Apple Quarter 4 2003 Financial Results - Oct 15, 2003

[MacRumors]

Apple will be broadcasting (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/earningsq403/) their 4th Quarter 2003 Financial results over Quicktime at 2:30pm PT/5:30pm ET on Wednesday, October 15th, 2003.

[Makosuke]

Well, guess we get to find out how much of a financial success the G5s have been so far...

They'll rpobably release some new iTMS figures while they're at it. too.

[whfsdude]

Looks like I am going to miss it :-(

[mms]

So sales from Panther wouldn't be included... wonder how much of a difference that would have made.

[animefan_1]

Originally posted by whfsdude
Looks like I am going to miss it :-(

Don't worry, they rebroadcast the stream for up to a week after the original broadcast.

[Macmaniac]

Pay no attention to those iTunes for Windows rumors behind the curtain;)
I'm sure they will get alot of questions about ITMS at the meeting so listen to each word carefully!

[neonart]

Have they done this before? Or are they doing a broadcast because these figures are so hot?

[gwangung]

Originally posted by neonart
Have they done this before? Or are they doing a broadcast because these figures are so hot?

I doubt that they'll be that much above expectation; they did not issue a guidance that expectations needed to be raised. But they're not below expectations either. I expect something at the upper end, which would still be a Good Thing.

[Bear]

Originally posted by neonart
Have they done this before? Or are they doing a broadcast because these figures are so hot? Lots of companies do this. And yes, Apple has done so before.

[arn]

Originally posted by neonart
Have they done this before? Or are they doing a broadcast because these figures are so hot?

they do it every time.

arn

[dongmin]

Please note that comments made during this call may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties... meaning new iPod, new iTunes, iTMS for PC, and new ad campaign.
...and that actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. meaning they didn't ship as many powermacs as they hoped (due to delays) and the PowerBook update came too late to help them with the bottom line.

[bluefido]

"Forward looking statements" is derived from securities law terminology. Basically, they are trying to cover their behind, in case someone wants to invest money in Apple off this rumor. Nothing more...

Originally posted by dongmin
meaning new iPod, new iTunes, iTMS for PC, and new ad campaign.
meaning they didn't ship as many powermacs as they hoped (due to delays) and the PowerBook update came too late to help them with the bottom line.

[Jerry Spoon]

Hoping the delayed G5's don't end up giving the message a total negative bottom line. Just bought some apple stock today. Putting my money where my mouth is.

[Manimac]

Keep in mind that this will cover the period through near the end of September, so I don't think we'll see a lot of impact yet from all the recent announcements. The PB and iMac annoucements are very recent and the G5's haven't had much time of actual shipping yet.

While the forward-looking statement language is very standard, I think it will be interesting to see what they choose to discuss or not discuss about events after quarter end. They have an opportunity to discuss demand related to recent announcements although I suspect they will be a bit vague and use language like "strong demand" or "exceeding expectations" if things have been going well. Should be interesting.

[mislabeledstar]

does steve handle these annoucements or do they have someone else in the company take care of the financial annoucements?

[greenstork]

Originally posted by neonart
Have they done this before? Or are they doing a broadcast because these figures are so hot?

Almost every publically traded company does this every quarter of every year.

Although listening to folks on this thread, I think the reaction is a riot. Only could the MacRumors crew get excited about quarterly financials. You've gotta love a company that has fans!

[greenstork]

Originally posted by mislabeledstar
does steve handle these annoucements or do they have someone else in the company take care of the financial annoucements?

Steve rarely ever handles this report, it is handled typically by the CFO or other financial officers. Although Steve is known to make all sorts of appearances on finance shows like CNNFI and CNBC immediately following the annoucement to talk about the numbers, e.g. 5 minute Stevenote for investors.

[alset]

I'm anxious. I think I need to take a bunch of sedatives and wait for this week to resolve itself.

Dan

[dho]

SOO much interesting stuff is happening right now

2 out of 3 items are like to contain big surprises ahhhhhhhh

sooo close

[Analog Kid]

Interesting that they've chosen to hold the big Music day after the financial announcement... Wonder why...

You'd think that holding it before would let them talk up the future, but holding it after means they've got to remain pretty mum about what's happening the very next day!

It'll be interesting to hear the answers to questions about iTunes for Windows...

[Analog Kid]

Nevermind... Just read the USA Today article... If USA Today knows, there's little reason to not talk about it...

[yamabushi]

Originally posted by bluefido
"Forward looking statements" is derived from securities law terminology. Basically, they are trying to cover their behind, in case someone wants to invest money in Apple off this rumor. Nothing more...

Actually this is standard legal boilerplate for financial statements. It really has nothing to do with Apple at all.

[bluefido]

It is standard legal boilerplate derived from securities laws....MacRumors is trying to protect themselves from wackos who actually think the announcement of 4th quarter results means anything other than giving financial results.

[bluefido]

Originally posted by yamabushi
Actually this is standard legal boilerplate for financial statements. It really has nothing to do with Apple at all.

It doesn't just cover financial statments. It also covers prospectuses, advertisements, and a varierty other statements.

[Bear]

Originally posted by bluefido
"Forward looking statements" is derived from securities law terminology. Basically, they are trying to cover their behind, in case someone wants to invest money in Apple off this rumor. Nothing more... This actually means anything said about the future. "Forward looking as in looking forward into the future.

