Apple’s latest released profit figures have shown that the leading computer company has risen above any economy led depression with increasing sales. Whilst the recession has hit many industries particularly hard, Apple reports that gross net profit for the three month lead up to September 26th has increased from 2008 by 47per cent.
Announcing a $1.67bn net profit, Apple said that overall sales had shown an increase of 25per cent, to $9.87bn. Whilst the company saw an 8per cent fall in the amount of their iPod products sold, both computer and iPhone sales were up 17per cent and 7per cent respectively. News of profit caused Apple’s shares to close at $189.86 before increasing in extended trading to more than $200 on the Nasdaq index.
With Apple’s Macintosh computers showing a 19per cent increase in sales from the same period a year ago, chief executive Steve Jobs exclaimed that he was “thrilled” to have sold 3.1 million units. Meanwhile analysts explained that Apple’s launch of the faster iPhone model earlier this year along with lowering the price of the original product had driven sales up by 500,000 more than last year to 7.4 million. CNET.com’s senior editor Dan Akerman also said that the release of Snow Leopard, Apple’s latest operating system had helped computer sales. “They concentrate at higher-end premium products at a higher margin so they’re aiming at the premium consumer,” he said.
Apple’s news came as rival Microsoft prepared to launch their latest operating system, Windows 7.
