Measuring earnings growth YOY by quarter is a ridiculous way to look at growth. Quarters are artificial points in time that do 't accurately reflect what's happening. If anyone thinks earnings YOY are dropping, I have a bridge to sell you. Looking at annual growth, aapl is a screaming buy. However, I would encourage all naysayers to short it right here: that much more accelerant when they have to cover. And as far as pundits moving the stock, you're right. However, they are an integral part of orchestrated attacks by hedge funds and the HFTs that are involved in upwards of 70% of the ADV. The pundits, bloggers, and "analysts" are the town criers and Chicken Littles of today's financial world.
Heh heh, management told us about it.. You can sell your bridge to Tim Cook. The annual growth you are citing is before 4Q12. In 4Q12, Apple management tell us otherwise. What is your take on future earning?
I think you forget that Apple is a mega cap stock that daily trading is in the 10B range. Pundit, individual investors, blogger, analysts don't have enough weight to move the stock price one way or the other. Only fund managers that has billions dollars of chip to play that can move the stock. It is down about 20% form the high because the future is uncertain. And Apple management is throwing some real data into the fire (e.g. Ipad mini has significantly low gross margin compare to average Apple product. New products has lower margin as compare to the product they replace. The rollout quarter incurred a lot of expense that drive the gross margin down. And there is no hint of what will happen to Iphone 5 volume this Q or next Q). Why shouldn't one be worry if they own the stock now???? Is it that hard to understand or accept that company business position change everyday because consumer taste change and competition change? Faith base investment don't work very well or very long...)