Despite Apple's being replaced as the world's most valuable company after it reported Q4 2012 earnings that didn't impress investors and analysts, the company's profit margin has seen the iPhone maker being named as the most profitable company in the United States.
For the fourth quarter ending December 31, 2012, Apple reported a profit of $13.1 billion on sales of $54.5 billion. However, while its revenue increased, profit generated by the firm remained flat when compared to 2011's Q4. It sold 47.8 million iPhone units, but that was below the 50 million+ units analysts expected to be sold due to the introduction of the iPhone 5.
A chart released by statistics site Statista determined that Apple's December quarter earnings surpassed those of all other U.S. firms. Following in second was ExxonMobil (the company that replaced Apple as the most valuable firm on the planet) with $10 billion in earnings, while energy corporation Chevron settled for third with $7.2 billion. Other technology titans alongside Apple in the top 10 include Microsoft with a profit of $6.4 billion, and IBM with generated earnings of $5.8 billion.
According to Statista, only ExxonMobil and Russian energy company Gazprom have reported higher profits than Apple in the past. Either way, the chart's release comes after Apple CEO Tim Cook told employees that "the only companies that report better quarters pump oil," which he stated when responding to Apple being replaced as the world's most valuable company.
Apple is also the world's richest company. After its Q4 earnings, it confirmed that its cash pile has exceeded $137 billion. That said, it may share a larger-than-anticipated proportion of that following a lawsuit. Braeburn, a subsidiary of the company, remains the largest hedge fund on the planet. Elsewhere, during November 2012, it was revealed that Apple's yearly profits surmounted the entire PC industry.
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Zak Islam is a freelance writer focusing on security, networking, and general computing. His work also appears at Digital Trends and Tom's Guide.
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bak0n More evidence of the Apple users like my neighbor who buys every new Apple product no matter the cost, because its Apple.Reply -
tobalaz When you have iSheep willing to buy anything you release...Reply
When said iSheep believe bug are "features" or because "you're holding it wrong" or "that device was dated anyways, you should have bought a new one" and really buy into the BS.
When everyone over 40 that is clinging on to trying to be "cool" and "with the times" and follow blind into the snappy commercials of youth dancing with your overpriced product while they're thinking "that could SO BE ME!!!"
When your innovation is recycling the same design with minor improvements and patenting and trademarking things like glass display windows in the front of your store or square or rectangular objects with rounded corners...
You can keep shoveling overpriced sh1t to the hipsters and be profitable.
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battlecrymoderngearsolid As much as I hate Crapple, they sure know how to hypnotize the masses... I have to thank them. Now when I go to Places it is very easy to tell the sheep from the ones that actually think.Reply -
reprotected I might be a really open-minded intelligent person who does not conform to big businesses because I own a Galaxy S2 when I bought have bought an iPhone 4!!!!! In fact, we all must be special for owning anything but an iPhone!Reply
Honestly, what difference does it make? You're not any different than an iPhone user, you just choose an alternative, and more than likely, it's an Android, and probably a Galaxy too (if you own any different, good for you, you must be special). You probably haven't even considered the maker's business ethics when purchasing your phone. You are not more special than an iPhone owner, you just own a different phone.
I for one don't feel special owning a Galaxy S2. It makes me look like that guy who's spoiled and would buy the most recent toy with the most features.