Apple's revenue grew considerably during the most recent quarter but iPhone sales were down. The company sold 77.3 million iPhones during the holiday quarter, about one million less than the same time last year. It's the first time Apple has ever seen declining sales on its iPhones during the holiday season. However, the company did post $88.3 billion in revenue, up 13% from last year.
There was good news and bad news in the earnings report for Alphabet, the parent company of Google. The company beat expectations on revenue but fell short on earnings. Ad sales were strong but that profit was offset by increased ad spending.
And Amazon soared past Wall Street expectations thanks to strong holiday sales. The company beat on revenue and earnings. Amazon also set a new record, posting profits above $1 billion for the first time.
We dive into these earnings reports with Gene Munster, Managing Partner at Loup Ventures. Munster believes Amazon's profitability was a one-time thing. He is also predicting that Apple will release a new iPhone soon with a screen that's 25% bigger.
Plus, Cheddar's CEO Jon Steinberg talks to veteran newsman Dan Rather about his new partnership with The Young Turks. Rather now has a half-hour show airing on the network's YouTube channel. "The News with Dan Rather" will offer commentary and analysis on today's news, something he never did on "CBS Evening News." The show airs Mondays at 5:30pm ET.
Electric vehicle charging company Wallbox goes public via a SPAC on the NYSE under the ticker symbol WBX.
Wallbox has merged with special purpose acquisition corporation Kensington Capital Acquisition. Enric Asunción, CEO of Wallbox, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Cheddar is highlighting Flor de Maria Rivera and her eponymous shoe line Flor de Maria. She joined Cheddar’s "Closing Bell” to talk about her rise in the shoe industry and the cultural influences of her background that inspired various shoe designs. "If you stay consistent, if you work hard, you follow your dreams, if you work extremely hard, then you can pretty much accomplish anything you want," the entrepreneur and immigrant from Peru said.
The parcel delivery industry is getting more competitive as more companies enter the space with climate change in mind. Carl-Magnus Norden, founder and executive chairman at Volta Trucks, joined Cheddar to talk about electrifying delivery vehicles as well as the startup’s $44 million funding round. Despite ongoing driver shortages, he noted that he didn't see autonomous delivery being available in city settings within the next five years.
Several major carriers have followed in the steps of United Airlines and will now require its staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Those airlines include American, Jet Blue, and Alaskan.
