Shares gained 1.1% to $273.03 in Thursday afternoon trading, leaving the iPhone maker up 0.5% in 2026 ahead of its fiscal second-quarter results.
The move suggests investors expect solid earnings, with analysts pointing to resilient iPhone demand even as the broader global smartphone market remains sluggish.
Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said Apple is still driving revenue growth through product experience despite repeated criticism that it has lagged rivals in artificial intelligence.
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