Here’s What Apple’s Sales Mix Tells Investors

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has pretty much come full circle over the past year. As of February 1, at a closing price of $453.62, the company’s stock is down 0.33 percent year over year. From September 2011 to September 2012, investors bid the shares up over 70 percent and did all but throw rocks from on high at the bears.

But the story over the past few months has been different. The stock has come down 35 percent since the middle of September and the growling of all those bears is suddenly a lot louder. Bulls have raised their voices in response, and now the discussion surrounding Apple’s valuation and its future is so loud it’s nearly indistinguishable from a shouting match. On one side are those who think Apple’s position is permanently undermined, on the other are those gobbling up shares with ever spare penny they have, looking for profits with the next rally.

Speculation is fun, but at the end of the day investors have to make decisions using the data on hand and the insights they draw from it. So, in that spirit, here’s a look at some information pulled from Apple’s latest earnings report that may be useful.