Analyst Upgrades Apple Stock Before Earnings

Core Viewpoint - Apple Inc is set to report its first-quarter earnings on May 2, with the stock experiencing a rally ahead of the event due to an upgrade from Bernstein and rumors of AI technology integration [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - Apple shares are up 3% to $174.32, marking a potential fifth win in the last six sessions after bouncing off this year's lows around $164 [1] - Despite the recent rally, Apple stock has a year-to-date deficit of 9.4% [1] Group 2: Options Trading - Options traders remain bullish, with a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.12, higher than 96% of readings from the past year [2] - Historically, Apple stock has shown mixed results in post-earnings sessions, finishing four of the last eight sessions lower, including the last three reports [2] - The average post-earnings swing for Apple is 3.4%, but current options pricing indicates a larger expected move of 5.7% [2]