Apple's Results: Time for Us All to Get Real?

This weeks results from Apple were amazing - and the market reaction equally so. I am no tech geek - infact I'm pretty good with the on/off switch but... growth of almost 30% in Apple's iPhone sales is a pretty amazing financial feat.

This weeks results from Apple were amazing - and the market reaction equally so.

I am no tech geek - infact I'm pretty good with the on/off switch but... growth of almost 30% in Apple's iPhone sales is a pretty amazing financial feat.

And this at a time when the US consumer remains subdued, the European consumer is brittle and the Chinese consumer has only just been given the chance to buy the latest product.

But such is the frenzy around the worlds biggest company by market cap - that this was seen to be a disappointing show - analysts had wanted to see Apple revenues nearer to $37bn than the $35bn achieved.

Now this writer is one of the most ardent proponents of free markets and that market discipline remains an important check on corporate ambition and performance, but I tend to feel the market reaction to want ever more needs to get real.

When I read the headlines today I almost found myself starting to have some sympathy with the environmental lobby who have challenged to high growth model for economies around the world.

This is essentially about expectations - those set by companies and those set by markets.

This week's launch of John Kay' review of equity markets has a lot to say about ending the tyranny of quarterly reporting - I have some sympathy with that given today's headlines.

We need to set new and more realistic expectations - for ourselves and the companies we run.

We will always look for winners - that's the human condition

Have we all adjusted to a new economic order - not yet.

Five years since the start of the crisis I wonder if we ever will.

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