Core Insights - The company reported strong mid-year performance for FY2026, with revenue reaching $39.282 billion, a year-on-year increase of 18.0%, and net profit attributable to shareholders at $850 million, up 40.5% [1] IDG Segment - The IDG business generated $28.57 billion in revenue for FY2026H1, reflecting a 14.6% year-on-year growth, with operating profit increasing by 13% and an operating margin of 7.2% [1] - The global market share for the company increased by 1.8 percentage points to 25.6%, achieving a historical high, and it leads the global Windows AI PC market [1] - In China, AI laptops with five key features accounted for 30% of total shipments, with higher average selling prices and profit margins for high-end products [1] - The smartphone segment saw strong performance from high-end models like edge and razr, with new device activations reaching record highs [1] ISG Segment - The ISG business reported $8.38 billion in revenue for FY2026H1, a 29.6% year-on-year increase, driven by cloud and enterprise infrastructure [2] - AI server business benefited from global AI training and inference demand, achieving high double-digit year-on-year revenue growth [2] - The Neptune liquid cooling system showed impressive performance, with first-quarter revenue growing double digits and second-quarter revenue increasing by triple digits, supported by over 100 patents [2] SSG Segment - The SSG business achieved a record revenue of $4.81 billion for FY2026H1, up 18.9% year-on-year, with an operating margin of 22% [2] - Revenue from operational services and project solutions increased to 58.9% of SSG business, marking a historical high [2] - TruScale platform orders saw triple-digit year-on-year growth, driven by the success of Device as a Service (DaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) initiatives [2] Profit Forecast and Investment Rating - The company raised its net profit forecasts for FY2026-2028 to $1.87 billion, $2.09 billion, and $2.33 billion respectively, up from previous estimates [3] - The price-to-earnings ratios for FY2026, FY2027, and FY2028 are projected at 9.0, 8.1, and 7.2 times respectively, maintaining a "buy" rating [3]

Core Insights - Apple Inc. has laid off dozens of sales workers in the United States, marking a rare job cut for the company despite its record high revenues expected to reach close to $140 billion in the December quarter [1][4] - The layoffs are part of a strategy to streamline the sales workforce and eliminate overlapping responsibilities, with a shift towards third-party resellers for sales [5][6] - Affected employees include account managers for schools, government agencies, and major businesses, as well as staff at briefing centers for institutional meetings [3][12] Company Actions - Apple confirmed the job cuts and stated that the changes affect a small number of roles, while also continuing to hire for new positions [2][4] - Laid-off employees have until January 20 to secure another position within the company or will receive a severance package [4] - The layoffs included long-time managers and employees with 20 to 30 years of service, particularly impacting the government sales team [6][9] Industry Context - Apple typically relies less on layoffs compared to other tech companies, with CEO Tim Cook previously stating that layoffs are a "last resort" [9][10] - The technology sector has seen widespread layoffs, with companies like Amazon and Meta also announcing significant job cuts recently [11]

(Reuters) -Apple said on Monday it is cutting jobs across its ​sales teams to strengthen its customer engagement ‌efforts, noting that only a small number of roles will ‌be impacted by the layoffs. An Apple spokesperson told Reuters that the company is continuing to hire and the affected employees can apply for new roles. The impacted ⁠employees include account ‌managers serving major businesses, schools and government agencies, according to Bloomberg ‍News, which had reported the news earlier in the day ...

Core Viewpoint - Apple is streamlining its sales organization by cutting dozens of jobs to improve how it offers products to businesses, schools, and governments [1] Group 1 - The job cuts are part of a broader strategy to enhance efficiency in Apple's sales approach [1] - The affected positions are primarily within the sales organization, indicating a targeted reduction rather than a company-wide layoff [1] - This move reflects Apple's ongoing efforts to adapt to changing market demands and optimize its operations [1]

Earnings Reports Overview - The current earnings season is nearing its end, with notable companies reporting during the holiday-shortened week [1] - Retail investors are particularly focused on earnings reports from major companies [1] Company-Specific Earnings Reports - WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ:WRD) and LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:LX) reported before the market opened on November 24, both showing better-than-expected results, leading to stock price increases [2] - Zoom Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM) is expected to report third-quarter results after the market closes on November 24, with analysts predicting earnings of $1.44 per share and revenue of $1.21 billion [3] - Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:BABA) will release its Q2 earnings report before the market opens on November 25, with expectations of adjusted earnings of 81 cents per share and revenue of $34.43 billion [3] - Retailers Kohl's Corp. (NYSE:KSS) and Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE:BBY) are anticipated to provide insights into consumer behavior with their reports on November 25 [4] - Cleanspark Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK), Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL), and Zscaler Inc. (NASDAQ:ZS) are set to report after the market closes on November 25 [5] - Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ:LI) and EHang Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:EH) will report their results before the market opens on November 26, alongside Deere & Co. (NYSE:DE), which has consistently beaten analyst expectations for 12 consecutive quarters [6] Market Schedule - U.S. stock markets will be closed on November 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday [8] - The stock market will have an early closure at 1 p.m. ET on November 28 [9]

Apple has eliminated dozens of sales roles in a bid to streamline the way it offers products to businesses, schools and governments, marking a rare layoff for the iPhone maker. https://t.co/joBOBYcgEn ...

