Apple bucks trend, posts record $10 bn revenue

Bucking the global trend, IT giant Apple has crossed the 10 billion-dollar-mark of revenue in the quarter ended December -- the first time in history -- with its leading products, iPod and iPhone posting robust sales.

Apple's revenue rose to $10.17 billion in the quarter under review from $9.61 billion in the year-ago period, the company said in a statement.

The company's net income rose 1.89% to a record $1.61 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2009, from $1.58 billion the previous year.

"Even in these economically challenging times, we are incredibly pleased to report our best quarterly revenue and earnings in Apple history surpassing $10 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time ever," Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs said.

The company sold a record 22.72 million iPods during the quarter, up 3% over the year-ago period, while, it posted 88% jump in iPhone sales to 4.36 million units from the same period last fiscal.

Giving the guidance for the second quarter, the company said it expects revenue in the range of about $7.6-8 billion, while the diluted earnings per share are likely to be in the range of $0.9 to $1.

Apple's revenues in the quarter were also boosted by strong sales of Macintosh Computer's, growing 9% in the first quarter.

The company's international sales accounted for 46% of the quarter's revenue, the statement added.