go to the head of the company did not exist. Speculation is a computer clock, a cheaper iPhone model and for years on an Apple TV.


After running the sales still

The sales of the iPhone were considered in the current period between early January and late March still pretty good. Analysts had feared a break here. During the quarter, 37.4 million of these handsets have been sold, the company said. They were only slightly less than in the previous year Vergleichszeitrau. However: From the record from the Christmas quarter with 47.8 million devices you are far away. In addition, it is seen that the business is becoming weaker by the hard time.

The iPhone asserted itself as Apple’s main money maker. At the same time, however, it is not known how many units of the new and more expensive iPhone 5 were sold and how high the proportion of older models was favorable.

the iPad confirmed after the start of the smaller model in the fall of its role as the engine of growth. Here, sales surged by 65 percent to 19.5 million units high. However, the cheaper iPad mini also less profitable than the larger version, the company that is flushed less profit in the checkout. Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer said that more clearly than the smaller units were sold in the Christmas quarter, when Apple was struggling with teething problems. The sales of Mac computers fell by almost four million units by two percent.

From euphoria

no trace

The former Apple euphoria has now subsided noticeably. The stock fell sharply from their record high at $ 700 in September. The performance was extremely frustrating, Cook admitted. Observers and investors are waiting anxiously for the Group with a new product again umkrempelt the industry. Finally, the iPad was introduced three years ago, the revived the presumed dead market of tablet computers. Since then, Apple brings advancements of iPhone, iPad and Mac computers on the market – and experts see a growing competition

.

Cook admitted it was a mistake to introduce the new iMac desktop computer in the past year in a quarter with the iPhone fifth Better would have been to push the product to start this year.

Let

dollars to shareholders rain

Cook had one consolation for shareholders, because they can look forward to a higher dividend. Because given the gigantic cash reserves of $ 145 billion Apple recently increased the dividend to its shareholders. You should get to the end of 2015, some $ 100 billion. That’s $ 55 billion more than previously announced. The recent sharp fall in stock placed after trading hours initially by five percent to about $ 423 to – but then turned back slightly into negative

.

With years of receivables Apple expanded distribution of shareholders will still receive more who want abhaben of the ever-growing mountain of money more. Apple plans large-scale share buybacks. Cook appeared at the same time worries contrary, Apple pour out too much: “We will not invest,” he promised

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