During this earnings season, results released by three major technology companies-Apple, Amazon and Intel-revealed the resilience and challenges of the technology industry.From Apple's iPhone-driven growth to Amazon's cloud computing expansion to Intel's restructuring efforts, these reports show key trends that may affect market sentiment.

Apple: iPhone performs strongly

Apple's earnings per share (EPS) in the fourth quarter were $1.64, beating the forecast of $1.60, and revenue rose 6% year-on-year to $94.93 billion.It is worth noting that Apple faces $10.2 billion in tax expenses in Europe, resulting in a year-on-year decline in net profit.

Apple's flagship product, the iPhone, remains the main source of revenue, contributing $46.22 billion in revenue, reflecting early strong demand for the iPhone 16.However, revenue from the Mac and iPad divisions fell short of expectations, indicating the volatile demand for non-iPhone products.

Although Apple undertook a US$29 billion share buyback in an effort to increase shareholder value, it faced pressure to re-compete in the China market, and revenue from the region fell to US$15.03 billion in the fourth quarter.

Amazon: Cloud computing and advertising drive growth

Amazon delivered strong results in the third quarter, with an EPS of $1.43, exceeding expectations of $1.14, and revenue reaching $158.88 billion.Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains the main source of revenue, with revenue of $27.4 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19%, recovering from a slowdown in growth last year due to economic concerns.However, AWS's growth still lags behind Microsoft's Azure and Google Cloud, two companies that are growing rapidly.

Amazon's advertising business performed well, growing 19% to $14.3 billion, highlighting the company's diversification beyond e-commerce.Although the company's forecast for fourth-quarter revenue was between $181.5 billion and $188.5 billion, slightly below analyst expectations, CEO Andy Jassy's aggressive cost-cutting and layoffs are improving profitability.

Intel: Stock price unexpectedly rose 15%

Intel's share price unexpectedly rose 15% after its third-quarter earnings report.The company's revenue reached US$13.28 billion, slightly higher than expectations, but fell 6% year-on-year, and the net loss reached US$16.99 billion.The company has set aside a total of $18.7 billion in restructuring and impairment charges as it plans to adjust in competition and internal restructuring.

In data centers and artificial intelligence, Intel's revenue grew 9% to $3.35 billion, mainly due to the launch of new Xeon processors and AI accelerators.Intel is about to spin off its foundry business and seek outside investment, signaling it is making changes to cope with the decline in market share of traditional chips.

summary

These earnings reports reflect the coexistence of growth and caution faced by technology giants.Apple and Amazon remain strong but face competitive and regulatory challenges, while Intel is making slow progress in recovery despite proactive measures.