The Leap Week: Did Apple Really Have a Record Quarter? (lapcatsoftware.com)
An anonymous reader shares a blog post: Apple stated that Q1 FY2017 was an all-time record for quarterly revenue. The media dutifully and mostly uncritically spread this "great" news for Apple. Technically the claim is true, the revenue was an all-time record. True but misleading. Although Apple didn't lie as such, you might say there was a sin of omission, and a definite spin of the facts. Most Apple fiscal quarters are 13 weeks long. Once in a while, however, they need a 14 week quarter. You might call it a "leap quarter". There was a good explanation of this financial practice a few years ago in Slate. Apple's Q1 2017 was a 14 week quarter, for the first time since Q1 2013. John Gruber writes at DaringFireball, "Adjusted for the extra week, Apple actually had another down quarter."
But liars ...you know the rest.
Anyone that watches Apple knows this, and it isn't that big of a deal. Next year they will be penalized by IT in the same vein.
It really doesn't say much though, unless you assume revenue was flat for the quarter. Christmas being on (iirc) a Thursday actually has a bigger impact as the "holiday season" is longer. Considering the discount Apple is at in the market compared to MS, GOOG, FB, CRM, it was a "record" quarter. Most of those companies also end their fiscal year on the last Saturday of the year.
Already been discussed on Slashdot day of earnings release Fudging the Math
**Life is too short to be serious**
>> Did Apple Really Have a Record Quarter?
Slow news day? How about something that nerds might care about. We all know Apple is coasting (and the stock price will gradually decline), but unless someone's started a Kickstarter to acquire Macbook from Apple's disinterested management team, then how 'bout saving the front page space for something that...er...matters?
So the quarter before the last quarter was shorter than average but I didn't see any articles saying that was misleading because it was a short quarter. No this is only brought up when the newas sounds good.
In reality what's being argues about here is the rate of growth of the rate of income. a second derivative. Apple's trend is actually growing in revenue steadily steadily.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Next week, the daily rations of chocolate will be increased to 20g per day.
Apple addressed the 13 week vs 14 week difference head-on in the conference call:
We had the benefit of a 14th week during the quarter this year, but this was offset by four factors. First, this year we grew China inventory significantly less than a year ago. Second, iPhone 7 launched earlier in the September quarter compared to the iPhone 6s launch the previous year, creating a more difficult comparison for the December quarter this year. Third, the stronger U.S. dollar affected total revenue growth this year by 100 basis points. And fourth, our year-ago revenue included the benefit of a one-off $548 million patent infringement payment. Also, strong customer interest left us in supply/demand imbalance for several of our products throughout the quarter this year.
Also:
The App Store is the one that is driving significant growth right now. I said in my opening comments that we grew 43% 13 weeks over 13 weeks, a little even more for the quarter, right.
So when you combine an extra week, in combination with a quarter in which your #1 rival fails to deliver their competing phone leaving a gap in the 2.5 year upgrade pattern. Yup...
The quarter that the Samsung S8/Note 8 arrive will be much different and more realistic.
Absolutely a lie if the statement was "an all-time record" comparing different quarters.
How goes it with those unicorns?
Need to get Timmy in a pay-4-sex-with-a-minor on fb-chat trap to really get rid of him.
But the IRS got Capone on tax evasion so maybe there is hope to get Timmy (all those luxury homes and prostitutes in Ireland, Netherlands, Italy and China).
Ha ha
According to Slashdot's own news stories, Apple cut iPhone production by 10%:
https://apple.slashdot.org/story/16/12/30/1950229/apple-to-cut-iphone-production-by-10-nikkei#comments
Apple had also increased production early in response to the Note 7 disaster, which apparently didn't net them any more sales.
Tablet sales are flat, as are smartwatches. Their recent desktop and laptop models have been underwhelming. Final Cut Pro isn't the number one video editor for professionals, it may not even be number two or three.
Their now discontinued routers were more expensive and less capable than the competition.
There's simply no reason to buy an Apple product.
Well at least makes comparisons to
prior years same quarter suspect.
So, why is Apple being singled out
here why many other businesses are
actually in the same situation?
... anything from this, while Apple keeps stockpiling money in remote tax evasion havens.
Its not a down quarter... Just alternative facts