Apple Inc. has eliminated dozens of sales roles in a bid to streamline the way it offers products to businesses, schools and governments, marking a rare layoff for the iPhone maker. Most Read from Bloomberg Management notified the affected workers over the past couple of weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. The cuts extended across the sales organization — hitting some teams especially hard — though the company didn’t tell employees how many roles were involved. The affected jobs include ...

Core Insights - Apple's iPhone 17 series has seen a significant increase in sales in China, with October sales rising 37% year over year, despite a 4% decline in Greater China's net sales for fiscal 2025 [1][9] - The updated iPhone portfolio is expected to enhance overall iPhone sales, which are projected to reach $209.59 billion for fiscal 2025, accounting for approximately half of total sales [2] - Apple's Services and Mac businesses are also contributing positively to sales in China, with record Services sales reported for the September quarter [3] iPhone Sales Performance - iPhone sales for fiscal 2025 are expected to grow by 4.2% compared to fiscal 2024, reversing the flat growth seen in 2024 and the 2% decline in 2023 [2] - The company anticipates double-digit growth in iPhone sales for the December quarter, driven by new features in Apple Intelligence [4][9] Competitive Landscape - Apple is facing intense competition in the AI sector from companies like Alphabet and Microsoft, which are making significant advancements in AI integration and cloud solutions [5] - Microsoft's AI business has achieved a remarkable annual revenue run rate of over $13 billion, showcasing its strong position in the technology sector [6] Financial Performance and Valuation - Apple shares have returned 16.5% year to date, underperforming the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector, which has returned 23.8% [7][8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings is projected at $8.16 per share, indicating a 9.38% growth from fiscal 2025 [12] - Apple's stock is currently trading at a forward price/earnings ratio of 32.72X, which is higher than the sector average of 27.66X, suggesting it may be overvalued [14]

At one point, Apple accounted for more than half of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway’s entire investment portfolio. However, management has been trimming that position to free up cash and redirect capital into other businesses. Berkshire continued this trend in the third quarter, according to the company’s latest 13-F filing. The report, released in mid-November, outlined the firm’s equity holdings in U.S.-listed securities as of Sept. 30.Shares of the iPhone maker have gained 9% on a year-to-date (YTD) ...

Market Overview - The market is experiencing volatility with major indices showing mixed movements, including the Dow up about 0.21%, Nasdaq up about 1%, and S&P 500 up about 0.61% [1] - Bitcoin has seen a significant decline, down approximately 24% over the last two months, with a recent drop of about 6% in the past week [1][3] - The total capitalization of the crypto market has fallen by about 24% since its October peak, equating to over $1 trillion in value lost [1] Consumer Spending and Retail - The National Retail Federation anticipates that consumers will spend over $1 trillion this holiday season, marking a strong consumer sentiment [2] - Recent retail earnings reports have shown mixed results, with companies like Gap and TJ Maxx performing well, while Home Depot's results were less favorable [2] - High-income consumers are driving spending, while low-income consumers remain under pressure [2] AI and Technology Sector - Goldman Sachs suggests that the narrative around AI capital expenditures (capex) is crucial for market stability, with expectations of continued growth in technology demand [2][3] - Nvidia's recent performance is seen as a key indicator for the tech sector, with any weakness potentially impacting broader market sentiment [2][3] Cryptocurrency Insights - Institutional investors are currently sidelined, with Bitcoin ETF outflows reaching $3.5 billion in November, the largest since February [4] - The correlation between Bitcoin and the NASDAQ suggests that stabilization in crypto prices may be necessary for broader market recovery [5][6] - Analysts express caution regarding a V-shaped recovery for Bitcoin, citing the need for more dovish Fed commentary and institutional participation [4][5] Company-Specific Developments - Moderna has faced significant stock price declines, down 43% this year, and is currently the most shorted stock in the S&P 500, with 20% of shares shorted [28][30] - Pfizer is diversifying its business into weight loss drugs and other areas, contrasting with Moderna's struggles to adapt post-COVID vaccine demand [29][30] - Analysts highlight the need for Moderna to diversify its product offerings beyond COVID vaccines to regain investor confidence [31][35]