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Apple’s third-quarter monetary outcomes had been a big enchancment for 2024. Here is how the figures visually break down in 1 / 4 the place Apple soundly beat Wall Road’s forecasts.
Forward of the quarterly outcomes for the third quarter of 2024, Wall Road had predictions that Apple would do higher than final 12 months. Nevertheless, the truth was that Apple soundly beat the forecasts in lots of areas.
That is the breakdown of Apple’s figures for the interval in comparison with earlier quarters, offering a fuller image of Apple’s monetary journey.
Apple’s important monetary figures for Q3 2024
The headline quantity for Apple is its income, which hit $85.78 billion for the quarter. That is up from the $81.8 billion reported one 12 months prior, representing an increase of 4.9%.
The online revenue can also be as much as $21.4 billion, which is an increase of seven.9% over Q3 2023’s numbers.
The gross margin of $39.7 billion is a sound 9% greater than the determine from Q3 2023.
At 46.26, the gross margin is the next proportion of income than the 44.52% seen one 12 months prior. It has been above 40% since Q2 2021.
Apple’s analysis and improvement spending is a phenomenally excessive worth for any firm, and it would not appear that Apple can be altering its habits anytime quickly.
For Q3 2024, Apple spent over $8 billion on R&D. This worth has gone up 7.6% for the reason that identical quarter in 2023, indicating a rise in spending for the interval.
Apple’s per-unit income and earnings
These first two graphs present Apple’s particular person unit income, to extra straight examine them towards one another.
This primary one exhibiting the income straight additionally reveals that iPhone has been the primary income generator for Apple over a few years. Nevertheless, that dominance is slowly beginning to dissipate.
When checked out by how a lot income every unit brings in, we will see that the blue iPhone part continues to be main. Additionally, that orange Companies component is steadily turning into a juggernaut in its personal proper.
Income from iPhone was marginally down from Q3 2023, going from $39.67 then to $39.3 billion now. Even so, that is nonetheless higher than the $38.81 Wall Road forecasted.
On a proportion foundation, that is a negligible 0.9% year-on-year shrink in iPhone income. Given Q3 is the seasonally quietest quarter, it is not one thing Apple will actually fear about an excessive amount of.
iPad income has loved a rebound, going from $5.79 billion in Q3 2023 to $7.16 billion. That 23.7% year-on-year improve soundly beat Wall Road’s forecast of $6.61 billion.
Mac additionally noticed an enchancment from $6.84 billion within the year-ago quarter to $7.01 billion now. That is a 2.5% improve, which is not a lot, however nonetheless marginally below Wall Road’s prediction of $7.02 billion.
The ever-reliable Companies enterprise continued to show its flywheel, rising from $21.21 billion in Q3 2023 to $24.2 billion. That represents a 14.1% year-on-year improve, and in addition one other beat of Wall Road’s $24.01 billion guess.
Wearables, Dwelling, and Equipment, masking a number of product classes, noticed a small dip from $8.28 billion final 12 months to $8.09 billion this quarter. That works out to be a 2.3% drop.
Apple’s working section income
On a regional foundation, The Americas brings in probably the most income at $37.6 billion, a 6.5% year-on-year rise. Europe’s $21.9 billion is an 8.3% achieve.
Japan managed $5.09 billion, a 5.7% year-on-year improve, whereas Remainder of Asia Pacific hauled in $6.4 billion, up 13.5%.
China is the outlier of the group, being the one one to see a year-on-year shrink in income. Whereas Apple managed $15.75 billion within the year-ago quarter, China’s income has dipped right down to $14.7 billion, down 6.5%.
What the analysts say
As you’d anticipate, the opinions on the earnings are in all places. Most are bullish, with nonetheless some concern about iPhone gross sales.
The outcomes had been “broadly in line” for TD Cowen, however the December quarter “could be the early read on AI-driven upgrades leading to a strong iPhone cycle in CY25.” It views “broadly stable iPhone and wearables trends coupled with iPad and Mac growth as encouraging”
“Despite the macro and China weakness, demand for iPhone and other hardware products remains stable,” the notice concludes. “Services momentum is a positive and underpins FCF growth. Next iPhone launch event in Sep could be a catalyst.”
TD Cowen’s worth goal for Apple is $250.
Piper Sandler says Apple’s outcomes had been forward of expectations “largely on the back of strong growth in iPad and services.” China’s income “showed further signs of improvement” for the iPhone maker.
Whereas noting administration as being “very excited” about Apple Intelligence, the analysts are involved about it rolling out in phases globally, and additionally it is “cautious about the consumer entering the second half.”
It reiterates a Impartial score and a $225 worth goal.
Gene Munster of Deepwater calls it a “solid quarter” for Apple in a YouTube video, one which insists traders are eager to know the way AI will impression the subsequent quarter. To Munster, iPhone, iPad, and Mac can be “accelerating revenue growth.”
In principle, Munster believes this can be round 5% development for the items in This fall, rising to six% and seven% over time, and presumably to eight% in the course of the 2025 fiscal 12 months. Apple’s steerage for the subsequent quarter was “effectively in line” with Wall Road expectations, however Munster cautions it is within the face of a “stronger than typical Osborne effect.”
Whereas Munster muses that Apple’s steerage normally softens earlier than a significant launch, Apple did not try this this time round. The analyst believes this speaks to Apple considering the iPhone is a necessity and an indication of the power of the product line.
In J.P.Morgan’s overview of the outcomes, it discusses how Apple’s outcomes and execution “stood out in its non-eventful nature” with most product classes beating consensus expectations. This “is exactly what is desired as we look forward to the AI upgrade cycle.”
With Apple planning a roll-out of Apple Intelligence to English-speaking areas first then a wider launch, J.P.Morgan warns it “would continue to monitor for timing of the releases, which has the potential of shifting the timing of the volume upgrade.” Particularly, it thinks the upper ranges of improve will happen when Apple Intelligence is out there in additional areas.
“In some sense, the magnitude of AI-led opportunity will likely be broader for Apple even relative to the 5G cycle given that the upgrade cycle opportunity extends across all devices.”
J.P.Morgan has a worth goal of $265.
Morgan Stanley’s view is that the outcomes will “do little to shift the investor narrative” of an “Apple Intelligence-driven, multi-year product refresh cycle thesis.” The outcomes “largely played out as expected.”
There aren’t many catalysts on the horizon till the iPhone 16 launch and the rollout of iOS 18 with Apple Intelligence, adopted by pre-order and sell-through knowledge in early October. Besides, Morgan Stanley feels institutional managers nonetheless view Apple as “underweight” resulting in a perception Apple will “continue to outperform.”
Morgan Stanley has a worth goal for Apple of $273.