"Our peer application supply chain data entry prediction, which provides another major data point. Our iPhone demand analysis is also being promoted," said Piecyk. "Today Verizon reported that the end-of-year iPhone demand has increased and they have added to their inventory, but we generally believe that Apple is doing an excellent job in replenishing its distribution channels, which is why there was an initial shortage of iPhone 4S during its early sales period."
"At the same time, Piecyk raised his first-quarter iPad sales forecast for Apple from a previous 13.5 million units to 12.5 million units to reflect the 'stunning demand' for Amazon's (Weibo) Kindle Fire. However, Piecyk does not look poorly on the Kindle Fire."
"Piecyk also raised his fiscal 2013 earnings per share forecast for Apple from $37.50 to $40 and increased his target stock price from $550 to $580."
"Apple's stock price rose by $0.83 to $414.27 on Thursday with a decline of 0.2%." (Xiaoming)
"Since the launch of the Kindle Fire last year," he said, "we have been using this tablet computer at home, but we believe it will not be a fierce competitor to the iPad. However, the $200 selling price of the Kindle Fire and Amazon’s excellent brand credibility may affect the sales of the iPad during the early holiday shopping season. But we believe that the Kindle Fire and the iPad are not on the same level; it is just an entry-level product, and buyers will eventually upgrade to the iPad. In summary, we maintain our long-term sales forecast for the iPad, and Apple will sell 52.5 million iPads in the 2012 fiscal year."
Sina Technology News: Early morning January 6th, Beijing Time, U.S. investment firm BTIG analyst Walter Piecyk predicted on Thursday that Apple's iPhone sales in the first quarter of the 2012 fiscal year would reach 35 million units.
Piecyk predicts that Apple will sell 125 million iPhones in 2012, higher than the previously expected 107 million units.
Piecyk believes that due to the "exceptionally strong demand" in the U.S. market, Apple will sell 35 million iPhones in the first quarter. Based on the sales expectations for the iPhone, Piecyk raised his first-quarter earnings per share forecast for Apple by 50 cents to $10, exceeding Apple's guidance forecast of $9.30 and the industry expectation of $9.83. Piecyk had previously estimated in August that Apple would sell 30 million iPhones in the first quarter, a number that was also higher than the industry expectation at the time.
"Compared to many inexpensive Android phones and the BlackBerry phone whose market share is gradually shrinking, the iPhone continues to maintain its advantage," said Piecyk in the report. He also believes that Apple will launch a 4G version of the iPhone this year, which will further boost the demand for Apple phones. Verizon Wireless disclosed yesterday that they sold 4.2 million iPhones in the fiscal quarter ending in December, exceeding Piecyk's expectation of 3.75 million. AT&T also indicated late last December that their iPhone sales were very strong.