Apple Revenues, Profits Soar On iPod SalesApple Revenues, Profits Soar On iPod Sales

Apple Computer Inc. on Tuesday reported a fourfold increase in profits in the fiscal fourth quarter, as sales of its popular iPod digital music player soared by 220 percent.

The Cupertino, Calif., company said net profit for the quarter ended Sept. 24, was $430 million, or 50 cents a share, compared with $106 million, or 13 cents a share, for the same period a year ago. Revenues rose to $3.68 billion in the quarter from $2.35 billion a year ago.

The company's performance was driven by a 220 percent increase from last year in iPod shipments to 6.45 million units. It was the 10th consecutive quarter of record iPod sales.

Shipments of Macintosh computers rose 48 percent in the quarter to 1.24 million units.

“We’re thrilled to have concluded the best year in Apple’s history,” Steve Jobs, chief executive for Apple, said in a statement.

For the whole fiscal year, the company generated $13.93 billion in revenues and a net profit of $1.34 billion, an increase of 68 percent and 384 percent, respectively, from fiscal 2004.

For the first quarter of fiscal 2006, Apple expected revenues of $4.7 billion and earnings of 46 cents a share, based on generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP.