In my last article on Goldman Sachs ( GS ), I analyzed the company’s third-quarter results and evaluated whether the company is benefiting from a favorable macro backdrop regarding both dealmaking and wealthAn independent investor in the Indian and US equity markets with a CFA Charter and a PhD in Finance from University of Durham, U.K. I hold an Honorary Associate Professor in Finance and Corporate Governance title at Brunel University London. I have a YouTube and a Podcast channel, titled The Stock Doctor ...

Core Viewpoint - JPMorgan raised its price target on Apple to $315 from $305 while maintaining an Overweight rating, indicating an improving risk-reward profile ahead of upcoming earnings [1] Group 1: Stock Performance and Market Context - Apple shares underperformed the S&P 500 over the prior two months, falling 13% compared to a 1% gain for the broader index, reflecting investor concerns about gross margin pressure and potential price elasticity risks for iPhone demand [2] - Despite the underperformance, positive indicators suggest strong demand for the iPhone 17 [2] Group 2: Earnings Expectations - JPMorgan anticipates a constructive setup heading into Apple's fiscal first-quarter 2026 results, with the stock trading at approximately 30 times next-twelve-month earnings, below historical peaks observed during major iPhone product cycles [3] - iPhone revenue is expected to exceed consensus forecasts, with projected 16% year-over-year growth, marking the strongest iPhone revenue expansion since September 2021 [4] Group 3: Services and Margin Outlook - For Services, JPMorgan projects App Store revenue growth of about 7% year-over-year in fiscal Q1, below Apple's overall Services growth guidance of roughly 14%, but notes that Apple has multiple non-App Store levers to support Services growth [4] - Limited margin pressure from higher memory costs is anticipated due to Apple's long-term supply contracts and scale advantages, which typically provide more favorable component pricing [5] Group 4: Revenue and Earnings Forecast - JPMorgan forecasts a modest revenue beat and a stronger earnings beat in fiscal Q1, with a fiscal Q2 outlook calling for 10%–12% revenue growth [6] - The higher price target reflects increased earnings power and a valuation multiple more consistent with historical peaks ahead of major product cycles later in the year [6]

While the artificial intelligence boom has continued to gather momentum in the United States and China, Europe's strengthening role in AI markets may be undervalued by investors, opening the door to fresh investment opportunities in the new year. In recent years, AI's share of total European venture capital has grown to 27% as the world continues to wake up to the continent's strong range of artificial intelligence talent. According to a recent report, the past five years have seen the United States allocat ...

Markets will receive quarterly reports from two of the top software and hardware companies this week resptively, with Microsoft (MSFT)  set to release results for its fiscal second quarter on Wednesday, January 28, and Apple (AAPL)  reporting results for its fiscal first quarter on Thursday, January 29.Microsoft’s standout software successes are overwhelmingly in cloud infrastructure and AI-optimized services with respect to its Azure Cloud Platform, enterprise support services, and Microsoft 365 office app ...

And right now we are 2 minutes away from the end of the trading day. Romaine Bostick you're alongside Katie Greipel taking you through to that closing bell with the global simulcast. It starts right now.Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec there. Join us right now as we welcome our audiences across all of our Bloomberg platforms, including television, radio, our partnership with YouTube, the calm after the storm, Carol Massar literally and figuratively when it comes to financial markets right now as we await a ver ...

Core Viewpoint - The upcoming earnings report for Apple is anticipated with cautious optimism, as the stock has underperformed recently, but expectations for iPhone growth remain high at nearly 14% [2] Financial Performance - Apple's stock has underperformed year-to-date and last year, but consensus expectations for iPhone growth are reasonably high [2] - The guidance for the second half of the year is a concern, particularly regarding rising component costs, which may affect margins [3] - Strong unit sales are expected, driven primarily by Pro and Pro Max models, leading to higher average selling prices (ASPs) [5][6] Product Insights - The new iPhone Air is not expected to be a significant driver for the quarter, with strong sales anticipated from Pro models instead [5][6] - There are concerns about the potential need for a price increase on the iPhone due to rising component costs, which could impact demand [3] AI and Technology Integration - Key questions revolve around how Apple will monetize AI and integrate it with existing technologies, particularly Siri [7][9] - There is skepticism about consumer interest in paying for AI features, but deeper integration could enhance the indispensability of Apple's technology [13] - The ability to drive a hardware upgrade cycle through AI integration is a critical focus for the company [10][12] Market Expectations - Current growth expectations for iPhone sales are considered lofty for a mature business, and a reduction in these expectations or a lower valuation could change market sentiment [15] - Apple's current trading valuation is approximately 22 times EBITDA, which is higher than historical averages, indicating a need for lower expectations or pricing to attract investment [15][16]

Trade risk rises as earnings loom for mega capsTariff Anxiety Returns to the TapeRenewed fears around a potential Canada-China deal are reviving concerns about additional U.S. tariffs. The issue is not confirmed policy, but positioning, markets remain sensitive to anything that reopens the trade front just as growth expectations stabilize. Even incremental headlines are enough to reprice risk across globally exposed sectors.The sequencing matters. Trade narratives tend to surface when markets are extended, ...

Key Takeaways America's heavy-hitting "Magnificent 7†stocks have driven years of market gains. That may not continue to be the case. This year has started with a mixed showing from the grouping of some of America's biggest tech stocks, which accounted for over 40% of the S&P 500's roughly 18% total return in 2025. Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) is up some 5% since 2026 began, while Amazon (AMZN) is up about 4%. Tesla (TSLA), Meta (Meta), and Nvidia (NVDA) are little changed. Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL ...

We kick off a new week of trading with a week of marquee earnings reports from several members of the “Magnificent 7,” including Apple (AAPL) , Microsoft (MSFT) , Meta Platforms (META)  and Tesla (TSLA) , among many others. We also have a new Fed meeting starting tomorrow and delivering an update of monetary policy Wednesday afternoon, which is almost certainly going to bring about no change from its current range of 3.50-3.75%.Durable Goods Orders Stronger for NovemberThis morning, we see a continuing curr ...

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock has been a real drag on the Magnificent Seven in the past quarter. ...