Apple's Profit Rises 36% on Strong Mac Sales

Apple's profit surged 36% in its second quarter, beating analysts' estimates thanks to strong sales of laptops, Bloomberg reports. The company earned $1.05 billion, or $1.16 a share; analysts expected $1.06 a share. Revenue grew 43%, to $7.5 billion, despite the sluggish economy. The company sold 2.29 million Macs, with strong sales in particular of its new ultra-thin Air notebook.

"We're seeing this Mac resurgence because of the sex appeal of the brand,'' said an industry analyst. "The MacBook Air is novel enough that it brings people into the Apple store, even if they're not in the market for it.'' (More Apple stories.)