(San Francisco)

Apple’s stock got hit in a big way last week as the company announced it would no longer announce unit sales of iPhones. The announcement was taken as a sign of weakening iPhone demand. An analyst summed it up this way, saying “Apple Reduces Disclosure; Typically Not a Good Sign”. The stock has fallen 10% since the announcement. The more positive view is that Apple wants investors to focus more on its earnings than on its unit sales, as earnings are ultimately what will drive the shares forward.

FINSUM: Apple’s shares often fall on earnings (8 out of the last 15 times), so the company has little to lose by eliminating unit sales. We think this is a smart move, especially as the iPhone transitions to being a highly saturated and mature product.