Q4-16: Apple Services clocks 24 per cent growth, Other Products revenue falls

Q4-16: Apple Services clocks 24 per cent growth, Other Products revenue falls

Tim Cook

BENGALURU:  Apple Inc (Apple) Services product recorded a 24.4 percent year-over-year (y-o-y) growth in revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2016 (Q4-16, current quarter) amidst a 9 percent y-o-y fall in total revenues. Apple Services includes revenue from Internet Services, AppleCare, Apple Pay, licensing and other services.

Apple Services reported revenue of $6,325million for Q4-16 versus $5,086 million in the corresponding year ago quarter, while Apple Total revenue in Q4-16 was $46.852 million versus $51,101 million in Q4-15.

However, across sequential quarters, Apple Services revenue increased only 5.8 percent in Q4-16 from $5,976 million as against 10.6 percent growth in total revenue from $42,358 million during the same period.

Apple Services contribution to overall revenue grew to 13.5 percent in the current quarter from 9.9 percent in the corresponding year ago quarter, but was slightly lower than 14.1 percent in the immediate trailing quarter.

Apple’s “Other Products’, which include sales of Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, iPod and Apple-branded and third-party accessories saw a 22.1 percent y-o-y decline in revenue to $2,373 million in the current quarter from $3,048 million. Across sequential quarters (q-o-q), ‘Other Products’ recorded a 6.9 percent growth in Q4-16 from $2,219 million.

‘Other Products’ contribution to overall revenue declined to 5.1 percent in the current quarter from 5.9 percent in the corresponding year ago quarter and 5.2 percent in the immediate trailing quarter.

Major Products

Apple’s major Product is the iPhone which saw y-o-y declines of 5.3 percent and 12.6 percent in number of units sold and revenues respectively in Q4-16. iPhone sales revenue in the current quarter was $28,160 million (60.1 percent of total revenue) versus $32,209 million (62.5 percent of total revenue) in Q4-15. 40.513 million iPhones were sold in  the current quarter versus 48.046 million in the corresponding year ago quarter.

During sequential quarters, iPhone sales witnessed growth rates of 12.7 percent and 17.1 percent in number of units sold and revenues respectively in Q4-16. iPhone sales revenue in Q3-16 was $24,048 million from 40.399 million units.

Among Apple’s other well-known products, the iPad witnessed y-o-y and q-o-q declines in number of units sold and revenues, while the Apple Mac recorded q-o-q declines.

Geographical split

Apple’s segments are Americas, Europe, Greater China, Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific (APac), with the America’s contributing more than 42 percent in terms of revenue.

Revenue from the Americas declined 7.1 percent y-o-y to $20.229 million (43.2 percent of total revenues) from $21,773 million (42.3 percent of total revenues. Across sequential quarters, revenue from the Americas increased 12.6 percent in the current quarter from $17,963 million (42.4 percent of total revenues).

Revenue from the European segment grew 2.5 percent y-o-y and 12.4 percent q-o-q to $10,842 million (23.1 percent of total revenue) from $10,577 million (20.5 percent of total revenue) and from $9,643 million (22.8 percent of total revenue) respectively.

Revenue from the China segment declined 29.8 percent y-o-y and declined 0.7 percent q-o-q to $8,785 million (18.8 percent of total revenue) from $12,518 million (24.3 percent of total revenue) and from $8,848 million (20.9 percent of total revenue) respectively.

Revenue from the Japan segment grew 10.1 percent y-o-y and 22.5 percent q-o-q to $4,324 million (9.2 percent of total revenue) from $3,939 million (7.6 percent of total revenue) and from $3,529 million (8.3 percent of total revenue) respectively.

Revenue from the APac segment declined 1.2 percent y-o-, but grew 12.5 percent q-o-q to $2,672 million (5.7 percent of total revenue) from $2,704 million (5.3 percent of total revenue) and grew from $2,375 million (5.6 percent of total revenue) respectively.

Profits, Apple’s board declares dividend

Apple posted a 19 percent y-o-y decline in net income at $9,014 million (19.2 percent margin) for Q4-16 versus $11,124 million 21.6 percent margin). Earnings per diluted share declined to $1.68 in the current quarter from $1,96 in Q4-15.

Apple's board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.57 per share of the Company's common stock. The dividend is payable on November 10, 2016 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 7, 2016.

Company speak

"Our strong September quarter results cap a very successful fiscal 2016 for Apple," said apple CEO Tim Cook. "We're thrilled with the customer response to iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2, as well as the incredible momentum of our Services business, where revenue grew 24 percent to set another all-time record."

"We are pleased to have generated $16.1 billion in operating cash flow, a new record for the September quarter," said Apple CFO Luca Maestri. "We also returned $9.3 billion to investors through dividends and share repurchases during the quarter and have now completed over $186 billion of our capital return program," added Cook.