That statmenet has nothing to do with actual results. However if Apple says the think they're going to sell x Units of something this current quarter, that is a forward looking statement.

So Apples forecasts for the quarter that just ended are not affected by that statement.

[SiliconAddict]

Originally posted by Makosuke
Well, guess we get to find out how much of a financial success the G5s have been so far...

They'll rpobably release some new iTMS figures while they're at it. too.


I'm guessing we'll also find out if the delays with the PowerBooks hurt sales. I'm willing to bet the G5 sales will offset any losses from the PowerBooks but if they had been released earlier its a pretty good bet sales would have been better. We'll see.

[dongmin]

ok so I'm probably wrong about the music announcements. If the special event is on the 16th, then probably they won't say anything other than recapping iPod and iTMS sales figures.

but if this is a conf call, I suspect that Fred Anderson will get a plenty of questions about the pending iTMS for Windows.

[BOOMBA]

Originally posted by dongmin
meaning new iPod, new iTunes, iTMS for PC, and new ad campaign.
meaning they didn't ship as many powermacs as they hoped (due to delays) and the PowerBook update came too late to help them with the bottom line.
Here's a stupid question:

Why does Apple seem to only update computers at big events?

These delays seem to be because Apple announes these things at big events, months before they can ship. The aren;t even delays, so much as pre-mature announcements.

If a new Pentium comes out, and it is 200Mhz faster than the last one, all the PC makers just add it to the top end system, and there is now earth shattering announcement.

It seems like these minor updates should come quicker, on the day they are ready, and not be announced at a major event and then shipped a month later.

Let's hope the G5 means we can now just get a constant stream of smaller updates, so we don't all feel like we are waiting a year for anything to happen.

I'm all for a 3Ghz G5, but if it means waiting a year, then I'd rather see a 2.4 GHz machine between now and then.

I hope this is the plan.

[512ke]

The updates that need to happen to keep the company profitable are with the ipods. The ipod will be the #1 selling product for Apple within 6 months.

[BrianAllen]

CBS.MarketWatch.com reports the following:

Apple, which is expected to launch its I-Tunes music store for computers using Microsoft's Windows operating system, is set to post a profit of 7 cents, up from 2 cents last year. Quarterly sales are set to grow 15 percent to $1.665 billion from $1.44 billion last year.

http://custom.marketwatch.com/custom/excite-com/news-story.asp?guid=%7B4CA54586-6F8F-45C6-AA30-74EB5095876A%7D&alias=/ht/nw

[anaquin]

hello. i have never understand this. it says 4th quater results and we are in october just ending the anual 3rd quater. can someone explain it?

tnx.

[KCK]

Originally posted by anaquin
hello. i have never understand this. it says 4th quater results and we are in october just ending the anual 3rd quater. can someone explain it?

tnx.

The financial year for a company is based on when the company started business. Not all companies start business at the same time of the year so companies have a different financial year

[billyboy]

AAPL is on a roll these days, and is being helped along too by general optimism in the stock market, and so even if performance last quarter was down on projected figures, which doesnt sound like the case, then there would be a short term slap on AAPL wrists from the market and the share price would probably drop. But, seeing as the stock market is basically driven by what is going to happen in the future, in the very near future the market will remember, oh yeah, Xmas this quarter, G5 and Powerbooks in full swing, iTunes for Windows, who knows how many ipods, Panther, ads everywhere, blah blah blah, buy buy buy.

The US stock market is so crazy with so many speculators in the frame, which is a shame for Apple who are in for the long term and dont react to every shift in market conditions at the drop of a hat. That´s what makes them different - a level head in a crazy world.

[Chad4Mac]

Apples sales up to 1.72 billion, above WS consensus view of 1.67 billion.

Stock down to 23.68 in after hours

Edit: here's more info

UPDATE 1-Apple posts quarterly profit vs loss on charges --
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc.
<AAPL.O> on Wednesday swung to a quarterly profit as strong
back-to-school sales and brisk demand for its iPod digital
music players lifted revenues above analysts' expectations.
Apple said it shipped 787,000 Macintosh computers in the
fourth quarter, up 7 percent from the year-ago quarter, as well
as 336,000 of its iPod digital music players, up 140 percent
from the year-ago quarter.
Apple said it had net income of $44 million, or 12 cents a
share for its fourth quarter ended Sept. 27, compared with a
year-ago net loss of $45 million, or 13 cents a share, which
was largely due to charges from investment losses. Revenue rose
to $1.72 billion from $1.44 billion.
Shares of Apple edged up to $24.87 in trading after the
bell from a Nasdaq close of $24.82. In regular trade before the
earnings release, Apple stock rose 27 cents, or 1.1 percent.
Excluding gains and an accounting adjustment, Apple said it
had a quarterly profit of $29 million, or 8 cents a share.
On that basis, analysts had forecast Cupertino,
California-based Apple to post net income of 7 cents a share,
on average, within a range of 6 cents to 8 cents, on revenue of
$1.65 billion, according to Reuters Research.
Looking to the current, first quarter, Apple said it
expects a sequential increase in revenue to about $1.9 billion
and a "slight sequential increase" in net earnings per share
from the just-completed fourth quarter.
Analysts currently expect Apple to post a per-share profit
of 13 cents in its first quarter on revenue of $1.79
billion..


Chad4mac