Apple's stunning first quarter of fiscal 2015 blew virtually every prediction out of the water, and left Wall Street analysts rushing to increase their price targets on Wednesday as the stock jumped higher.
If Apple can build enough units to satisfy consumer demand, it could sell as many as 67 million iPhones this quarter, crushing the company's previous all-time sales record, according to a new survey conducted by Morgan Stanley.
Morgan Stanley joins a number of other investment firms that have raised their price targets on shares of Apple stock this week, reflecting significant gains posted by the company heading into the holiday shopping season and in anticipation of next year's debut of the Apple Watch.
The average selling price of tablets continues to drop, according to the latest research from IDC, as sales growth in the tablet market is reportedly being driven by low-end, low-cost devices, just as Apple has entered the sub-$250 market with the first-generation iPad mini.
Though Apple Pay isn't even available to consumers yet, investment firm Morgan Stanley expects that Apple's mobile wallet service will become the industry standard and help drive wider adoption of NFC-based payment systems.
With the redesigned iPhone 6 expected to set new sales records this holiday season, the impending launch of the Apple Pay mobile wallet service expected to catch on with consumers, and next year's debut of the Apple Watch, analysts on Wall Street were largely satisfied with Apple's announcements this week.
Apple is on the verge of a major new iPhone product cycle, but this one will be unlike any other launch before it, making it an ideal time for investors to buy in to the company's stock, Morgan Stanley said on Tuesday, helping shares to touch $100 in mid-day trading.
The data in Apple's recently released 10-Q filing reveals the company has invested heavily in manufacturing and component purchases as it gears up for a series of highly anticipated major product launches this fall, including a next-generation iPhone and anticipated "iWatch."
Strong customer loyalty for Apple's iPhone is predicted by Morgan Stanley to drive a so-called "halo effect" for sales of the company's rumored "iWatch," prompting the investment firm on Monday to increase its price target for AAPL stock to $110.
Continued strong demand for Apple's iPhone has the hot selling handset on pace to set yet another record in the current June quarter, the latest data from Morgan Stanley's AlphaWise survey has found.
Though shares of Apple have been trending upward lately, institutional investors — including hedge funds, banks, mutual funds and other powerful types of financial institutions — have not yet bought in, suggesting that when they do, AAPL stock could move much higher.
While prognosticators have given failed forecasts for years predicting Apple will add near-field communications technology to the iPhone for touch-less mobile payments, investment firm Morgan Stanley offered the same prediction on Tuesday, suggesting that NFC will be a key part of the company's so-called "iWallet."
Suppliers in the Far East gearing up for Apple's "iPhone 6" are reportedly anticipating 20 percent growth from last year's iPhone 5s launch, setting the stage for the biggest iPhone debut yet.
Apple might add as much as 30 percent to its U.S. iPhone sales if the company were to release an updated model with a larger 5-inch display, new survey data released Wednesday indicates.
Apple's second-quarter earnings report was packed with surprises that delighted investors on Wall Street, prompting some analysts to respond by raising their price targets for the iPhone maker's stock.
A pair of investment firms believe casing supplier Catcher has secured a sizable chunk of Apple's anticipated "iPhone 6" metal casing orders, as the company lines up suppliers for a handset launch later this year.
A strong recommendation for Apple stock was pushed by investment firm Morgan Stanley on Thursday, which said now is the right time to invest due to low institutional ownership, resilient iPhone sales, and anticipated upcoming product launches.
Demand for Apple's iPhone has been higher than expected in the first quarter of calendar 2014, thanks in part to new smartphone promotions by U.S. wireless carriers, new tracking data reveals.
Institutional ownership of large-cap stocks is currently at high levels, but there is one glaring exception to that trend: Apple, which is currently at a five-year low among hedge funds, banks, mutual funds, and other powerful types of financial institutions.
While research firms Gartner and IDC have very different projections on how Apple's Mac lineup performed in the holiday quarter, both sides can agree on one thing: PC shipments continued to shrink over the holidays, as consumers once again opted for tablets over traditional computers.
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Neil Hughes
AppleInsider Staff
