Apple announced financial results for its 13-week fiscal 2013 first quarter that ended Dec. 29, 2012. The company posted record quarterly revenue of US$54.5 billion and record quarterly net profit of $13.1 billion, or $13.81 per diluted share.

These results compare to revenue of $46.3 billion and net profit of $13.1 billion, or $13.87 per diluted share, in the 14-week year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 38.6 percent compared to 44.7 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 61 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

Average weekly revenue was $4.2 billion in the quarter compared to $3.3 billion in the year-ago quarter. Apple sold a record 47.8 million iPhones in the quarter, compared to 37 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple also sold a record 22.9 million iPads during the quarter, compared to 15.4 million in the year-ago quarter. The company sold 4.1 million Macs, compared to 5.2 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 12.7 million iPods in the quarter, compared to 15.4 million in the year-ago quarter.

Apple’s Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $2.65 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on February 14, 2013, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 11, 2013.

"We’re thrilled with record revenue of over $54 billion and sales of over 75 million iOS devices in a single quarter," CEO Tim Cook said in a press release. "We’re very confident in our product pipeline as we continue to focus on innovation and making the best products in the world."

"We’re pleased to have generated over $23 billion in cash flow from operations during the quarter," adds Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s chief financial officer. "We established new all-time quarterly records for iPhone and iPad sales, significantly broadened our ecosystem, and generated Apple’s highest quarterly revenue ever."

Apple is providing the following guidance for its fiscal 2013 second quarter:

° Revenue between $41 billion and $43 billion;
° Gross margin between 37.5% and 38.5%;
° Operating expenses between $3.8 billion and $3.9 billion;
° Other income/(expense) of $350 million;
° A tax rate of 26%.