Apple Reports 12% Revenue Growth Amid Strong Music Gains

Apple reported Q4 revenue of $114.5B, up 12% YoY, and EPS of $2.10, up 14%. Gross margin was 47.9%, boosted by 1% from tariff refunds. Full-year revenue hit $479B. CEO John Ternus led for only 25 days of the quarter. Apple beat analyst estimates for revenue and EPS. December-quarter margin guidance is 45-46%, per AP, citing cost pressures.

Apple and Microsoft have been added to Russia's register of digital communication providers, requiring them to retain customer data for three years and disclose it to authorities. Noncompliance may result in service bans. Both companies face regulatory disputes in Russia, including payment restrictions and app removals.

U.S. tech stocks rebounded on Nov 3, with the Nasdaq up 0.9% and S&P 500 up 0.4%, driven by semiconductor gains. Nvidia and Broadcom rose 2.3% and 3.1%, respectively, while Apple fell 1.9%. AMD reported $13.4B in revenue, beating expectations. Palantir dropped 1.6% despite 96% revenue growth. Oil prices rose due to Middle East tensions. Gold and silver saw minor gains. Investors watched U.S. midterm elections.

Apple's shares fell 4% after its earnings report, as new CEO John Ternus cited rising memory costs and Siri AI launch expenses for a lower gross margin outlook of 45-46% for Q4. The company expects memory prices to continue rising, affecting profitability. Apple's stock had risen over 20% year-to-date before the report.

T. Rowe Price's Tony Wang highlighted Apple's Q4 results, showing 12% revenue growth to $114.5B, driven by strong iPhone and Mac sales. Despite beating estimates, shares fell due to guidance of lower gross margins (45-46%) from higher memory costs and AI-related expenses. Wang noted resilient consumer demand but acknowledged near-term margin pressures from AI-driven costs.

Apple (AAPL) reported record Q4 '26 results but Q1 '27 guidance suggests margin pressure and slower revenue growth. An analyst downgraded AAPL to Sell due to high valuation.