Apple (AAPL) Forecasts Best Holiday Quarter Ever With Double-Digit iPhone and Services Growth

Group 1 - Apple Inc. is considered one of the best long-term stocks to buy according to D. E. Shaw, with UBS maintaining a Neutral rating and increasing the price target from $220 to $280 following the quarterly results [1] - Despite challenging year-over-year comparisons, Apple exceeded earnings expectations, although iPhone revenue was significantly lower compared to the previous quarter [1] - For the holiday quarter, Apple's CFO anticipates total revenue growth of 10-12% year-over-year, with iPhone sales expected to expand by double digits, potentially making it "the best quarter ever" [2] Group 2 - Apple reported a gross margin of 47%-48%, which is an increase of 30 basis points quarter-over-quarter, attributed to a favorable product mix and reduced China tariffs from 20% to 10% [3] - The Services division is expected to grow by approximately 14% during the same period [2]