Roundup of Analyst Expectations Ahead of Q2 2012 Earnings Call

[MacRumors]

Philip Elmer-Dewitt has put together his list of analyst expectations ahead of Apple's quarterly earnings report this afternoon. The list includes estimates from 23 "independent" analysts and 34 "affiliated" analysts who work for large investment houses or research organizations.

As usual, the independent analysts are much more bullish than the affiliated analysts. The independent consensus expects earnings per share (EPS) of $12.74 on revenue of $42.73 billion. The institutional consensus is EPS of $10.18 on $37.06 billion in revenue. The six analysts with the best track record expect $12.49 EPS on $41.47 billion in sales.




Click through to Elmer-DeWitt's post at Fortune to see the full-size chart.

Apple will announce its earnings for the second fiscal quarter of 2012 (first calendar quarter) and host a conference call regarding the release this afternoon at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific. The earnings release itself typically comes in around 4:30 PM Eastern.

Last quarter the company announced record-shattering results in a number of areas, including $13.06 billion in profit on revenue of $46.33 billion. For the second fiscal quarter, Apple has issued guidance of $32.5 billion in revenue with profits of $8.50 per share. The company typically exceeds its guidance by a significant margin.

Article Link: Roundup of Analyst Expectations Ahead of Q2 2012 Earnings Call

[ECUpirate44]

Hope they talk about the stock dropping off recently. Crossing fingers for MBP update, but highly doubt it.

[needfx]

the best thing would be to have bought a few shares back in the 70s and sell them now.

[aprofetto8]

Analysts... please, they're all idiots.

[prowlmedia]

Ok I guess 41.59 - What do I win? One of these Pointless Suit's jobs and fat salary?

[thejadedmonkey]

CNBC is absolutely skewering Apple right now, mostly due to their lack of AT&T/Verizon activations this past quarter.

[prowlmedia]

Originally Posted by needfx

the best thing would be to have bought a few shares back in the 70s and sell them now.

'97 would have done me!

[basesloaded190]

Originally Posted by needfx

the best thing would be to have bought a few shares back in the 70s and sell them now.

Is that so?

Hopefully Apple can share some big numbers for the quarter and help the stock rally after hours today and into tomorrow.

[PracticalMac]

Place y'r bets!

[rdowns]

Originally Posted by ECUpirate44

Hope they talk about the stock dropping off recently. Crossing fingers for MBP update, but highly doubt it.

Not what this is for. THey will do what they always do, give you the state of Apple according to Cook and answer analyst questions. They won't announce any products.

Originally Posted by thejadedmonkey

CNBC is absolutely skewering Apple right now, mostly due to their lack of AT&T/Verizon activations this past quarter.

Real smart to compare this quarter to a xmas quarter.

Both ATT and Verizon numbers are up compared to last years quarter.

[Consultant]

let's see, analyst expectation from me:
- down from holiday quarter
- up year over year

[Small White Car]

Originally Posted by thejadedmonkey

CNBC is absolutely skewering Apple right now, mostly due to their lack of AT&T/Verizon activations this past quarter.

Ah, TV news.

I'm betting on China making up for softer domestic sales.* Seems very few are talking about that. Apple picked up a new carrier in China and launched the 4S there very near the end of the last quarter.

We'll find out soon.




* (Which, as others have said, are actually stronger domestic sales when looked at properly. But nevermind that.)

[*LTD*]

There is simply no way Apple can match, in the quarter immediately following the Christmas quarter, the MONSTER holiday quarter they had.

Apple is great at pulling off miracle quarters that just leave everyone in absolute awe, but to expect them to do it *every* time is rather unrealistic, and to expect them to equal and even *surpass* last quarter is just plain silly. But that's apparently what everyone expects.

All anyone can be really expected to do is beat their own guidance, but Apple has not only set a massive standard for themselves, but they've raised the price of poker for everyone else. There's also the perennial expectation that Apple will lift everyone's boat.

