We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Factors to Consider Ahead of Apple's (AAPL) Q2 Earnings
Read MoreHide Full Article
Apple (AAPL - Free Report) is set to report second-quarter fiscal 2019 earnings on Apr 30.
Notably, the company beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, the average positive surprise being 3.5%.
Apple’s fortunes are tied to iPhone, which is by far its biggest revenue contributor. The device accounted for 61.7% of net sales in the last reported quarter, wherein sales declined 15% from the year-ago quarter to $51.98 billion.
For second-quarter fiscal 2019, revenues are projected between $55 billion and $59 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $57.54 billion, indicating almost 6% decline from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
Moreover, the consensus mark for earnings is currently pegged at $2.37 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days. The figure indicates a 13.2% decline .
Apple’s iPhone sales are expected to remain subdued owing to lower demand in Greater China. Notably, a slowing economy and excessive inventory with retailers hurt smartphone sales in February 2019, according to data provided by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), quoted by CNBC.
Smartphone shipments fell 20% year over year to 14.51 million in China. According to CAICT, this marked the steepest decline in the month of February since 2013.
Notably, in January, smartphone shipment in China declined 11.4% year over year to 32.15 million. The consecutive quarterly decline doesn’t bode well for Apple.
Although Apple and its retailers have lowered iPhone prices in China, we don’t expect the move to positively impact sales due to stiff competition from the likes of Vivo, OPPO and Huawei.
These companies are offering top-quality hardware and innovative features in their devices in the premium smartphone market ($500-$800 price range). The significant price-gap between these devices and iPhone has negatively impacted Apple’s market share.
Per TheStreet, to drive sales in China, Apple entered partnerships with local banks as well as Alibaba’s (BABA - Free Report) division, Ant Financial, to offer interest-free financing for iPhone. This along with several discount offerings might have a positive impact on Apple’s iPhone user base in the to-be-reported quarter.
Moreover, Apple is suffering from its failure to penetrate the rapidly growing but price sensitive markets of Asia, particularly India. The steep pricing of new iPhones made it difficult for Apple to gain market share in India, where Chinese smartphone makers like Xiaomi dominate.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for iPhone sales stands at $31.22 billion, indicating almost 18% decline from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
Services Segment a Key Catalyst
The Services segment has become the new cash cow for Apple. The company is expected to grow on increasing popularity of App-Store, Apple Music and Apple Pay.
App Store’s growth can be attributed to a strong developer base and the richness of apps. Apple is encouraging developers to use AI and machine learning in their apps. We believe that growing numbers of AI-infused apps will attract more subscribers on App Store.
Moreover, Apple’s endeavor to open up its ecosystem through partnerships with the likes of Samsung (for iTunes) and Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) is a positive for the Services segment.
Further, higher consumer spending on streamed music, evident from an increasing number of paid subscribers, bodes well for Apple.
Apple Music’s availability on Amazon Echo devices and Fire TV is helping it expand footprint and compete better with Spotify (SPOT - Free Report) . The partnership with Verizon (VZ - Free Report) is also noteworthy in this regard.
Further, Apple Pay’s expanding international footprint is significant
The consensus mark for Services revenues stands at $11.16 billion, indicating more than 21% growth from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
Zacks Rank
Currently, Apple has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Radical New Technology Creates $12.3 Trillion Opportunity
Imagine buying Microsoft stock in the early days of personal computers… or Motorola after it released the world’s first cell phone. These technologies changed our lives and created massive profits for investors.
Today, we’re on the brink of the next quantum leap in technology. 7 innovative companies are leading this “4th Industrial Revolution” - and early investors stand to earn the biggest profits.
Image: Bigstock
Factors to Consider Ahead of Apple's (AAPL) Q2 Earnings
Apple (AAPL - Free Report) is set to report second-quarter fiscal 2019 earnings on Apr 30.
Notably, the company beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, the average positive surprise being 3.5%.
Apple’s fortunes are tied to iPhone, which is by far its biggest revenue contributor. The device accounted for 61.7% of net sales in the last reported quarter, wherein sales declined 15% from the year-ago quarter to $51.98 billion.
For second-quarter fiscal 2019, revenues are projected between $55 billion and $59 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $57.54 billion, indicating almost 6% decline from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
Moreover, the consensus mark for earnings is currently pegged at $2.37 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days. The figure indicates a 13.2% decline .
Apple Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Apple Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Apple Inc. Quote
iPhone Sales Estimated to Decline in Q2
Apple’s iPhone sales are expected to remain subdued owing to lower demand in Greater China. Notably, a slowing economy and excessive inventory with retailers hurt smartphone sales in February 2019, according to data provided by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), quoted by CNBC.
Smartphone shipments fell 20% year over year to 14.51 million in China. According to CAICT, this marked the steepest decline in the month of February since 2013.
Notably, in January, smartphone shipment in China declined 11.4% year over year to 32.15 million. The consecutive quarterly decline doesn’t bode well for Apple.
Although Apple and its retailers have lowered iPhone prices in China, we don’t expect the move to positively impact sales due to stiff competition from the likes of Vivo, OPPO and Huawei.
These companies are offering top-quality hardware and innovative features in their devices in the premium smartphone market ($500-$800 price range). The significant price-gap between these devices and iPhone has negatively impacted Apple’s market share.
Per TheStreet, to drive sales in China, Apple entered partnerships with local banks as well as Alibaba’s (BABA - Free Report) division, Ant Financial, to offer interest-free financing for iPhone. This along with several discount offerings might have a positive impact on Apple’s iPhone user base in the to-be-reported quarter.
Moreover, Apple is suffering from its failure to penetrate the rapidly growing but price sensitive markets of Asia, particularly India. The steep pricing of new iPhones made it difficult for Apple to gain market share in India, where Chinese smartphone makers like Xiaomi dominate.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for iPhone sales stands at $31.22 billion, indicating almost 18% decline from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
Services Segment a Key Catalyst
The Services segment has become the new cash cow for Apple. The company is expected to grow on increasing popularity of App-Store, Apple Music and Apple Pay.
App Store’s growth can be attributed to a strong developer base and the richness of apps. Apple is encouraging developers to use AI and machine learning in their apps. We believe that growing numbers of AI-infused apps will attract more subscribers on App Store.
Moreover, Apple’s endeavor to open up its ecosystem through partnerships with the likes of Samsung (for iTunes) and Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) is a positive for the Services segment.
Further, higher consumer spending on streamed music, evident from an increasing number of paid subscribers, bodes well for Apple.
Apple Music’s availability on Amazon Echo devices and Fire TV is helping it expand footprint and compete better with Spotify (SPOT - Free Report) . The partnership with Verizon (VZ - Free Report) is also noteworthy in this regard.
Further, Apple Pay’s expanding international footprint is significant
The consensus mark for Services revenues stands at $11.16 billion, indicating more than 21% growth from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
Zacks Rank
Currently, Apple has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Radical New Technology Creates $12.3 Trillion Opportunity
Imagine buying Microsoft stock in the early days of personal computers… or Motorola after it released the world’s first cell phone. These technologies changed our lives and created massive profits for investors.
Today, we’re on the brink of the next quantum leap in technology. 7 innovative companies are leading this “4th Industrial Revolution” - and early investors stand to earn the biggest profits.
See the 7 breakthrough stocks now>>