FY2027 EPS Estimates for Apple Raised by Erste Group Bank

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) – Research analysts at Erste Group Bank lifted their FY2027 earnings estimates for shares of Apple in a research report issued on Wednesday, February 18th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now anticipates that the iPhone maker will post earnings of $9.34 per share for the year, up from their previous estimate of $9.32. The consensus estimate for Apple’s current full-year earnings is $7.28 per share.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The iPhone maker reported $2.84 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.67 by $0.17. The business had revenue of $143.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $138.25 billion. Apple had a net margin of 27.04% and a return on equity of 159.94%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 15.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.40 earnings per share.

AAPL has been the subject of a number of other reports. Maxim Group upgraded Apple from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, January 30th. Phillip Securities upgraded shares of Apple from a “moderate sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 1st. Melius Research set a $345.00 target price on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, October 31st. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $325.00 price target on shares of Apple in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Stephens set a $315.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research report on Monday, January 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $292.13.

Apple Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of NASDAQ AAPL opened at $266.18 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $264.84 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $258.44. Apple has a 52-week low of $169.21 and a 52-week high of $288.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.91 trillion, a P/E ratio of 33.65, a PEG ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 1.09.

Apple Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 12th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 9th were paid a $0.26 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 9th. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 13.15%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Apple

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Apple by 110.9% during the 3rd quarter. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC now owns 135 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC increased its stake in shares of Apple by 1,800.0% during the first quarter. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC now owns 190 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares during the period. Timmons Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Apple during the fourth quarter worth approximately $69,000. Nexus Investment Management ULC raised its holdings in Apple by 333.3% during the second quarter. Nexus Investment Management ULC now owns 260 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LSV Asset Management acquired a new stake in Apple in the fourth quarter worth approximately $65,000. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Apple News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bloomberg/CNET reports that Apple may unveil at least five new products next week — including an iPhone 17E, multiple MacBooks and an M4 iPad — raising expectations for near-term revenue catalysts and upgrade demand. Apple Could Launch at Least Five New Products, Including iPhone 17E, Next Week
• Positive Sentiment: Bloomberg-driven chatter that Apple is ramping AI wearables (smart glasses, camera-enabled AirPods, pendant) has spurred investor enthusiasm — social posts say shares jumped after the disclosure as these products could be a multi-year growth vector. Apple Stock (AAPL) Opinions on AI Wearables Development
• Positive Sentiment: Apple’s refreshed AirTag (AirTag 2) is already on sale — product refreshes and promotional pricing can lift accessories revenue and ecosystem stickiness. Apple’s newest AirTags are already on sale if you’re looking to upgrade – The Verge
• Positive Sentiment: Omdia data shows Apple gained record European smartphone share in 2025 — a sign of pricing power and resilience in core hardware sales. Omdia: Apple and HONOR Claim Record Market Shares as Europe’s Smartphone Shipment Dips 1% in 2025
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/estimate moves: at least one shop (Erste) raised FY2027 EPS forecasts recently and Street price-targets remain above the current price for many firms — supporting the valuation case. FY2027 EPS Estimates for Apple Boosted by Erste Group Bank
• Neutral Sentiment: Longer-term AI supply-chain pieces highlight demand for chips and services that Apple consumes (TSMC, ASML, et al.), but the articles focus more on suppliers than on Apple’s near-term earnings. The Supply Chain Quietly Powering the AI Boom—And 4 Ways to Play It (AAPL)
• Neutral Sentiment: Small-business/partnership update: Apple’s Roadside Assistance via satellite gained an Australian partner — positive for product feature adoption but minimal near-term revenue impact. Australian Motoring Service Adds Support for Apple’s Roadside Assistance via Satellite
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling activity is elevated (several senior execs have sold shares in recent months), which can unnerv e some investors despite regular option-related or tax-driven sales. Apple Stock (AAPL) Opinions on AI Wearables Development
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/legal uncertainty: reporting on a Supreme Court tariffs ruling suggests a “confusion zone” for past tariff avoidance strategies — potential legal/regulatory risk to margins or supply chains. Apple navigated around tariffs, now it faces ‘confusion zone’ from Supreme Court ruling
• Negative Sentiment: Critical commentary notes that Apple has underperformed the broader tech sector and faces questions about the pace of its AI strategy — these narratives can pressure multiple and sentiment if echoed by large funds. Apple’s Stock Recovery Is No Recovery At All

About Apple

Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) is a multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The company designs, develops and sells consumer electronics, software and services. Over its history Apple has evolved from personal computers to a broad portfolio that spans mobile devices, wearables, home entertainment and digital services.

Apple’s principal hardware products include the iPhone smartphone, iPad tablet, Mac personal computers, Apple Watch wearable devices and a range of accessories such as AirPods and HomePod.