Deutsche Bank AG (ETR:DBK) (FRA:DBK) (NYSE:DB) analyst, Chris Whitmore, said in a memo to investors today, that demand for the new Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 5 is “extremely robust”, and the extremely fast and widespread international launch of the device sheds new light on previous stock estimates. He claims he was too conservative in his estimates of the device’s sales. He now says that Apple should hold a price target of $850 per share, as its sales will be guaranteed to skyrocket in coming weeks and months.
He now believes that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) could easily sell 5 to 6 million units during this weekend’s opening sales push, which follows on a record 2 million preorders, recorded last weekend. He has boosted his previous estimates for this year, from 133 million units by 5 million, and now claims they may sell 138 million iPhone 5 units by the year’s end.
Next year looks even better for the Cupertino company, as Whitmore boosted his estimates by 10 million units. He says that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will sell 180 million units during FY 2013.
Whitmore also says that iPhone will hold approximately a 20% market share in the smartphone world. This would equal Apple’s share during the current year, and he said his estimates may still be on the conservative side. He said he believes Apple has “ample room for additional share gains going forward.” This seems to indicate that even 180 million units, as astounding as the number might be, may be still short of what Apple actually sells next year.
According to Whitmore, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) offers 5 advantages to its customers, which its competition can not offer. These advantages are important to Apple’s share holders, as they help boost the stock price through sales. Apple has an application offering which works hand in hand with iOS, and is developed through strong relationships with third party developers. He notes, the iPhone 5 is very important, as its LTE upgrades helped boost its sales numbers. Whitmore believes that Android may increase prices in the future, or that it may drop some features due to ongoing disputes over patents. He also cites Apple’s worldwide reach as a technology company, and notes they have devices in almost every market in the world. The iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS have base upgrade potential, as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) could now market them to the mid and low end markets as base models.
Whitmore does note that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) may be facing supply delays from its in cell screen manufacturers, and if they cramp supply enough, sales could be pushed back from the 4th quarter, to the first quarter of 2013. All in all, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is a healthy company, and iPhone 5 promises to provide revenue for several quarters to come.
