Apple Q4 earnings call live blog

Mark Gurman | Oct 18 2011 - 1:08 pm PT

We’ll be following along with Apple’s earnings call in a few minutes here. Also expect some separate posts for the “Best Quarter Ever” Press Release and any other news that comes our way.

Apple’s summary of the earnings data:

Update: Apple announces Q4 earnings Live blog archived below:

-AAPL down to 397, it’s jumping around.

-Call has started.

-Opening remarks from Senior Director of Investor Relations.

-Tim Cook making introductory remarks: discussing Steve Jobs. “Steve’s spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.” Grateful for kind words about kind words over Steve Jobs’ passing.

-Oppenheimer proud of Apple’s momentum, business, and Q4 results. 39% year over year growth. Strong Mac, iPad, and iPhone sales.

– 4.89 million Macs – exceeding previous September quarter record. 6X IDC’s published forcast for the PC market overall. Mac sales increased strongly in all segments, biggest growth in Asian markets. Strong growth of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Record desktop sales thanks to the iMac. Customer response to OS X Lion has been great, 6 million downloads. 3-4 weeks of channel inventory.

-6.6 million iPod sales, compared to over 9 million in previous quarter. iPod touch accounts for 1/2 of all iPods sold. Over 70% of music player marketshare. Best selling music player in most countries that Apple tracks.

-Growing popularity of iBookstore – 180 million downloads.

-17.1 million iPhones, 21% YOY growth. Particularly high growth in Asia Pacific segment.

-Oppenheimer blames iPhone 5 rumors for iPhone sales slump.

-Very pleased to add Sprint and KDDS to carrier lineup. 105 iPhone countries.

-iPhone ranked highest in Consumer Reports – ease of operations, performance, and design.

-93% of Fortune 500 deploying or testing iPhones.

-Discussing high profile Fortune 500 counties that deploy the iPhones.

-Enthusiastic about Siri, iPhone 4S: A5, improved camera, 1080p recording.

-Looks forward to 22 new iPhone 4S countries later this month.

-166% growth, excited about incredible performance of iPad sales. 22 new iPad countries in September quarter. 2.5 million iPads in channel inventory.

– Unprecedented growth of the iPad in the enterprise. 52% of global 500 testing or deploying iPad.

-Airline industry is great example of iPad usage. iPads in every cockpit. Siemens Energy using iPads to help repairs.

-1/4 billion iOS device sales.

-Customers loving iOS 5, Apple is also very excited about iCloud launch.

-18 billion App Store downloads, 33 additional countries in September quarter.

-Increase of 1% Apple Retail revenue.

-Half the Macs sold in Sept. quarter were to customers new to the Mac.

-Average revenue per store was 10.7 million.

-Looking ahead to 2012: 40 new stores in 2012 (3/4 outside of the USA). Replacing smaller stores with larger stores in the United States.

-Turning to cash: 81.6 billion dollars at the end of September quarter.

-Looking ahead to December quarter: December quarter will end December 31.

-Apple extremely pleased to record breaking fiscal 2011. 108 billion in revenue during the year. 66% growth over fiscal 2010. 40 new retail stores, new carrier and reseller relationships. Thrilled over iOS 5, iPhone 4S, and iCloud. Very enthusiastic about new product pipeline.

Q/A Time…

Tim Cook: Great start on the 4S, Apple confident in large 4S supply, won’t predict when supply and demand will balance. Cook confident that this quarter will have all time record. Cook says customers were expecting new iPhone in June or July. In the end, Apple thrilled about iPhone 4S, iCloud, iOS 5 combination. 4S’s start beyond Apple’s wildest dreams.

Cook discussing massive growth in China – it’s an “area of enormous opportunity.”

Comments on the Kindle Fire? Cook: iPad did 11 million sales, Apple has seen several competitors come to the market with different form factors and price points, it is safe to say that none of these tablets have gained any traction. IDS said Apple is responsible for 3 out of every 4 tablets sold. iOS 5, iCloud, iTunes ecosystem, iTunes, Books, Movies, 140K native apps for iPad (versus 100s for other tablets), Apple is very confident about the iPad’s ability to compete and about the iPad pipeline.

-Oppenheimer isn’t too happy about the fifth-generation iPhone rumors.

Cook: iPhone 4S is off the charts. Customer feedback says the 4S is fantastic.

Cook on Siri: Number of people using it is amazing. Apple sees Siri as a profound innovation, overtime many people will use Siri through a substantial way. Apple’s gut is that Siri is substantial and an incredible innovation.

Cook on on-going patent disputes: No comment on any particular litigation.

Cook on investors, dividends: Apple won’t do silly things with its cash. Apple has acquired several companies, invested in supply chain, build out stores, bought IPO.

Cook hints that Japan was perhaps a reason for the delay of the iPhone 4S. When asked directly he defers. Specifically, Sony’s cameras could have been an issue.

Cook: 40 Million iPads at this point was beyond wildest dreams.

Cook: Emerging markets. Good way to get rid of old channel inventory (3GS’s – pre-pay markets).