Check out this chart that shows how Apple lowballs its profit guidance, and then miraculously blows out expectations.
According to Business Insider, "Apple has topped its quarterly EPS guidance by an average 41%, and its revenue guidance by an average 9%" since Sept. 2006.
History suggests Apple should report EPS of about $4.85 on $19.6 billion of revenue. Wall Street expects lower earnings and revenue: Consensus stands at $4.06 of EPS on $18.86 billion of sales. So Apple is set up to once again "surprise."