Apple Earnings Preview: AI Focus and Sales Growth
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 30 2026
0mins
Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: stocktwits
- Cautious Earnings Outlook: Gene Munster from Deepwater Asset Management expressed modest expectations for Apple's upcoming earnings report, emphasizing that he will closely monitor incoming CEO John Ternus's comments on AI, as successful innovation could elevate AAPL's valuation multiple.
- Sales Growth Forecast: Munster anticipates a 22% increase in iPhone sales for Q2, surpassing Wall Street's 20% estimate, and expects Q3 sales growth guidance of 10% to 12%, exceeding the Street's 9% forecast, driven by strong demand from China.
- Margin Concerns: Munster expects Apple to discuss a 50 basis point quarter-over-quarter decline in margins in the second half of the year due to high demand from AI data centers, while the Street anticipates an 80 basis point drop, highlighting the impact of component availability on profitability.
- Retail Sentiment Shift: On Stocktwits, retail sentiment towards AAPL shifted from bearish to neutral, with some users speculating that the stock could reach $300 if the earnings forecast is positive, indicating heightened market anticipation for the upcoming report.
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Analyst Views on AAPL
Wall Street analysts forecast AAPL stock price to rise
27 Analyst Rating
17 Buy
9 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 287.440
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 287.440
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
About AAPL
Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. Its product categories include iPhone, Mac, iPad, Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its services include advertising, AppleCare, cloud services, digital content, and payment services. The Company operates various platforms, including the App Store, that allow customers to discover and download applications and digital content, such as books, music, video, games and podcasts. It also offers digital content through subscription-based services, including Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV+. Its wearables include smartwatches, wireless headphones, and spatial computers. Its products include iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone SE, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro, iPad Pro, iPad Air, AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Margin Pressure: The company targets a full-year adjusted EBITDA margin of 40%, yet reported only 30% in Q1, necessitating substantial revenue growth or aggressive cost control in the second half, with management failing to provide a clear strategy, thus increasing market uncertainty.
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- Vulnerability Detection Capabilities: While Mythos's capabilities have garnered widespread attention, cybersecurity experts note that existing models, including earlier versions from OpenAI, can also identify similar vulnerabilities, indicating that AI's application in cybersecurity is not new and has intensified industry panic.
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