U.S. Mac Sales Surge in January as iMac Orders Pick up Steam

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster today issued a new research report sharing data from research firm NPD covering Apple's U.S. Mac sales for the month of January. According to NPD's data, Mac sales were up a strong 31% year-over-year for the month.

2012_imacs_left_right
Munster attributes the strong performance to Apple finally being able to roll out orders of the new iMac, even as the company remains significantly constrained with multi-week waits for new orders through its online stores. Apple announced the new iMac in late October of last year, but did not begin taking orders until the end of the November with the larger 27-inch models not arriving until several weeks later.

We have analyzed domestic NPD retail data for the month of January which suggests Mac sales were up 31% y/y through the first month of the March quarter. We believe the reason for the significant improvement in the sales data is primarily due to Apple catching up with iMac supply, which the company noted to be constrained in the December quarter. CEO Tim Cook noted that iMac sales were down 700k units y/y in December (we note iMac sales are likely far less impacted by iPad, thus the vast majority of the y/ y unit decline is likely supply).

It remains to be seen if the strong sales will hold up for the remainder of the quarter, and thus Piper Jaffray is maintaining its estimate of a 5% year-over-year decline for the full quarter when global sales are considered.

NPD's data also reveals a bit of a surprise for the iPod, showing U.S. unit sales up 3% year-over-year and revenue up 2%. Piper Jaffray has been modeling for a 17% decline in total iPod sales for the quarter as the device continues to lose favor with consumers shifting music consumption to smartphones. But even a strong showing for the iPod is unlikely to have a significant impact on Apple's bottom line, as the line represented just 4% of Apple's sales in the holiday quarter, typically the strongest one for iPod sales.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Neutral)
Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...

Top Rated Comments

0029937 Avatar
161 months ago
I'm really surprised that people are willing to buy the new iMac with NO DVD drive or Firewire!
I'm surprised people still use DVD drives, I can count on one hand how many times I've used mine in the last 5 years.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SeattleMoose Avatar
161 months ago
Big increase in Mac sales only confirms what I already suspected. Apple performance is completely disconnected from AAPL performance.

All the negative Apple stories on Yahoo are simply plant stories by Wallstreet sharks to drive AAPL down to a point where they can once again buy "cheap". Then they jump back in and the "pump and dump" cycle starts all over again.

Betting on stocks going down should be illegal. Allowing "puts" simply results in pump and dump cycles for short term profits that completely warp stock values simply for short term gain. AAPL over the last half year is the poster boy for this activity.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
161 months ago
Big increase in Mac sales only confirms what I already suspected. Apple performance is completely disconnected from AAPL performance.

All the negative Apple stories on Yahoo are simply plant stories by Wallstreet sharks to drive AAPL down to a point where they can once again buy "cheap". Then they jump back in and the "pump and dump" cycle starts all over again.

Betting on stocks going down should be illegal. Allowing "puts" simply results in pump and dump cycles for short term profits that completely warp stock values simply for short term gain. AAPL over the last half year is the poster boy for this activity.
You mean like this (on the homepage of yahoo finance right now)?

HP’s New Low-Priced Tablet Puts Even More Pressure On Apple (http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/hp-low-priced-tablet-puts-even-more-pressure-154015787.html?desktop_view_default=true)

Why aren't they asking how HP's slate will impact Google Nexus or Amazon Kindle? Because throwing Apple in the headline guarantees someone will click on the article.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
6749974 Avatar
161 months ago
Not surprised...

I'm not surprised. Demand is high for the new iMacs. A lot of people on MacRumors want to complain that Apple isn't meeting their current 'buying criteria' of more power but the truth of the matter is Apple Inc. is filled with smart minds that know society changes, and so does 'buying criteria.'

Not only are iMac's more powerful, but they are thinner, lighter, simpler and more essential—which is what society wants in a desktop machine going forward. Our buying criteria is more influenced by laptops and tablets than anything else.

I talk about buying criteria in my latest podcast. :) :apple: if you want to learn about it and how businesses use it as an innovation strategy.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0815 Avatar
161 months ago
I'm surprised people still use DVD drives, I couple count on one hand how many times I've used mine in the last 5 years.
agree. When I got the MacAir quite some time back, I also got the external DVD just in case ... guess what - it is still in its original package since I just don't have any use for it anymore.

That does not mean nobody needs a DVD drive - but those few have the option to get an external one ... no need to put a drive that most people don't need into a machine.

But some people will keep complaining, no matter if they have a real use case ... same happened back than when the floppy drive got removed and people thought 'how can they sell a machine without the really important floppy drive' ...
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Born Again Avatar
161 months ago
Well it's obvious to many of us

consumers want skinnier computers with a hump (bootie) in the back :cool:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)