New York, Jan 26, 2026, 10:03 (EST) — Regular session
- Apple shares were up about 2% in early U.S. trading, after a weaker end to last week.
- Investors are positioning for Apple’s quarterly results due Thursday, Jan. 29, after the close.
- A new note flagged a possible hit to margins if memory-component costs climb.
Apple Inc (AAPL.O) shares rose about 2% to $252.90 in early U.S. trading on Monday, lifting the company’s market value back above $3 trillion. The stock ended Friday at $248.04.
The move comes as Wall Street heads into a packed week: about one-fifth of S&P 500 companies report results, including Apple, Microsoft, Meta Platforms and Tesla. With the benchmark trading above 22 times expected earnings, “the earnings bar had better be met,” said Chris Galipeau, a senior market strategist at Franklin Templeton. PNC’s Yung-Yu Ma called the recent swings a “short but steep roller-coaster ride” and said investors want clearer proof that big tech spending can turn into profit. Reuters
The broader market was little changed at the open. The Dow rose 0.2%, the S&P 500 added 0.1% and the Nasdaq dipped 0.03%, with investors bracing for heavyweight tech results and a Federal Reserve decision later this week.
Apple’s investor relations site lists its fiscal first-quarter results conference call for Thursday, Jan. 29, at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT), after the market close. Traders will look for iPhone demand, Services growth and gross margin — the slice of revenue left after costs.
In October, CEO Tim Cook said Apple expected overall revenue to grow 10% to 12% in the holiday quarter and iPhone sales to rise by double digits from a year earlier, setting a high bar for this report.
But a fresh note from Lynx Equity Strategy warned that margin pressure could build if memory costs spike. The firm said talks between Apple and Japan’s Kioxia — a key supplier of NAND flash, the storage chip that holds photos and apps — have worsened, potentially pushing Apple to source more parts on the spot market. Lynx wrote Apple may need more supply from Samsung Electronics and said Apple’s in-house flash controller is optimized for Kioxia chips, making any quick switch harder than it looks.
For traders, the near-term question is whether Apple can defend its margin profile while keeping demand steady in key regions. Any shift in guidance for the current quarter, or a surprise on component costs, can move the stock quickly.
Apple shares have swung with the megacap group since the year began, as investors debate how much new software and AI features can lift upgrade rates for iPhones and paid services.
The next catalysts are stacked into 48 hours: the Fed’s policy statement on Wednesday, Jan. 28, and Apple’s results after the bell on Thursday, Jan. 29, followed by the conference call. Reports from other megacaps in the same window could also set the tone for tech.
