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is anticipated to report its fourth-quarter earnings after market close on Thursday, October 30, just days after reaching a $4 trillion market cap. Earlier this month, market research firm Counterpoint revealed that iPhone 17 sales rose by 14% in the U.S. and China during the first 10 days of its launch compared to the iPhone 16, amid the release of new versions of popular devices such as the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, AirPods, and Apple Watch. Despite these new product launches, the company’s primary revenue sources remain iPhones and services. Bank of America forecasts that Apple’s annual earnings could double over the next five years, fueled by its artificial intelligence strategy. Analysts have raised the company’s price target by $50 to $270 per share, highlighting its robust ecosystem and strong brand as key competitive advantages. Additionally, Apple’s share of global revenue is expected to increase from 53% to 65%, with product revenue projected to grow by $132 billion—$62 billion of which will come from iPhone sales. Key Highlights Apple (AAPL) could double its annual earnings over the next five years, according to a note from Bank of America published Wednesday, as the company’s artificial intelligence strategy is expected to drive growth in iPhone and services sales across key global markets. Research firm Counterpoint noted that iPhone 17 sales during the first 10 days in China and the United States surpassed those of the previous year’s iPhone 16 models by 14%. Analysts believe this momentum indicates strong demand for higher-end models, allowing Apple to sustain profitability despite ongoing softness in the broader smartphone market. Despite facing significant increases in U.S. import tariffs, reaching levels not seen in nearly a century during President Donald Trump’s administration. Apple is still anticipated to deliver stronger-than-expected results for the September quarter, driven by continued strong iPhone demand. Additionally, industry observers forecast more optimistic outlooks for the company’s current quarter as well. There is ongoing uncertainty surrounding Apple’s AI plans, especially following a slow rollout of its Apple Intelligence suite and the delay until next year for an AI-enhanced upgrade to Siri. Speculation has intensified over whether Apple is pursuing partnerships to bolster its AI presence, with reports indicating discussions with ChatGPT creator OpenAI and Google’s parent company, Alphabet. Analysts at Wells Fargo highlighted that Apple’s AI strategy remains a major focus, noting that the uncertain roadmap and the personalized Siri rollout have left investors concerned that the company may fall behind its competitors. Analysts Expectation UBS analysts maintain a Neutral rating and a $220 price target for AAPL. Their data shows wait times across 30 regions are mostly steady or slightly lower week-over-week, except for the Pro and Pro Max in the U.S., which increased by about 1 day. Year-over-year, wait times for the Pro Max are roughly 6 days higher overall, while Pro wait times are about 3 days higher in the U.S. and Europe. The Base model still has elevated wait times, around 18 days higher YoY, though the YoY increase in the U.S. has eased from 16 to 13 days, possibly indicating shifting demand. Bernstein SocGen Group analysts reaffirmed an Outperform rating and a $290 target for AAPL. They noted that the iPhone 17 launch was significantly stronger than recent launches, with September sell-through up 15% YoY and revenue up 10.8%, driven by volume growth across all regions, especially in Europe and Japan. Although average selling prices (ASP) declined YoY, they improved sequentially, partly due to the lower-priced iPhone 16e introduced in February 2025. BofA Securities analysts raised Apple’s (AAPL) price target to $320 from $270 while maintaining a Buy rating. They highlighted Apple’s strong ecosystem, brand, and large install base as key advantages. The analysts presented a five-year outlook, projecting growth in both product and service revenues, with potential new offerings driven by AI—such as AI-powered wearables, robots, and smart home devices—while acknowledging possible disruptions in search revenues. They increased their F25 revenue and EPS estimates to $418 billion and $7.41, respectively, and based their $320 price target on a 32x multiple of their C27E EPS of $9.88, reflecting confidence in Apple’s long-term prospects and AI influence. AAPL Q4 2025 earnings after-market (4:30 pm ET) Thursday October 30, 2025 Option Statistics Put/Call ratio suggests the following three scenarios: The put/call ratio ranges from 06972 to 0.312 across the next four expiries, signaling option traders are long Calls. Weak earnings or guidance could spark a sharp sell‑off. Stronger‑than‑expected results and guidance would likely produce a gradual rally. Options flow shows large net positive gamma at the 270 strike and a smaller net negative gamma at the 220 strike for the Oct‑2025 to Jan- 2028 expiries. Technical Analysis Perspective AAPL has formed a rounding pattern since the December ’24 high of 260. Price fell to 169 in April ’25, then rebounded to record 259 in September ’25. The stock cleared 260 last week and reached 274 today. A corrective pullback to retest the prior all-time high near 260 is probable after earnings. If the 260–258 support holds, a further rally to above 275 is likely. Weekly Candlestick Chart AAPL Seasonality Chart Since 2006, MSFT has seen October close with a 4.2% gain in 70% of years and November with a 2.0% gain in 58% of years. **** InvestingPro provides a comprehensive suite of tools designed to help investors make informed decisions in any market environment. These include: AI-managed stock market strategies re-evaluated monthly. 10 years of historical financial data for thousands of global stocks. A database of investor, billionaire, and hedge fund positions. And many other tools that help tens of thousands of investors outperform the market every day! Not a Pro member yet? Check out our plans here. Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only. It is not intended to encourage the purchase of assets in any way, nor does it constitute a solicitation, offer, recommendation or suggestion to invest. I would like to remind you that all assets are evaluated from multiple perspectives and are highly risky, so any investment decision and the associated risk belongs to the investor. We also do not provide any investment advisory services.
