Apple Rises 20% in a Year: Is There More Room for the Stock to Grow?

Core Insights - Apple shares have appreciated 19.6% over the past 12 months, largely due to the positive reception of the iPhone 17 launch, which saw a 17% increase in share price since its introduction on September 9 [1][10] - The iPhone 17 series has outperformed the iPhone 16 series by 14% in its first 10 days of availability in China and the U.S. [1] - Apple is experiencing growth in its services segment, driven by an expanding base of installed devices and a growing games portfolio [7][10] iPhone Sales Performance - iPhone sales increased by 6.1% year over year to $49.03 billion, accounting for 47.8% of total sales in Q4 fiscal 2025 [3] - For fiscal 2025, iPhone sales reached $209.59 billion, representing approximately 50% of total sales of $416.16 billion, with a 4.2% increase from fiscal 2024 [3] - Apple anticipates double-digit growth in iPhone sales for the December quarter, although the iPhone Air has not met sales expectations [4] Mac and iPad Developments - Apple launched new Mac and iPad models featuring the M5 chip, which significantly enhances AI performance [5] - Mac and iPad contributed 8.1% and 6.7% to fiscal 2025 net sales, with year-over-year increases of 12.4% and 5%, respectively [6] - The company faces strong competition in the PC market from Lenovo, Dell, and HP [6] Services Segment Growth - The Services segment benefits from a growing user base and an expanding games portfolio, with Apple Arcade offering over 200 games [7] - Apple TV+ achieved a record 22 Emmy wins and 81 nominations, enhancing its visibility and appeal [8] Stock Performance and Valuation - Apple shares closed at $272.95, near a 52-week high, and are trading above key moving averages, indicating a bullish trend [15][16] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q1 fiscal 2026 earnings has risen by 7.8% to $2.62 per share, reflecting a 9.17% growth from the previous year [18] - The forward price/sales ratio for Apple is 8.96X, indicating a stretched valuation compared to the sector average of 6.85X [20]