CUPERTINO, Calif., Jan 29, 2026, 13:32 PST
- Apple posted record quarterly revenue of $143.8 billion and diluted profit per share of $2.84 for its fiscal first quarter.
- iPhone revenue rose to $85.3 billion and Services climbed to $30.0 billion, both record highs.
- Traders had braced for a sharp stock move, with options implying about a 4% swing after results.
Apple on Thursday reported record revenue and profit for its holiday quarter, driven by iPhone demand and growth in its Services business, and said it generated nearly $54 billion in operating cash flow. CEO Tim Cook said iPhone had “its best-ever quarter driven by unprecedented demand.” (Business Wire)
The results land at a tense moment for Apple investors, who have watched the stock cool since early December and have pushed the company to spell out what comes next on artificial intelligence. For Apple, the holiday quarter is where the iPhone has to show up, and where Services has to keep doing the quiet work of lifting margins.
Options markets, which traders use to bet on swings in a stock without owning it, had implied Apple shares could move about 4% in either direction after the report. Ahead of the release, Visible Alpha estimates cited by Investopedia had pointed to record revenue of about $138.11 billion and earnings per share of $2.67. (Investopedia)
Apple shares were up about 0.6% at $258.28 in late trading before the results. The stock has fallen about 10% from an early-December high, after briefly touching a $4 trillion market value, the Guardian reported. (The Guardian)
The company’s fiscal first-quarter revenue rose to $143.756 billion from $124.300 billion a year earlier, while net income increased to $42.097 billion from $36.330 billion. iPhone sales climbed to $85.269 billion from $69.138 billion, while Services rose to $30.013 billion from $26.340 billion; sales in Greater China increased to $25.526 billion from $18.513 billion. (Stock Titan)
Cook said Services set an all-time revenue record and that Apple’s installed base — the number of active devices in use — has climbed to more than 2.5 billion. The company also declared a cash dividend of $0.26 per share, payable on Feb. 12.
Ahead of Thursday’s report, Yahoo Finance said iPhone revenue was anticipated to come in around $78.3 billion. Apple’s actual iPhone number landed well above that level. (Yahoo Finance)
Not everything in the product mix moved the same way. Apple’s Mac revenue fell to $8.386 billion from $8.987 billion, while Wearables, Home and Accessories slipped to $11.493 billion from $11.747 billion, the company’s statement showed.
But investors may still focus on what the press release did not settle: how Apple plans to defend margins if component costs rise, and whether its AI roadmap is crisp enough to calm doubts it has fallen behind. UBS warned that iPhone sales “take a back burner to rising memory costs,” while Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote that “it’s time for Apple to lay down the blueprint” for its AI push. (Business Insider)
Apple is scheduled to discuss the results on a conference call at 2 p.m. PT, where analysts will press for more color on demand after the iPhone surge, and on how Apple intends to position itself as rivals such as Microsoft, Alphabet and Meta race to put generative AI into consumer devices and services.
