Apple Computer Inc says that based on preliminary information, it expects earnings for its fourth quarter ended September 30 to be slightly above $0.90 per share: it expects to report sales of about $2,500m for the quarter, results that are significantly higher than current estimates; during the fourth quarter demand was strong for its entry-level Power Macintosh and PowerBook notebook systems and it expects gross margins as a percentage of net sales for the quarter to be slightly above the 26.7% it reported for its third quarter, and operating expenses will be slightly less than 20% of net sales; and inventory levels at the end of the fourth quarter should be down from three months earlier.