They'll do it and keep doing it for the foreseeable future, but let's keep post-Christmas quarter expectations (this time around) within the realm of sanity. They'll easily be up YoY, though. But it's likely that will no longer be good enough for anyone. We've all been spoiled.

[S.Jobs]

Hopefully they get huge numbers since the last quarter, Apple released the 4s in China

[147]

"The independent consensus expects earnings per share (EPS) of $12.74 on revenue of $37.06 billion. The institutional consensus is EPS of $10.18 on $37.06 billion in revenue."

Small typo here: I guess the independant consensus must be much closer to 41 to 42 billion in revenue (EPS is much higher than institutional).

I already know that several questions will be asked concerning the "new products or updated products", and Apple will probably answer with their "No comment ™" .... yet that is the only thing interesting me right now - what & when for the new MBA, MBP & MacPro.

[carmenodie]

As longs as Apple makes money and saves its money earning calls should be scraped.

[AppleFan1984]

Originally Posted by prowlmedia

'97 would have done me!

That's when I bought. Everyone at the time said I was an idiot.

A very real question is, "How high can it go?"

I'm not selling anytime soon, but I have doubts about the $1000 projection.

[ECUpirate44]

Originally Posted by rdowns

Not what this is for. THey will do what they always do, give you the state of Apple according to Cook and answer analyst questions. They won't announce any products.

Right, the only thing they announced even close to that is the release of Lion. Still crossing my fingers lol.

[darkslide29]

Am I reading the chart right? There are "analysts" out there expecting 40+ million iPhones to be sold? When the last quarter, a launch+holiday quarter, didn't even get to 40 mil??
No wonder the stock has been going down the last 1-2 weeks.

[foodog]

Originally Posted by rdowns

Not what this is for. THey will do what they always do, give you the state of Apple according to Cook and answer analyst questions. They won't announce any products.



Real smart to compare this quarter to a xmas quarter.

Both ATT and Verizon numbers are up compared to last years quarter.

Don't let facts get in the way of a good story

[jlgolson]

Originally Posted by 147

Small typo here: I guess the independant consensus must be much closer to 41 to 42 billion in revenue (EPS is much higher than institutional).

You're right, the independent consensus is $42.73 billion in revenue.

Good catch, fixed.

[keysofanxiety]

I know people are saying: "there'll be no new Macs announced", but didn't Apple announce new MacBook Airs during last year's earnings call in July? Unless I've got that confused with a different event.

Of course, deep down, I know they won't be announcing any new products. A man can still dream, though! You think the Mac Pro's been neglected; any idea how long I've been waiting for my PowerBook G5?!

[paul4339]

Originally Posted by thejadedmonkey

CNBC is absolutely skewering Apple right now, mostly due to their lack of AT&T/Verizon activations this past quarter.

Originally Posted by rdowns

....

Real smart to compare this quarter to a xmas quarter.

Both ATT and Verizon numbers are up compared to last years quarter.

Yep... and what's worst is when 'analyzing' Nokia results CNBC calls it

Is There Treasure Hidden in Nokia’s Pile of ‘Junk’?
....
The company sold 12 million smartphones, or 50 percent less than what it sold in the first quarter of 2011. As bad as these numbers were, however, the company warned that numbers for the coming quarter will be much worse than expected....

In otherwords, they use Apple's Q/Q results to claim something insightful, but they use Nokia's Y/Y results to claim something insightful. just goes to show that you can prove anything you want if you select the right data.

.

[cvaldes]

Originally Posted by keysofanxiety

I know people are saying: "there'll be no new Macs announced", but didn't Apple announce new MacBook Airs during last year's earnings call in July? Unless I've got that confused with a different event.

Your memory fails you. They have never announced new product during a financial conference call.

They have once or twice announced new product the day after.

[keysofanxiety]

Originally Posted by cvaldes

Your memory fails you. They have never announced new product during a financial conference call.

They have once or twice announced new product the day after.

Awwh, I knew I went wrong somewhere -- 'somewhere' being 'in my entire memory'.

Never mind. That still means they might announce new products tomorrow, right? /patheticallyhopeful