Apple’s stock just pulled a full-on circus act, swinging from panic to euphoria within minutes after its earnings release.
At 4:30 PM ET, Apple ($AAPL) reported stronger-than-expected earnings and revealed a cash reserve of over $132 billion. Just a minute later, by 4:31 PM ET, the stock fell by 5%, shocking traders who were expecting a rally.
Then at 4:45 PM ET, it surged by 8% from its low, adding roughly $320 billion in market value and turning positive.
Apple’s results showed it’s still battling supply issues but managing to beat Wall Street’s expectations where it counts. CEO Tim Cook gave a bullish forecast for the holiday quarter, saying iPhone sales would grow by double digits year over year, while total revenue should rise 10–12%.
Analysts had estimated only 9.8% growth for iPhones and 6.6% for overall revenue. Those numbers put Apple ahead of consensus for its fiscal first quarter of 2026.
Apple faces supply strain and China delays
The company is racing to fulfill demand for the iPhone 17 lineup, which remains constrained even as orders pile up. Some models of the iPhone 16 are also facing delays, leaving Apple scrambling to meet demand heading into the holidays.
The backlog, however, didn’t stop profit from topping expectations. Strong performance from new AI-powered AirPods, which can translate languages in real time, helped balance the weaker iPhone numbers in the previous quarter.
Tim told Reuters that the delay in shipping new models to China was the main reason behind weaker sales there. He said the launch of the new iPhone Air, the thinnest device Apple has ever made and its biggest design change in years, was slowed by logistical setbacks.
“However, we’re very enthusiastic about China,” Tim said. “We love the response to the new products there, and we expect to grow or to return to growth in Q1.”
He added that supply limits are still a problem but one that comes from too much demand, not too little. “Currently in Q1, we’re experiencing supply constraints still on several models of the iPhone 17, and we’re filling orders just as fast as we can. It’s a good problem to have.”
AI, tariffs, and the investor gap
Among the Magnificent Seven tech giants, Apple’s stock gains have been slower this year as investors wait to see its big move in artificial intelligence.
The company has confirmed that major Siri upgrades are coming next year, with Cook saying the team is “making good progress” on those updates.
Natalie Hwang, founding managing partner of Apeira Capital, said, “The expectation of a strong holiday quarter gives Apple a runway to reaffirm demand, but it will be interesting to see how effectively it converts that momentum into a durable AI and infrastructure advantage.”
Still, Apple isn’t escaping the cost of doing business in Trump’s America. The company remains exposed to the U.S.–China trade war, and executives reported $1.1 billion in tariff-related costs last quarter.
Kevan Parekh, Apple’s Chief Financial Officer, said those costs could climb to $1.4 billion in the current quarter ending in December, pushing gross margins to 47–48%. Wall Street’s average estimate sits at 46.9%.
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