Apple Reports Record Earnings, Growth Momentum Strong
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1h ago
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Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: Fool
- Strong Performance: In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Apple reported revenue exceeding $143 billion, a 16% year-over-year increase, with diluted earnings per share rising 19% to $2.84, both reaching record highs and demonstrating the company's sustained competitiveness in the market.
- Robust iPhone Demand: The latest quarter saw iPhone demand described as 'staggering,' not only reinforcing Apple's leadership in the smartphone market but also indicating that the appeal of its product updates remains strong.
- User Base Expansion: In China, Apple's 'switchers' saw double-digit growth this quarter, indicating that the company is expanding its user base in a key market, thus providing momentum for future growth.
- Tariff Risk Eliminated: The exemption from heavy import tariffs due to Apple's investment in U.S. manufacturing has alleviated investor concerns, potentially supporting the stock price and attracting more investor interest in this tech giant.
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Analyst Views on AAPL
Wall Street analysts forecast AAPL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AAPL is 299.69 USD with a low forecast of 230.00 USD and a high forecast of 350.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
32 Analyst Rating
19 Buy
11 Hold
2 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 270.010
Low
230.00
Averages
299.69
High
350.00
Current: 270.010
Low
230.00
Averages
299.69
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, and Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its software platforms include iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS. 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 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.
- Significant Sales Growth: Apple reported a 23% year-over-year increase in iPhone sales for Q1 2026, reflecting sustained market demand for its products despite facing supply chain constraints.
- Service Revenue Boost: Services revenue rose by 16%, with a gross margin of 76.5%, indicating Apple's success in its services business, which further enhances the company's overall profitability.
- Increased Cost Pressure: CEO Tim Cook noted that memory costs are rising significantly, which could exert short-term pressure on Apple's margins, although the gross margin for Q1 was 48.2%, exceeding expectations.
- Cautious Future Outlook: While management did not provide full-year guidance, the implication is that there may be near-term pressures, prompting investors to monitor how supply constraints could impact Apple's margins for informed investment decisions.
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- Profit Warning: PayPal warned that its adjusted profits for 2026 could see a low-single-digit percentage decline, leading to a more than 20% drop in stock price by the close of trading, indicating severe market challenges ahead.
- Lackluster Growth: In the fourth quarter, revenue grew only 4% year-over-year to $8.7 billion, with active accounts increasing just 1% to 439 million and payment transactions rising 2% to 6.8 billion, failing to meet growth expectations and impacting investor confidence.
- Intensifying Competition: PayPal faces fierce competition from tech giants like Apple and Google, who pose formidable threats with their technical expertise and large user bases, further exacerbating market pressures on PayPal's business model.
- Executive Change: To tackle these challenges, PayPal's board decided to replace outgoing CEO Alex Chriss with Enrique Lores, former CEO of HP, who will take over on March 1, aiming to leverage his leadership experience to drive the company's transformation.
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- Japanese Market Decline: The Nikkei 225 fell by 1.2% and the Topix declined by 0.39%, reflecting investor concerns over the sell-off in U.S. tech stocks, which may increase pressure on Japanese export companies.
- Australian Market Slightly Lower: The S&P/ASX 200 index dropped by 0.22%, indicating uncertainty in the market regarding global economic prospects, particularly in light of poor tech stock performance.
- Mixed Performance in South Korea: While the Kospi index rose by 0.4% and the small-cap Kosdaq gained 1.01%, overall market sentiment remains influenced by fluctuations in the U.S. market, showcasing investor caution.
- Hong Kong Hang Seng Futures Decline: Hang Seng index futures were at 26,590, lower than the benchmark's 26,834.77, suggesting a lack of confidence in future economic recovery, which may affect investor decisions.
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- Strong Performance: In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Apple reported revenue exceeding $143 billion, a 16% year-over-year increase, with diluted earnings per share rising 19% to $2.84, both reaching record highs and demonstrating the company's sustained competitiveness in the market.
- Robust iPhone Demand: The latest quarter saw iPhone demand described as 'staggering,' not only reinforcing Apple's leadership in the smartphone market but also indicating that the appeal of its product updates remains strong.
- User Base Expansion: In China, Apple's 'switchers' saw double-digit growth this quarter, indicating that the company is expanding its user base in a key market, thus providing momentum for future growth.
- Tariff Risk Eliminated: The exemption from heavy import tariffs due to Apple's investment in U.S. manufacturing has alleviated investor concerns, potentially supporting the stock price and attracting more investor interest in this tech giant.
See More

- Acquisition Talks: Texas Instruments is in advanced discussions to acquire Silicon Laboratories.
- Silicon Laboratories Overview: Silicon Laboratories specializes in mixed-signal chips for smart homes, industrial automation, and commercial applications.
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Netflix's revenue surged 16% year-over-year to $45 billion in 2025, with global subscribers surpassing 325 million, showcasing the company's robust performance amidst fierce competition, even as its stock price fell 10% since the beginning of 2025.
- Emerging Advertising Business: The nascent advertising segment contributed approximately 3% to total revenue in 2025, further driving paid membership revenue growth, indicating significant progress in diversifying revenue streams for the company.
- Operating Margin Expansion: Despite competitive pressures, Netflix's operating margin increased from 26.7% in 2024 to 29.5% in 2025, with expectations to expand further to 31.5% in 2026, reflecting ongoing improvements in cost management and profitability.
- Intensifying Market Competition: Management highlighted an
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