Stock Analysis

Analysts Are Updating Their Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Estimates After Its Full-Year Results

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NasdaqGS:AAPL

Last week, you might have seen that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) released its annual result to the market. The early response was not positive, with shares down 3.7% to US$223 in the past week. Results were roughly in line with estimates, with revenues of US$391b and statutory earnings per share of US$6.08. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year.

View our latest analysis for Apple

NasdaqGS:AAPL Earnings and Revenue Growth November 2nd 2024

Taking into account the latest results, the consensus forecast from Apple's 32 analysts is for revenues of US$414.8b in 2025. This reflects a modest 6.1% improvement in revenue compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to climb 19% to US$7.40. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of US$420.0b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$7.40 in 2025. The consensus analysts don't seem to have seen anything in these results that would have changed their view on the business, given there's been no major change to their estimates.

The analysts reconfirmed their price target of US$242, showing that the business is executing well and in line with expectations. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Apple at US$300 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$184. There are definitely some different views on the stock, but the range of estimates is not wide enough as to imply that the situation is unforecastable, in our view.

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. We would highlight that Apple's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 6.1% annualised growth rate until the end of 2025 being well below the historical 8.3% p.a. growth over the last five years. Compare this against other companies (with analyst forecasts) in the industry, which are in aggregate expected to see revenue growth of 7.6% annually. So it's pretty clear that, while revenue growth is expected to slow down, the wider industry is also expected to grow faster than Apple.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that there's been no major change in sentiment, with the analysts reconfirming that the business is performing in line with their previous earnings per share estimates. Fortunately, the analysts also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, suggesting that it's tracking in line with expectations. Although our data does suggest that Apple's revenue is expected to perform worse than the wider industry. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates.

Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Apple going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here..

You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Apple you should be aware of.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.