US computer and electronics firm Apple has announced record first-quarter profits, helped by strong sales of its iPod music players.
Apple said net income in the fiscal first quarter was $565m, compared with $255m a year ago.
Revenues rose 64 per cent to $5.75bn, up from $3.49bn in the year-ago quarter. Analysts had expected revenue to reach $4.7bn.
During the last three months of 2005 Apple sold 14 million iPods, a year-on-year rise of 207 per cent.
"We are thrilled to report the best quarter in Apple's history," said chief executive Steve Jobs.
"Two highlights of an incredible quarter were selling 14 million iPods and getting ready to launch our new Macs with Intel processors five to six months ahead of expectations.
"We are working on more wonderful products for 2006, and I can't wait to see what our customers think of them."
Apple said it shipped 1.25 million Macintosh computers during the quarter.
"We're very pleased to report year-over-year revenue growth of 65 per cent and net income that was nearly twice the year-ago level," added chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer.
Looking ahead, Apple said it is targeting revenue of about $4.3bn for the second quarter of fiscal 2006.
But despite the company's good news, shares in the firm fell by 2.6 per cent to close at $82.49 on the New York Stock Exchange.
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