SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) – Apple Computer Inc. said Wednesday its fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose 27 percent, well past analyst expectations, boosted by sizzling sales of its iPod music players and Macintosh computers.

Apple earned $546 million in the quarter ended Sept. 30, or 62 cents per share. That compared with net income of $430 million, 50 cents per share, in the same period last year.

Revenue for the quarter totaled $4.84 billion, a 32 percent jump from $3.68 billion last year.

The average estimate by analysts was for earnings of 51 cents per share on sales of $4.66 billion, according to Thomson Financial.

Apple’s iPod-iTunes juggernaut has helped the company reap record profits in recent years, but some of the earnings might be eroded when Apple later restates some quarterly earnings due to earlier mishandling of stock options accounting.

The modified results could lead to a “significant adjustment,” Apple stated Wednesday.