Apple's 2Q05 By the Numbers: Units Rise, But Revenue Drops [UPDATED]

Apple once again sold over 1 million desktop and laptop computers during the second quarter of its 2005 fiscal year, but on a sequential basis, revenue in that segment was down even though unit sales rose slightly. The same phenomenon occurred in the iPod sector, according to sales figures provided by the company.

While Appleis first quarter numbers are always inflated by Christmas sales and the companyis second quarter traditionally experiences a drop-off, itis impossible to tell how the new Mac mini and iPod shuffle affected this quarteris numbers, given Appleis inclusion of them in the overall iMac and iPod categories.

The iMac category shows 467,000 units shipped, up two percent from the previous quarter, but revenue in that area was down 22 percent, from US$620 million to $483 million. In the iPod category, units were up 16 percent sequentially, from 4.58 million to 5.311 million, while sales were down 16 percent, from $1.211 billion to $1.014 billion. Thereis no way to tell how much the Mac mini and the iPod shuffle cannibalized the sales of other products in their categories.

On a year-over-year basis, which uses the same quarter of the last fiscal year as the baseline, iMac sales jumped 115 percent in units and 92 percent in revenue, while iPod saw 558 percent and 284 percent increases, respectively. This is not a surprise, given that iPod sales have increased by leaps and bounds during the past year and iMac sales were moribund until the iMac G5is introduction last August.

The rest of the companyis hardware was a mixed bag, with iBook units and revenue down seven and six percent, respectively, when compared to the previous quarter, but up 25 percent in both areas year-over-year. Power Mac sales have stagnated, perhaps because the computer hasnit reached the 3GHz processor speed promised when it was first introduced. That category is down 16 percent in units and revenue sequentially and down 19 and eight percent in both areas year-over-year. It should be noted that the Power Mac category includes Xserve.

PowerBook, however, continues to be a strong seller for Apple, despite persistent clamor for a G5 version. Apple shipped 211,000 units for $413 million in revenue during the second quarter, up 39 and 35 percent sequentially and up 34 and 23 percent year-over-year. Overall, Appleis entire CPU line-up saw units shipped and sales rise 43 and 29 percent year-over-year, respectively.

We should note that Apple announced during Wednesdayis conference call its intention to report only overall desktop and laptop units and revenue, starting with the current quarter. In the future, it will be impossible to tell which product lines are doing better than others.

In Appleis other sales categories, peripherals and other hardware led the way during the second quarter with $280 million in revenue, down one percent since the first quarter but up 18 percent year-over-year. Software and other, a category that should jump in the third quarter with the introduction of Mac OS X v10.4 "Tiger," saw $239 million in sales, up 12 and 28 percent sequentially and year-over-year.

Finally, other music products revenue, which includes the iTunes Music Store, continues to increase, with $216 million logged last quarter. Thatis up 22 percent sequentially and 260 percent year-over-year.

The preceding figures comprise Appleis total worldwide sales. The company also breaks down its overall revenue and units sold -- but not specific product lines -- by geographic area. Looking at those numbers, the Americas were flat in units sold and down 12 percent in revenue sequentially, but up 32 and 64 percent year-over-year. European results were similar: down 14 and 17 percent sequentially but up 48 and 57 percent year-over-year.

Japan, however, was the big winner, with units and revenue up 59 and 54 percent sequentially and 34 and 64 percent year-over-year. Appleis catch-all other segments category, which includes Asia Pacific as well as its FileMaker subsidiary, saw a year-over-year increase in units and revenue of 29 and 71 percent, respectively, while sequential comparisons were flat: units were up six percent but sales were down eight percent.

Appleis retail stores, which continue to grow each quarter, posted a 21 percent gain in units and a two percent increase in sales compared to last quarter. Year-over-year, they saw 106 and 115 percent increases in units and revenue.

[Update: This story has been modified to include geographic sales numbers.]

<!--#include virtual="/includes/newsite/series/stockwatch.shtml"-->