Apple stock rallies after strong iPhone 17 U.S., China sales
The next-generation iPhone 17 was unveiled at the Apple special event held at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, on September 9, 2025.
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Apple Shares rose nearly 4% to a record close of $262.24 on Monday as a new report showed iPhone 17 sales are off to a strong start in the U.S. and China.
The iPhone 17 series, which went on sale in September, surpassed the iPhone 16 series by 14% in the USA and China in the first 10 days of its launch. Counterpoint research.
“The base model iPhone 17 is very attractive to consumers and offers great value for money,” Counterpoint senior analyst Mengmeng Zhang said in the report. “A better chip, improved display, higher base storage, selfie camera upgrade—all for the same price as last year’s iPhone 16. Buying this device is a no-brainer, especially when you throw channel discounts and coupons into the mix.”
According to Loop Capital, the company is positioned to rebound with demand for the latest iPhone generation exceeding expectations.
The investment bank upgraded Apple from hold to buy and raised its price target per share to $315 from $226.
“During [Wall] We believe the Street has outperformed AAPL’s iPhone 17 product family to some extent, with a material upside to Street expectations through CY 2027,” Loop Capital’s Ananda Baruah said in a note to clients on Monday.
Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited employees and government officials in China and attended the launch of Apple’s new iPhone Air. sold out minutes after it went on sale, according to the South China Morning Post.
In a note published Sunday, Evercore analyst Amit Daryanani said the iPhone Air’s apparent popularity in China could boost Apple shares. They are equivalent to a buy rating on the stock.
Apple is poised to report strong numbers in next week’s earnings report, Evercore analysts wrote in a note.
“We think AAPL is well positioned to report upside relative to September quarter expectations later this month,” Daryanani wrote.
Apple shares have had an up-and-down year so far. The stock is up about 5% in 2025, lagging significantly behind Magnificent 7’s big winners Nvidia, Meta, Microsoft And Alphabetbut it increased by 24% in the last 3 months.
