• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechApple

Apple Analysts Knock the Stuffing Out of March iPhone Sales Estimates

By
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 12, 2016, 10:35 AM ET
Apple Store Logo London 2006
LONDON - DECEMBER 27: People are seen behind the Apple logo in Apple's flagship London retail store on Regent Street on December 27, 2006 in London, England. With many stores open for the first time since Christmas Eve, bargain hunters are searching for the best buys as the post-Christmas sales get under way. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)Photograph by Scott Barbour — Getty Images

Two weeks from today, Apple will announce how many iPhones the company sold in the December quarter—the biggest quarter of the year for the company’s most important product (66% of fiscal 2015 revenue).

But Wall Street has already moved on to March.

Spooked by warnings from Asian smartphone parts suppliers, at least 17 Apple analysts over the past four weeks have lowered their iPhone estimates for the current quarter, which ends on March 26.

First out of the box was Katy Huberty. I haven’t kept track of every change made since then, but you can see from the spreadsheet below that the targets moved after Huberty’s cut are lower than the ones set before—roughly 11% lower.

Screen Shot 2016-01-12 at 11.04.59 AM

SIGN UP: Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

Apple (AAPL) shares before Dec. 13 were trading above $113. By last week, they were trading below $97—which is to say at a 15% discount from an already depressed price. At this point, the anticipated damage from March has probably been baked into the stock. Overnight, Bank of America (BAC) upgraded Apple from Neutral to Buy, and the stock opened Tuesday up nearly 2% from Monday’s close.

There’s still a lingering concern on Wall Street—where year-over-year growth rates are closely watched—that Apple is facing a “tough compare” in the first half of 2016, as it struggles to beat sales records set by the first generation of jumbo iPhones. In October, Tim Cook told analysts that the company was on track to set a new record in the December quarter. He hasn’t said anything about about the March quarter, and he probably won’t before Apple releases its fiscal Q1 2016 earnings report and offers guidance for Q2.

WATCH: For more on Apple, check out the following Fortune video:

Apple’s Jan. 26 conference call with analysts will be webcast live. You can tune in here.

About the Author
By Philip Elmer-DeWitt
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., during the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, California, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. Meta Platforms Inc. introduced its latest lineup of head-worn devices, staking fresh claim to the virtual and augmented-reality industry just ahead of Apple Inc. pushing into the market. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Big TechMeta
 Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook for the metaverse. Four years and $70 billion in losses later, he’s moving on
By Eva RoytburgDecember 5, 2025
12 minutes ago
Construction workers are getting a salary bump for working on data center projects during the AI boom.
AIU.S. economy
Construction workers are earning up to 30% more and some are nabbing six-figure salaries in the data center boom
By Nino PaoliDecember 5, 2025
48 minutes ago
Robert F. Kennedy
PoliticsHealth
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. turns to AI to make America healthy again
By Ali Swenson and The Associated PressDecember 5, 2025
2 hours ago
Tim Cook stands in front of a giant image of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs
Big TechApple
Apple is experiencing its biggest leadership shakeup since Steve Jobs died
By Dave SmithDecember 5, 2025
2 hours ago
C-SuiteStreaming
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos credits a video store job for launching his career—and cherishes this lesson from Tony Bennett
By Jason MaDecember 5, 2025
2 hours ago
AIIntuit
How Intuit’s Chief AI Officer supercharged the company’s emerging technologies teams—and why not every company should follow his lead
By John KellDecember 5, 2025
3 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Two months into the new fiscal year and the U.S. government is already spending more than $10 billion a week servicing national debt
By Eleanor PringleDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
‘Godfather of AI’ says Bill Gates and Elon Musk are right about the future of work—but he predicts mass unemployment is on its way
By Preston ForeDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nearly 4 million new manufacturing jobs are coming to America as boomers retire—but it's the one trade job Gen Z doesn't want
By Emma BurleighDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he works 7 days a week, including holidays, in a constant 'state of anxiety' out of fear of going bankrupt
By Jessica CoacciDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Tariffs and the $38 trillion national debt: Kevin Hassett sees ’big reductions’ in deficit while Scott Bessent sees a ‘shrinking ice cube’
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Real Estate
‘There is no Mamdani effect’: Manhattan luxury home sales surge after mayoral election, undercutting predictions of doom and escape to Florida
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 4, 2025
23 hours ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.