Financial

Apple’s Preliminary Proxy Statement

Apple this week released a preliminary proxy statement in a filing to the SEC. The filing is an announcement of the 2013 annual stockholders meeting, as well as questions that will be voted on at the meeting and details of executive compensation arrangements.

Apple’s astonishing profits

  • From October 2011 through September 2012, the combined net profit of Microsoft, Google, eBay, Yahoo, Facebook and Amazon was $34.4 billion. Apple alone made $7 billion more.

  • In the same period, Dell, Asus, Intel, Acer, IBM, Lenovo and HP, i.e. virtually the entire PC industry, made $19.3 billion or less than half of Apple’s profit.

How’s that for some context.

Apple posts $8.2 billion fourth quarter profit

Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2012 fourth quarter ended September 29, 2012. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $36.0 billion and quarterly net profit of $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $28.3 billion and net profit of $6.6 billion, or $7.05 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 40.0 percent compared to 40.3 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 60 percent of the quarter’s revenue.The Company sold 26.9 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 58 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 14.0 million iPads during the quarter, a 26 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 4.9 million Macs during the quarter, a 1 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 5.3 million iPods, a 19 percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter.

Apple announces dividend, share repurchase

Subject to declaration by the Board of Directors, the Company plans to initiate a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share sometime in the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2012, which begins on July 1, 2012.Additionally, the Company’s Board of Directors has authorized a $10 billion share repurchase program commencing in the Company’s fiscal 2013, which begins on September 30, 2012. The repurchase program is expected to be executed over three years, with the primary objective of neutralizing the impact of dilution from future employee equity grants and employee stock purchase programs.

∞ Apple stock closes at all-time high

New York Times: At the end of regular trading Monday, Apple shares closed at $411.63, up 2.78 percent, with a new record-high market valuation of $381.62 billion. It is now clearly the most valuable company on the stock market, displacing … Continued

∞ Apple stock closes at all time high

Stock prices go up and down constantly, but Apple hit a milestone today closing at an all time high. The stock shot up $7.15 or 2 percent to close at $364.92. The stock is continuing its climb in after-hours trading … Continued

∞ RIM cuts profit outlook, stock price plummets

RIM on Thursday issued a warning to Wall Street that the company would not meet guidance for the first fiscal quarter of 2012.

RIM said the cause for the projected shortfall in Q1 is because of lower shipments of BlackBerrys. The company said shipments are now expected in the lower end of the 13.5 million to 14.5 million forecasted in March.

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∞ Apple reports $5.99 billion second quarter profit

Apple on Wednesday reported a fiscal second quarter profit of $5.99 billion. Apple said it did $24.67 billion in revenue for the quarter.

In the same quarter last year Apple post revenue of $13.5 billion and a quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, the company said in releasing the fiscal results. International sales accounted for 59 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

“With quarterly revenue growth of 83 percent and profit growth of 95 percent, we’re firing on all cylinders,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year.”

Read the rest of this story on The Loop