Apple(US:AAPL) Huan Qiu Wang·2026-01-25 01:37Group 1 - The core focus of Wall Street is whether Apple is a buy ahead of its earnings report on January 29, despite a recent shift in market preference towards cyclical sectors and small-cap stocks, which has cooled tech stocks [1][3] - As of the latest market close, Apple's stock price is $248.04, down 0.12% for the day and nearly 4% for the week, reflecting a 13.8% decline from its December high of approximately $288 [3] - The market is reassessing the high valuations of major companies, with Morgan Stanley reporting that the median P/E ratio for the S&P 500 is 19 times, while the market-cap weighted index is at 22 times, indicating a significant valuation premium for the largest companies [3] Group 2 - Evercore upgraded Apple's rating to "outperform" ahead of the fourth-quarter earnings report, highlighting the resilience of iPhone demand, with a 28% year-over-year increase in shipments during the holiday season, particularly in China [4] - Goldman Sachs maintained a "buy" rating and suggested buying before the January 29 earnings report, setting a target price of $320 and projecting Apple’s quarterly revenue at approximately $137.4 billion, an 11% year-over-year increase, driven by sales growth and higher average selling prices [4] - The demand for the iPhone 17 series is expected to outperform previous models, and the upcoming foldable iPhone is anticipated to enhance Apple's product release cadence, solidifying the iPhone's position as a preferred hardware entry point in the AI era [4]