Apple to Report Earnings

Apple's earnings are due out today at 2pm PST. Wall Street analysts are looking for earnings ranging from 59 cents to 69 cents per share on revenue of $5.7 billion for the December quarter. Estimate have moved up following Steve Jobs' keynote speech at last week's Macworld Expo. The EPS estimates ranges from $1.95 to $2.53. Fiscal year 2006 estimates range from $19.4 billion to $22.3 billion, an increase of $2 billion to $3 billion over 2005.

I am looking for signs of increased Macintosh computer sales. Furthermore, I am looking for more evidence of the "iPod halo effect". Increased Macintosh sales are a key metric as it points to ongoing strengh and more consumers to making the "Switch To A Mac". I would however be open to the possibility that Macintosh sales lagged as consumers may have held off on purhases in anticipation of new hardware announcements at Macworld. Steve Jobs already commented that iPod sales reached fourteen million units in the quarter.

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