DHAKA: Apple’s second-quarter revenue rose year-over-year to USD 45.6 billion from USD 43.6 billion.

Net profit for the three months to March was up to USD 10.2 billion or USD 11.62 per diluted share, from USD 9.5 billion or USD 10.09 per share a year earlier.

Gross margin in the quarter was 39.3 percent, up from 37.5 percent.

The figures were better than Apple’s guidance for sales of USD 42-44 billion and a gross margin of 37-38 percent.

International sales amounted to 66 percent of quarterly revenue, with the company showing the strongest sales growth in Japan (26%) and China (13%).

Apple increased iPhone sales 17 percent year-on-year to 43.72 million units, and Mac sales were up 5 percent to 4.14 million.

The iPhone accounted for over half the company’s revenue, at USD 26.1 billion, a figure up 14 percent from a year ago. iPad sales declined 16 percent from the year-earlier period to 16.35 million units, and iPod sales fell 51 percent to 2.76 million.

For the third quarter, Apple expects revenue of USD 36-38 billion, a gross margin of USD 37-38 percent and operating expenses at USD 4.4-4.5 billion.

The company also expects other income of around USD 200 million and a tax rate of 26.1 percent.

In addition, Apple announced an increase in shareholder returns, pledging to return USD 130 billion in cash to shareholders by the end of calendar 2015.

The share repurchase authorisation was increased to USD 90 billion from the USD 60 billion announced last year, and the quarterly dividend will increase by 8 percent to USD 3.29 per share.

Apple said it will also increase the dividend on an annual basis.

Apple said it expects to return to the debt market in 2014 in order to help finance the shareholder returns. The board also announced plans for a seven-for-one stock split, effective for shareholders of 02 June,reports telecompaper.com.

BDST: 1507 HRS, APR 24, 2014