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Apple Q4 results beat estimates as iPhone 18 Pro demand, price hikes offset rising chip costs

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In short

The fiscal fourth-quarter performance was anchored by strong consumer appetite for high-end smartphones alongside computer sales benefiting from artificial intelligence agent workloads. Despite this momentum, the company contended with production constraints and minor display defect returns regarding the newly launched iPhone Duo foldable device. Financial results were somewhat mixed across the broader hardware portfolio, as the iPad and wearables divisions failed to meet Wall Street projections.

Key points

  • Executive leadership under John Ternus altered the corporate launch calendar by separatin…: Executive leadership under John Ternus altered the corporate launch calendar by separating the release of premium and foldable models from other hardware variants.
  • Strong earnings and gross margins were tempered by weaker sales across the iPad, home, an…: Strong earnings and gross margins were tempered by weaker sales across the iPad, home, and wearable device categories.
  • Apple is aggressively integrating artificial intelligence across its ecosystem, with the…: Apple is aggressively integrating artificial intelligence across its ecosystem, with the revamped Siri assistant now fielding 2.5 billion daily requests.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The company posted revenue of $114.48 billion for the fourth quarter, exceeding Wall Street estimates of $113.39 billion, according to LSEG data. Earnings stood at $2.10 per share, beating analysts' expectations of $1.99 per share, even after excluding a 5-cent-per-share benefit from tariff refunds.

The results come as Apple undergoes a strategic shift under new CEO John Ternus, who took over in September. According to Reuters, the company is changing its traditional iPhone launch schedule after nearly two decades of introducing most new models during the autumn. This year, Apple launched its iPhone Pro and Duo models, while other variants are expected to arrive next year.

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Apple has also expanded its product launches ahead of the holiday shopping season, introducing several new devices, including its first touchscreen laptops and a smart-home hub. The broader release strategy is aimed at smoothing the company's revenue cycle, which has historically been heavily dependent on iPhone sales during the holiday quarter before slowing towards the end of the fiscal year.

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