Apple’s Quarterly Revenue Surpasses Wall Street Projections Amid Trump’s Trade Policy

Apple’s financial results for the second quarter exceeded Wall Street predictions on Thursday.

The tech leader announced a revenue of $95.4 billion, marking an increase of over 4% compared to last year, with earnings surpassing $1.65 per share, up more than 7%. Analysts had anticipated a revenue of $94.5 billion and a profit of $1.62. The company’s market value stands at $3.2 trillion, consistently surpassing Wall Street forecasts for the last four quarters.

Investors remain focused on Apple’s impending financial disclosures. The tech giant has worked diligently to ease the concerns of anxious analysts following Donald Trump’s extensive tariffs that could disrupt the supply chain for appliances. Since the start of the year, Apple’s stock has decreased by 16%.

During a call with investors on Thursday, CEO Tim Cook indicated that he expects tariffs to escalate expenses by $900 million for the quarter ending in June, provided global tariff rates remain unchanged. Cook declined to make further predictions about the future, stating, “We don’t know what will happen with tariffs… it’s very challenging to predict post-June.”

In after-hours trading, the company’s shares dropped more than 4%, despite last year’s growth, due to tariff impacts and revenues that fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, particularly in its services sector, which includes iCloud subscriptions and various licensing revenues. Sales in China also did not meet estimates.

Nevertheless, the company remains optimistic, stating that it reported “strong post-quarter results” and is “actively engaged in the tariff discussion.”


iPhone manufacturers are heavily reliant on production in China for their mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. Following Trump’s implementation of tariffs that reached over approximately 245%, the president indicated he would allow an exception for household appliances.

During this period, Cook communicated with a senior White House official, as reported by the Washington Post. After these discussions, Trump declared an exemption for appliances. Following this announcement, Apple’s shares increased by 7% in subsequent days.

However, the duration of this exemption remains uncertain. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick described it as “temporary”, and Trump later stated on social media that there would be no “exceptions”.

The president has consistently expressed a desire to see increased manufacturing in the United States. In February, he and Cook met to discuss investments in U.S. manufacturing. “He’s about to start a building,” Trump remarked after their meeting. “A very significant number – you have to tell him. I believe they’ll announce it soon.”

JPMorgan predicts that relocating production to the U.S. will lead to a substantial increase in prices. In this week’s memo, they noted, “Assuming a 20% tariff on China, we could witness a 30% price hike in the short term.” JPMorgan and other analysts assert that Apple may continue to shift more manufacturing to India, where tariffs are only 10%.

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Earlier this month, Apple transported around $2 billion worth of iPhones from India to the U.S. to boost its inventory in anticipation of rising prices due to Trump’s tariffs and panic buying by concerned consumers. Investors are increasingly worried about a drop in iPhone sales in China, the largest smartphone market globally. In its latest revenue report in January, Apple disclosed that iPhone sales in China fell by 11.1% in the first quarter, missing Wall Street revenue expectations.

Cook mentioned during a call with investors that while China remains the primary manufacturing hub for the company, India is expected to produce more iPhones along with Vietnam in the June quarter. “The tariffs currently imposed on Apple are contingent upon the origin of the product,” he noted, emphasizing that tariffs in India and Vietnam are less than those in China.

In the immediate term, analysts suggest that tariff-related disruptions could work in Apple’s favor as consumers rush to buy more products fearing price hikes. Dipanjangchatterjee, principal analyst at Forester, stated: [consumers] absorb these price increases as they seek out Apple products.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Apple Beats Wall Street Projections with $24.78 Billion Profit

Apple has built its reputation on innovation, but recently, it has leaned more towards diplomatic solutions.

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, recently secured a tariff exemption for exporting iPhones manufactured in China. This strategic move allowed Apple to focus on business and maintain a strong position.

It facilitated the company’s launch of new budget-friendly iPhones in February, alongside boosting app and service sales. Apple stated that quarterly profits increased by 4.8% from last year, totaling $24.78 billion. Meanwhile, company sales rose 5% to $953.6 billion.

These results surpassed Wall Street Analysts’ expectations of $24.37 billion in profits and $943.5 billion in sales. However, stocks fell by more than 2% in after-hours trading.

