je.st
news
Apple raises dividend as net profit falls
2013-04-24 08:13:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) Apple reported a drop in net profit in its fiscal second quarter to USD 9.5 billion or USD 10.09 per share, from USD 11.6 billion or USD 12.30 per share a year earlier. Revenues for the three months to March rose to USD 43.6 billion from USD 39.2 billion a year ago, better than the company's forecast of USD 41-43 billion. The company's gross margin dropped to 37.5 percent from 47.4, at the bottom of its forecast range. Apple sold a total 37.4 million iPhones in the quarter, compared to 35.1 million in the year-ago quarter. iPad sales rose to 19.5 million from 11.8 million a year earlier, and sales of Mac computers were just under 4 million units, versus 4 million in the year-ago quarter. For fiscal Q3, Apple forecast revenue of USD 33.5-35.5 billion and a gross margin of 36-37 percent. Apple generated USD 12.5 billion in operating cash flow in the quarter, and finished the period with total cash of USD 145 billion. The company announced plans to increase its distributions to shareholders to USD 100 billion by the end of 2015. Its share repurchase programme will increase to USD 60 billion from the USD 10 billion announced last year, and the quarterly dividend was increased 15 percent to USD 3.05 per share. As part of the expanded capital return programme, Apple said it plans take on debt. More details on this will be announced in the near future.
Tags: net
falls
apple
profit
Category:Telecommunications