Apple surpasses expectations and achieves best financial result in its history

Apple reported revenue of US$ 114.5 billion (about R$ 622.7 billion) in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2026, which ended on September 26. This figure represents a 12% growth compared to the same period last year, setting a new quarterly record. Net income also increased, reaching US$ 30.7 billion (R$ 167 billion), corresponding to an annual increase of approximately 12%.

The financial data was made public this Monday (2) and exceeded Wall Street forecasts. The success was mainly driven by sales of the iPhone 18 Pro, while the services division also recorded its highest revenue ever.

Diluted earnings per share were US$ 2.10 (approximately R$ 11.42), marking a 14% advance over the fourth fiscal quarter of 2025. The gross margin stood at 47.9%, positively benefited by a tariff adjustment of approximately one percentage point.

This was the first quarterly report under the management of John Ternus, who took over as CEO in September, succeeding Tim Cook. The smartphone division was the highlight of the balance sheet, with iPhone revenue reaching US$ 57.6 billion (approximately R$ 313.2 billion), a 17% growth compared to the third quarter of 2025.

This result surpassed analyst estimates, which predicted around US$ 56.5 billion (R$ 307.4 billion). Strong demand for the iPhone 18 Pro models contributed to sales, despite the company's new approach to distributing device launches throughout the year.

The services division also showed remarkable performance, with revenue of US$ 31.6 billion (R$ 171.7 billion), an increase of about 10% compared to last year and a new historical record. This segment includes activities such as Apple Music, iCloud, and the App Store.

Additionally, the Mac computer division generated US$ 10.8 billion (R$ 58.7 billion), representing a growth of approximately 24% compared to the same period last year, also exceeding market projections.

Conversely, two product categories registered a decline. The results indicate that Apple's growth remains primarily concentrated in the iPhone and services, although computers have shown considerable expansion.

Despite the positive performance, the company faces the challenge of increasing costs for components used in manufacturing its devices, particularly memory chips. This cost increase is attributed to higher demand for such components, which is also stimulated by the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

According to John Ternus, higher prices for certain products helped partially mitigate this pressure on margins. Apple raised the prices of specific models in the iPhone 17 line by US$ 100 and also adjusted the prices of some MacBook computers.

The gross margin of 47.9% was higher than the 47.5% projected by analysts consulted by LSEG. Another aspect highlighted by the CEO was the functioning of the revamped AI Siri, which currently processes about 2.5 billion requests daily.

Apple also commented on the launch of the iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable smartphone, which occurred in October. The device sold out quickly online and caused queues in stores, but demand remains above supply capacity. In an interview with Reuters, Ternus confirmed that only a small fraction of units were returned due to screen issues, and the company is replacing these devices. The executive admitted that there is still no forecast to match supply and demand.

Since the iPhone Duo was launched on October 23, its sales were not included in the balance sheet released this Monday; the results of this device should appear in the next fiscal quarter.

The fourth quarter performance allowed the company to conclude its best fiscal year in terms of revenue. In 2026 cumulatively, Apple generated US$ 28 billion (R$ 152.3 billion) in operating cash flow during the fourth quarter, an amount returned to shareholders via dividends and stock buybacks. The board of directors also announced a dividend of US$ 0.27 per share (approximately R$ 1.47), scheduled for payment on November 16.

Despite the financial surplus, Apple's shares suffered a slight drop of about 1% in after-hours trading, amid sector volatility.

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Apple managed to surpass Nvidia this Friday, the 23rd, taking the lead among publicly traded companies in terms of market capitalization. The manufacturer reached the mark of US$ 5.11 trillion (equivalent to about R$ 25.9 trillion) at the global launch of the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone.

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