Apple’s consistent performance emerged amidst various challenges. Within months, the company faced both internal and external struggles, including setbacks with its highly anticipated artificial intelligence system and the tough tariff policies enforced by the Trump administration on overseas products.

Last month, Apple’s stock took a dive following President Trump’s announcement of a 145% tariff on exports from China, where 80% of iPhones are produced. This measure also affected other countries that manufacture iPads and Macs, such as Vietnam, resulting in a loss of approximately $770 billion in market value over four days.

Wall Street analysts anticipate that Apple may need to raise the iPhone price from $1,000 to $1,600. In response, some customers rushed to purchase iPhones before the potential price hike, leading to a temporary sales boost.

However, three months after donating $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, Tim Cook sought to persuade the White House to ease the tariff restrictions.

Last Thursday, Apple reported that iPhone sales, its primary revenue source, increased by 2% to $46.84 1 billion compared to the previous quarter. There was over a 10% rise in iPhone sales in Japan, India, and the Middle East, leading Apple to secure the largest share of smartphone sales globally in three months, according to Counterpoint Research.

Nevertheless, the company continues to struggle in China, posting a sales decline for the sixth consecutive quarter, with total revenue from the region at $16 billion, down 2% year-over-year.

“We are eager to see the developments at the company’s high-tech research firm,” said Ben Bajarin, principal analyst at Creative Strategies. “The question remains, what if additional tariffs are implemented?”

The company’s services division, which includes app sales, Apple Music, and Apple Pay, has outperformed device sales, generating $26.65 billion in revenue, reflecting an 11.6% increase from the previous year.

However, the future stability of Apple’s services division is in question. Recently, a federal judge criticized the company’s business practices under antitrust laws, ruling that Apple could not impose a 27% fee on selling apps outside its app store, undermining a key revenue stream.

In another antitrust matter, Apple risks losing the $2 billion in service revenue derived from Google’s payment for being the default search engine on iPhone web browsers. A federal ruling last year determined that Google maintained an illegal search monopoly, with hearings planned to address these activities.

The device division also faces uncertainties. Last year, Apple unveiled a generational AI system aimed at enhancing email, summarizing notifications, and upgrading Siri, its virtual assistant. This system was marketed as a primary reason to purchase a new iPhone. However, in March, the company announced it would be delayed until this fall.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Amazon’s Year-End Finish Strong, But Weaker Projections for Next Quarter

Amazon exceeded Wall Street’s expectations by earning revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024, but it anticipates a decline in the coming quarter.

Finishing the year on a high note, the retail giant reported $187.79 billion in revenue and $1.86 per share, surpassing analysts’ revenue estimates of $187.3 billion and $1.49 per share.

The robust revenues reflect a strong holiday shopping season, with online spending increasing by 8.7% year-on-year in November and December, according to Adobe Analytics. Overall, consumers spent $241 billion over the two-month period, as reported by Adobe.

“The holiday shopping season was Amazon’s most successful ever. We are grateful for the support of our customers, sales partners, and employees who contributed to this success,” stated Andy Jassy, Amazon’s CEO. Read the full statement.

Despite beating expectations, Amazon fell short of analyst sales estimates for the next quarter. The company forecasts sales between $151 billion and $15.5 billion, while analysts had estimated $15.85 billion. Stock prices dropped after hours but recovered to previous levels the following day.

Wall Street has acknowledged Amazon’s cost-cutting measures in recent years. Jassy implemented layoffs and cuts across various departments, resulting in a positive financial impact on Amazon’s revenue.

During the revenue announcement, Jassy highlighted Amazon’s new innovations, particularly in artificial intelligence, such as the new AI chip Trainium2. Jassy emphasized the practical benefits of these technologies in the evolving tech landscape.

Amazon’s executive chairman, Jeff Bezos, has reconciled with Donald Trump after years of criticism. Amazon contributed $1 million to the president’s inaugural fund, and Bezos was present at Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.

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Jassy followed Trump’s lead by scaling back Amazon’s DEI efforts, and Bezos withdrew support for the Climate Change and Biodiversity Fund.

Source: www.theguardian.com