Apple is set for a strong second quarter showing thanks to the popularity of its laptop, iPhone and iPad, according to UBS analyst Maynard Um. He expects the combination of the MacBook Air, the new MacBook Pro, the iPad refresh and strong iPhone sales will have Apple report strong numbers during this Wednesday’s quarterly earnings conference call.
“iPhone momentum continued in the quarter with the launch at Verizon and lower pricing for 3GS spurring demand,” Mr. Um said.
He added that the earlier than expected iPad 2 launch, along with demand continuing to outpace the supply, will add to the upside for the fiscal quarter. “Additionally,” he said, “an earlier than expected MacBook Pro refresh and continued Air momentum lead us to expect some upside to our 3.5 million Mac unit estimate.”
Despite the devastation from the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, Mr. Um expects Apple will see little impact due to closed production facilities.
Looking forward, Mr. Um thinks the iPhone 5 is still on track despite rumors to the contrary and investor concerns. He also expects upcoming MacBook Air, iPod and iPad updates will continue to drive interest in Apple’s product lines.
Mr. Um is maintaining his “Buy” rating and US$465 target price for Apple’s stock. Apple is currently trading at $326.12, down 1.34 (-0.41%).
Apple will be hosting it second fiscal quarter earnings conference call after market closing on April 20. Be sure to check in with The Mac Observer for our event coverage.