Apple on Monday reported a 33-percent rise in its quarterly profit, lifted by strong sales of its iPhones and a jump in revenue from China. During the fiscal 2015 second quarter ended March 28, 2015, Apple posted quarterly revenue of $58 billion and quarterly net profit of $13.6 billion, or $2.33 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $45.6 billion and net profit of $10.2 billion, or $1.66 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 40.8 percent compared to 39.3 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 69 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

The growth was fueled by record second quarter sales of iPhone and Mac and all-time record performance of the App Store.

"We are thrilled by the continued strength of iPhone, Mac and the App Store, which drove our best March quarter results ever," said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. "We’re seeing a higher rate of people switching to iPhone than we’ve experienced in previous cycles, and we’re off to an exciting start to the June quarter with the launch of Apple Watch."

Booming demand for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is putting Apple on pace for its highest annual profit since 2012. The company sold 61.2 million iPhones in the quarter, up 40 percent from the year-ago quarter, but down from the record-breaking holiday quarter. Total revenue from greater China surged 71 percent to $16.8 billion. It also sold 12.6 million iPads, down 23 percent from a year ago.

The company also forecast sales in the current period that may exceed analysts’ estimates. Apple forecast the momentum will continue in the third quarter, with revenue projected to rise to $46 billion to $48 billion from $37.4 billion a year ago. Gross margins will be 38.5 percent to 39.5 percent, compared with 39.4 percent a year earlier.

Apple also said that it is working to get its Watch supply and demand in balance by the end of the current quarter.

The company will pay a quarterly dividend of 52 cents a share on May 14 to shareholders of record at the close of business May 11. Apple returned more than $112 billion to investors from August 2012 to March 2015, the company said.