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Apple: Best Mac, iPhone Quarterly Sales Ever

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Oct 19, 2009 5:16 pm US/Eastern

Apple: Best Mac, iPhone Quarterly Sales Ever

NEW YORK (CNET) ― Apple did not disappoint investors as it closed out its fiscal year. The company reported its earnings Monday afternoon, calling the fiscal fourth quarter of 2009 its "most profitable ever."

Apple recorded revenue of $9.87 billion and earnings of $1.67 billion, or $1.82 per share. That's up from the $7.9 billion in revenue and $1.26 per share of a year ago. And that easily fell within the range of what Wall Street was hoping for. Analysts had been expecting earnings per share somewhere between $1.24 and $1.72, and revenue between $8.74 billion and $10.55 billion.

It appears that Apple is still sticking with accounting rules that require it to recognize revenue for the iPhone and Apple TV over a two-year period. But Apple again opted to break out what revenue would look like if it didn't follow those rules. For the fiscal fourth quarter, which ended Sept. 28, revenue would rise to $12.25 billion and earnings to $2.85 billion.

Apple says that it sold more iPhones than ever during the quarter, 7.4 million, representing a 7 percent rise from a year ago.

And while the iPhone is indeed continuing to boost the company's bottom line, the company also moved a lot of Macs during the traditional back-to-school quarter. Apple says it sold 3.05 million Macs, 17 percent more than a year ago. iPods were, as expected, the company's weak spot--the 10.2 million sold was 8 percent less than a year ago.

In a statement CEO Steve Jobs crowed about the successful sales period for the Mac and iPhone, but also hinted at what's in store for next year.

"We are thrilled to have sold more Macs and iPhones than in any previous quarter," Jobs said. "We've got a very strong lineup for the holiday season and some really great new products in the pipeline for 2010."

Stay tuned for more after the earnings call, which begins at 2 p.m. PT.

(© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.)

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