Apple blow-out: Profits up 89.5%

Apple (AAPL) blew past even the most optimistic estimates Tuesday, reporting second-quarter earnings of $3.33 per share on $13.50 billion revenue.

Its net quarterly profit was $3.07 billion, up nearly 90% from the same quarter last year.

Wall Street was anticipating earnings of $2.45 per share on revenue of $12.04 billion, according to a survey of analysts by Thomson Financial.

Apple shares, after a record-high opening, closed Tuesday at $244.59 a share, down 2.48 points (1%) for the day. The stock leaped more than 17 points (7%) in after-hours trading to set new all-time highs of more than $260 a share.

“We’re thrilled to report our best non-holiday quarter ever, with revenues up 49 percent and profits up 90 percent,” said Steve Jobs in a prepared statement. “We’ve launched our revolutionary new iPad and users are loving it, and we have several more extraordinary products in the pipeline for this year.”

Here are the numbers:

• Total sales: $13.5 billion, up 48.6% year over year
• Earnings: $3.33 per share. up 86%
• Profit: $3.07 billion, up 89.5%
• Mac sales:  2.94 million units, up 33%
• iPhone sales:  8.75 million units, up 131%
• iPod sales:  10.89 million units, down 1%
• iPod touch sales: up 66%; iPod revenue up 12%
• Apple store visitors: 47 million in 286 retail outlets, up 20%
• Gross margin: 41.7%, up from 39.9% last year
• Cash and marketable securities: $41.7 billion, up $1.9 billion since December
• Guidance for the third fiscal quarter: revenue between $13 and $13.4 billion, EPS between $2.28 and $2.39, gross margin 36%

Apple’s press release is available here.

A replay of the conference call will be available for the next two weeks, starting at 5 p.m. PT. Dial 888-203-1112; the passcode is 5473920. Seeking Alpha has posted a transcript here.

See also:

• The bloggers called it. The Street blew it.
• How much is AAPL worth?
• How big was Apple’s second quarter?
• How many iPhones did Apple sell?
• How many Macs did Apple sell?
• How many iPods did Apple sell?

[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]