Even though Apple announced good earnings for the fourth quarter of this year,its stock price is still struggling.The market is paying attention to whether Apple can properly adapt to the AI (artificial intelligence) era.
Apple’s fourth quarter sales increased 8% compared to the previous year to $102.5 billion (approximately KRW 146.4417 trillion), and net profit recorded $1.85 (approximately KRW 2,643.10), exceeding market expectations. Although sales in China were sluggish,overall performance increased as sales increased in Europe and Japan. The delay in the launch of the iPhone 17 Air model due to eSIM regulatory issues in china resulted in $14.5 billion (approximately KRW 20.7161 trillion) in fourth quarter sales in China,down 4% from the previous year. Sales in Europe and Japan increased by 15% and 12%,respectively,compared to the previous year.
Product sales reached $73.7 billion (approximately KRW 105.2951 trillion), a 5% increase compared to the same period last year, and service sales reached a record high of $28.8 billion (approximately KRW 41.1465 trillion), a 15% increase compared to the same period last year. Last September, iPhone 17 series sales amounted to 10.53 million units, exceeding the 16 series sales during the same period by 21%.
Despite Apple’s good performance, its stock price is slightly sluggish compared to the Nasdaq. Apple closed at $270.37 (approximately 386,223 won) on the 31st, down 0.38% from the previous trading day. Nasdaq rose 23.05% compared to the beginning of the year, but apple rose only 10.88% compared to the beginning of the year.
AI sluggishness is cited as the reason behind Apple’s slight stock price increase. Apple introduced ‘Apple Intelligence‘ at the WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) event in July last year and announced that it would be installed last year, but its release has been delayed untill now.
Lee Joo-hyung,a researcher at Eugene Investment & Securities,explained,”Apple is being criticized for its AI slump,but Apple is a set industry from the