Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) Shares Shed $500 Billion but Hold Firm on Valuation Premium

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) Shares Shed $500 Billion but Hold Firm on Valuation Premium

NEW YORK, August 5, 2026, 10:07 EDT — U.S. markets open.

  • Shares declined 0.5% to $307.80 in early trading on Wednesday, staying 7.7% under their closing level on July 30.
  • The market value was roughly $507 billion under its intraday high reached on July 28. The trailing price-to-earnings ratio stayed at 35.3.
  • Analysts provided an average price target indicating a 6.2% potential gain. Over the past month, the fiscal 2027 earnings forecast dropped 1%.

Apple shares declined while the broader U.S. market started higher on Wednesday. The company’s valuation adjustment is still limited, with its earnings multiple staying above those of three leading technology rivals.

Stock chart for NASDAQ:AAPL

The market value remains approximately $507 billion lower than its peak in July. The adjustment is not yet finished. Apple continues to have a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.3 based on past earnings.

Mega-cap valuation overview — delayed data as of about 9:52 a.m. EDT.

CompanyPriceWednesday moveMarket valueTrailing P/E
Apple $307.80down 0.51%$4.53 trillion35.3
Nvidia $219.70up 3.66%$5.36 trillion33.4
Microsoft $489.09down 0.76%$3.64 trillion29.1
Alphabet $379.65up 0.53%$4.64 trillion19.1

Apple trades at a multiple that is 5.7% higher than Nvidia’s. It stands 21.4% greater than Microsoft’s and 85.3% higher than Alphabet’s. The share price is also still 7.7% under where it closed before results at $333.43.

Revenue for the June quarter increased 16.4% to $109.42 billion. Diluted earnings came in at $2.02 per share. Tariff refunds contributed 11 cents per share to earnings and boosted margins by two points.

Fiscal third-quarter results. Figures shown do not include stated tariff refunds.

MetricReported or calculated resultConsensus estimateVariance
Revenue$109.42 billion$108.65 billion+0.7%
Diluted EPS$2.02$1.89+6.9%
EPS minus refund, calculated$1.91$1.89+1.1%
Gross margin reported50.1%47.92%+218 basis points
Gross margin minus refund, calculated48.1%47.92%+18 basis points

The revision alters the earnings outlook. Adjusted EPS exceeded consensus by roughly 1%. Underlying gross margin surpassed by only 18 basis points. Apple projected a September-quarter gross margin between 47% and 48%.

Chief Executive Tim Cook described the supply constraints as “very significant.” Apple is projecting quarterly revenue growth between 9% and 11%. Wall Street analysts had anticipated growth of about 12%. The midpoint of the margin guidance is 60 basis points under the underlying margin for the June quarter. Reuters

Demand varied across segments. Revenue from iPhone and Mac surpassed forecasts, while Services, iPad, and Greater China underperformed.

Performance in operating segments and Greater China.

Business or regionRevenueYear-on-year changeConsensusVariance
iPhone$54.25 billionup 21.7%$53.86 billion0.7% above
Mac$10.35 billionrose 28.7%$8.74 billionexceeded by 18.4%
Services$30.74 billiongrew 12.1%$31.22 billion1.5% below
iPad$6.19 billionfell 5.9%$6.92 billion10.5% less
Greater China$18.82 billionincreased 22.4%$19.67 billion4.3% under

Services accounted for 28.1% of total revenue for the quarter, according to calculations. The segment’s growth fell behind both iPhone and Mac. Gil Luria at D.A. Davidson noted investor concerns that “services are decelerating while iPhone is growing more than 20%.” The product mix is significant. Services is still Apple’s second-biggest source of revenue. Reuters

Analysts continue to have a positive outlook, though views are less concentrated. The number of positive ratings dropped to 32 from 33 over the last month. Hold ratings rose to 15 from 13. The consensus stayed at Overweight.

Analyst ratings and changes in estimates.

MeasureOne month agoCurrentChange or implied return
Buy ratings2524-1
Overweight ratings88No change
Hold ratings1315+2
Underweight ratings32-1
Sell ratings22No change
ConsensusOverweightOverweightNo change
September-quarter EPS estimate$2.01$1.99-1.0%
Fiscal 2027 EPS estimate$9.64$9.54-1.0%
Average price target$326.82+6.2%
Median price target$335.00+8.8%

The consensus target offers little scope for an additional downgrade. Apple is currently valued at approximately 32.3 times projected earnings for fiscal 2027, with a share price of $307.80. Over the last month, that earnings estimate has declined by about 1%.

This is the key point for investors. Robust demand for devices needs to result in actual shipments before expenses impact profit margins. Failing that, Apple’s valuation premium over its rivals could decline further.

Apple has also filed for an injunction targeting OpenAI and two ex-employees, claiming that its hardware trade secrets were misused. OpenAI dismissed the move as unwarranted and said it relies on incorrect information.

Shareholders must be on record by August 10 to receive the dividend, which will be paid on August 13. John Ternus steps into the chief executive role starting September 1. Apple will announce its upcoming earnings on October 29.

Risks: Easing supply constraints may shift delayed shipments into future sales. Ongoing shortages in chips and memory are likely to weigh on margins. A slowdown in Services expansion, modifications to the App Store, and increasing AI expenses could negatively affect forecasts.

TS2 TECH • EXTENDED COVERAGE

Further analysis

Is Apple able to satisfy demand as chip and memory shortages intensify?
Apple projects revenue for the September quarter to grow by 9%–11%, falling short of the 12% anticipated by Wall Street. The company forecasts iPhone growth in the mid-teens, compared with the 17.6% analysts expected. Apple provides a gross margin outlook of 47%–48%, which includes about one refund point. This suggests a gross margin of 46%–47% before refunds, below the underlying 48.1% margin recorded in June. The company cites supply as the constraint.
Did the June quarter headline EPS overstate the actual strength of the earnings beat?
Revenue climbed 16.4% to $109.42 billion and diluted EPS came in at $2.02. Tariff refunds contributed $0.11 per share as well as two percentage points to the gross margin. Excluding refunds, EPS stands at about $1.91, compared to the anticipated $1.89. The results exceeded forecasts, but only slightly.
As iPhone growth stabilises, can high-margin Services recover pace?
iPhone sales climbed 21.7% to reach a record $54.25 billion for the June quarter. Services revenue increased 12.1% to $30.74 billion, falling short of the $31.22 billion forecast. The gross margin for Services was 75.6%, compared with 40.1% for products. The gap in margins means weaker Services growth has a greater impact.
Is Apple’s recovery in China robust enough?
Revenue in Greater China increased 22.4% to $18.82 billion, largely due to iPhone sales. However, this figure came in roughly 4% below the $19.67 billion estimate from Visible Alpha. Currency gains from a stronger renminbi contributed to favorable year-over-year results. The outlook for sustained growth remains unclear.
Is there sufficient margin for error in Apple's valuation?
Apple shares were trading around $307.55 at 13:48 UTC, giving the company a market capitalization of approximately $4.53 trillion. The trailing P/E ratio stood at 35.3. LSEG’s median price target after earnings was $330, just 7.3% above the current share price. Analysts expect fiscal 2027 EPS to reach $9.54, reflecting a valuation of about 32 times earnings. Maintaining this valuation requires continued solid performance.
Shan Ahmed Khan

Shan Ahmed Khan is a senior markets reporter at TS2.tech. His coverage ranges from stocks and technology to economic developments across global markets. He worked in investment research and market analysis before becoming a financial journalist and is a graduate of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).

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