In a note to clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) -- Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty says a recent spike in spending by Apple suggests the company is set to deliver a record quarter of at least US$56.4 billion in revenue this holiday season.

Excluding retail stores, Apple expects to spend US$7.2 billion on capital expenditures in its 2012 fiscal year, which implies over $3 billion in capital outlay for the remainder of the company's fiscal year, she says. Huberty thinks Apple is buying tools and machinery for new production processes, as well as added capacity at its suppliers, for products such as the next gen iPhone and rumored iPad mini.