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

Apple iPhone Sales Decline for the First Time Ever Amid Disappointing Earnings

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 26, 2016, 4:34 PM ET

Apple on Tuesday reported quarterly results below Wall Street targets and forecast another disappointing quarter, while sales of iPhones, its most important product, declined for the first time.

Apple also said it was raising its capital return program by $50 billion through a $35 billion increase in its share buyback authorization and a 10% rise in the quarterly dividend.

Apple said it sold 51.2 million iPhones in its second fiscal quarter, down from 61.2 million in the same quarter a year ago but above analysts’ estimates of about 50 million devices.

Earnings of $1.90 per share fell short of the average analyst estimate of $2 per share, according to Thomson Reuters. Revenue of $50.56 billion missed expectations of $51.97 billion.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Shares of Apple fell 6% on heavy volume in after-hours trade, falling below $100 for the first time since February.

Apple was hard pressed to top sales from the year-ago quarter, which was boosted by the recent launch of a new generation of iPhones, Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told Reuters in an interview. The phones featured larger screen sizes and sparked historic sales.

“The iPhone 6 is an anomaly, and so it creates a very difficult comparison for us,” he said.

Apple forecast third-quarter revenue of $41 billion to $43 billion, short of the Wall Street consensus of $47.3 billion.

While Apple executives had predicted iPhone sales would decline this quarter, they must reassure investors that the drop represents a momentary roadblock for the company, rather than a permanent shift for the product that fueled its meteoric rise.

After years of blockbuster sales, many investors fear that the iPhone has reached a point of saturation, spelling the end for Apple’s era of exponential growth.

The company has yet to present another device that can drive sales on that order, though last year it released the Apple Watch, its first new product without legendary co-founder Steve Jobs at the helm.

“Apple is going to be put in a position, in a defensive position of how they show growth, and this is an area that Apple has not had to do for the last few years,” said Patrick Moorhead, an analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.

In March, Apple released the iPhone SE, a smaller, 4-inch-screen phone featuring much of the company’s latest technology. Although sales of the phone were not captured in the second quarter, the device is off to a strong start, particularly in emerging markets, Maestri said.

For more about Apple Watch, watch:

“The situation right now around the world is that we are supply-constrained,” he said. “The demand has been very, very strong.”

Although Apple’s revenue in Greater China fell 26% from the year-ago quarter, Maestri stressed that the company’s commitment to the market, its second largest, is unchanged.

“We continue to be extremely optimistic about the Chinese market, and we continue to make a lot of investment there,” he said.

Rather than buying the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, many consumers are waiting for the release of the expected iPhone 7 later this year to upgrade their phones, according to analysts.

In reaction to Apple’s report, shares of its suppliers Skyworks Solutions, Qorvo, Broadcom, and NXP Semiconductors all fell 1% or more on Tuesday.

Apple had planned to release its quarterly results on Monday but delayed the event by a day due to the memorial service for Bill Campbell, a longtime Apple board member who mentored many prominent executives in Silicon Valley.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
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
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Elon Musk warns the U.S. is '1,000% going to go bankrupt' unless AI and robotics save the economy from crushing debt
By Jason MaFebruary 7, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Even with $850 billion to his name, Elon Musk admits ‘money can’t buy happiness.’ But billionaire Mark Cuban says it’s not so simple
By Preston ForeFebruary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Gen Z Patriots quarterback Drake Maye still drives a 2015 pickup truck even after it broke down on the highway—despite his $37 million contract
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 7, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
AI
AI can make anyone rich: Mark Cuban says it could turn 'just one dude in a basement' into a trillionaire
By Sydney LakeFebruary 7, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Anthropic cofounder says studying the humanities will be 'more important than ever' and reveals what the AI company looks for when hiring
By Jason MaFebruary 7, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Energy
Next-gen nuclear's tipping point: Meta and hyperscalers start deals with Bill Gates’ TerraPower, Sam Altman-backed Oklo, and more
By Jordan BlumFebruary 7, 2026
22 hours ago

© 2026 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.


Latest in Tech

InvestingVenture Capital
NFL legend Joe Montana lived around top VC execs as a 49er, then leveraged those ties to launch his second career as an investor
By Jason MaFebruary 8, 2026
1 hour ago
CybersecurityJeffrey Epstein
FBI found little evidence Epstein ran a sex trafficking ring for powerful men and concluded a ‘client list’ doesn’t exist
By Michael R. Sisak, David B. Caruso, Larry Neumeister and The Associated PressFebruary 8, 2026
3 hours ago
RetailEurope
Trump’s Greenland crisis triggered a surge in apps designed to help shoppers boycott U.S. goods, though few American imports are on store shelves
By James Brooks and The Associated PressFebruary 8, 2026
4 hours ago
nfl
CommentaryTV
The Super Bowl was made for TV and instant replay was made for visual AI. Here’s how it could be better and what it would look like
By Jason CorsoFebruary 8, 2026
5 hours ago
monkey
CybersecurityAnimals
One way AI won’t ruin the world: tools to crack down on the $23 billion animal trafficking trade
By Eve Bohnett and The ConversationFebruary 8, 2026
6 hours ago
heacock
CommentaryLeadership
I’m a CEO who grew a ‘boring’ air filter business into a $260 million company, and AI is going to help blue-collar, everyday people just like me
By David HeacockFebruary 8, 2026
6 hours ago