Of course, you knew that Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) was an electronics powerhouse. The company sold an astounding $20 billion of Macs, iPhones, iPods, and iPads last quarter alone. Many of those gadgets were sold online or with the help of partners such as AT&T, Verizon, Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), and Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) to name just a few.
But Apple also sold more than $3.5 billion of those gadgets or nearly 18% of sales through its own stores, making the company a retail powerhouse as well. That's an increase of 75% in the year-ago period. What other retailers can say they have that kind of growth?
While Apple is a relative newcomer to the retail world, its numbers stack up well even against those of longtime pros and purveyors of big-ticket items like jewelry, appliances, and electronics.
|
Retailer |
Most Recent Quarter Sales (millions) |
No. of Retail Stores |
Average Sales Per Store (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple |
$3,570 |
317 |
$11.3 |
| Best Buy |
$11,339 |
1,246 |
$9.1 |
|
Coach (NYSE: COH) |
$912 |
473 |
$1.9 |
| Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) |
$2,087 |
204 |
$10.2 |
| Sears (Nasdaq: SHLD) |
$6,297 |
2,690 |
$2.3 |
| Tiffany (NYSE: TIF) |
$682 |
225 |
$3.0 |
Source: Company reports.
Other retailers have taken note. Even if they aren't selling electronics, Apple affects them-- a dollar spent at the Apple store may well mean a dollar not spent at the apparel store next door. And as Apple's goods have become status symbols, designer jeans and handbags find themselves in more direct competition with Apple products.
I believe there will be lots of iPads in Santa's sleigh this year, and that Apple will be one of the retail sector's biggest -- if not the biggest winner this holiday season. Let us know who you believe will be this holiday season's retail winners and losers in the comments.
