Tension at Apple: Fourth Quarter Figures in Focus

The stock market is focusing on Apple, the world's largest company by market capitalization, as the American technology company is on the verge of releasing its financial figures for the fourth quarter. These figures, which cover the period until September 30, also include the first two weeks of sales of the new iPhone 16. Currently, Apple is recording a stock price of $230.40 (approximately 210 euros), representing a decline of about 1.4 percent. Particularly significant for investors is the outlook for the upcoming months, which traditionally constitute Apple's strongest quarter due to high demand during the pre-Christmas season. Central to analysts' observations is whether Apple's investments in Artificial Intelligence can drive demand or if consumers will rather hold off. The company recently introduced its first "Apple Intelligence" features. However, the core functions for the iPhone are expected only next year. Bank of America advises focusing on the impact of "Apple Intelligence" rather than solely on the current sales figures of the iPhone 16. Analyst Wasmi Mohan expects that demand for iPhones will increase as AI features are progressively released and that Apple could sell 80 million iPhones during the holiday season. He emphasizes that the average selling prices are rising due to the popularity of the more expensive Pro models. Apple was given a "Buy" rating and a price target of $256 by Bank of America. Meanwhile, JPMorgan predicts strong results for the fourth quarter but expects weaker-than-anticipated forecasts for the critical holiday quarter.