hanks to Sayhey for analysis of the number of new stores during 2005: Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer has said Apple will have at 125 at year’s end, or 24 more store than right now. But this may understate Apple’s plans, in order to later surpass expectations, Sayhey says. The company is already advertising for employees to work at 24 new stores–that means we know all 24 new stores that Oppenheimer forecast for fiscal 2005, but with three missing international locations. So, if Oppenheimer is correct, it appears Apple will have at least 127 new stores by the end of fiscal 2005. Also, it usually takes from three to six months from posting of jobs to the grand opening of a store. Unless Apple slows down its store development considerably, we’ll see 125 stores open by July or early August. Lastly, in previous years a flood of store openings has occurred just before the holiday buying season, preceded by a flurry of job listings posted from May through August. If we are to believe Oppenheimer’s forecast, Sayhey notes, there will be no new job postings beyond what we already know, creating a huge slow down in Apple’s retail effort–just as it’s all exploding in success. "I think not," Sayhey says. He forecasts 140 plus Apple stores open by year’s end.

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