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Apple earnings are scheduled for 1 November, and the firm is expected to report a 34% rise in headline earnings per share (EPS), to $2.78, while revenue is forecast to rise 17% to $61.4 billion. It has beaten estimates in all of the last eight reports for earnings, and beaten revenue estimates in six of the last eight.
Apple has seen its growth slow in recent years, with an average earnings growth of 5% for the past three years, and sales up by an annual average of 3%. Margins remain solid, with an operating margin of 26.6% and profit margin of 28%. This time around, the company needs to provide guidance on how sales in China are faring following the steep devaluation of the yuan over the past six months. This will make iPhones more expensive, relative to domestic smartphones, potentially hurting sales.