Apple Stock Falls After iPhone 15 Launch
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Disappointing Launch
The long-awaited iPhone 15 launch by Apple left investors disappointed, and Wall Street doesn’t seem enthused either.
New iPhone Models
The world’s most valuable company unveiled its new iPhone models on Tuesday, and things went pretty much as expected. The one surprise was the lack of a price increase for the iPhone Pro, largely expected by analysts, although Apple did hike the starting price for Pro Max by $100.
Stock Performance
Shares of Apple (ticker: AAPL), which fell 1.7% to $176.30 on Tuesday, have historically climbed an average of 5% in the three months following an iPhone release. In premarket trading on Wednesday, Apple fell 0.4% to $176.66.
Analyst Outlook
D.A. Davidson analyst Tom Forte doesn’t see Apple’s share price rising this time around. He noted that company management was guiding for revenue to decline in the September quarter despite the iPhone 15 release. He also cited the potential for lackluster sales in China. Forte reiterated a Neutral rating and a price target of $180 on the stock.
KeyBanc analysts, led by John Vinh, also saw the product launch as slightly negative for the stock, but maintained an Overweight rating and a $200 price target.
Evercore ISI analysts viewed the event as mildly disappointing and stated that a price increase for the Pro would’ve helped offset the impacts of Huawei’s recently launched new smartphone.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, on the other hand, saw the lack of a price increase for the iPhone 15 Pro as a surprise but viewed the hike for the Pro Max as a smart strategic move. He expects a greater proportion of consumers to shift towards the Pro models, which would be a major tailwind for the company’s average selling price. Ives maintained an Outperform rating on the stock with a $230 price target.
Overall, opinions on the product launch and its impact on Apple’s stock were mixed.
Conclusion
Despite the mixed reactions, Apple remains optimistic about the iPhone 15 and its potential to drive sales during the holiday season. Only time will tell whether the new models will live up to expectations.
Written by Callum Keown
