Apple stock enters holiday quarter after record fiscal 2026

Apple reported record fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter results on Monday, November 2, as the company entered its key holiday period with strong iPhone demand but a tougher cost outlook. In its earnings release, Apple said revenue for the quarter ended September 26 reached $114.5 billion, up 12 percent from a year earlier.

Apple's diluted earnings per share rose 14 percent to $2.10. Gross margin was 47.9 percent, including a favorable impact of approximately one percentage point from tariff refunds. The company said the refunds also contributed $0.05 to quarterly earnings per share.

Record sales meet higher costs

iPhone revenue reached a September-quarter record, while Services posted an all-time high. Apple Chief Executive John Ternus said the quarter capped the company's strongest fiscal year, and Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh said full-year revenue reached a record $479 billion. Apple also generated $28 billion in operating cash flow during the quarter and returned the same amount to shareholders.

The results were supported by iPhone and Mac sales, while the holiday outlook places greater emphasis on costs. Reuters reported that Apple expects gross margin of 45% to 46% for the quarter ending in December, below the latest quarter's level. Services revenue growth is expected at 8% to 9% as licensing and foreign-exchange effects weigh on the business.

Executives said higher memory costs are expected to continue into next year. Apple is working with suppliers to secure components, while price increases and existing inventory provide some offset. The company also expects supply constraints for some Mac and iPad products as demand has exceeded earlier expectations.

Sales momentum faces a margin test

Apple expects total revenue to grow 7% to 10% year over year in the December quarter, which would make it the strongest revenue quarter in company history. That forecast gives the business continued top-line momentum, but the lower margin range means investors will focus on how quickly component inflation reaches reported earnings.

The real-time quote of Apple stock stood at 297.10 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 12:48 CET on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 0.29 percent above the Xetra close of Tuesday, November 3. The quote was taken before the Wednesday Xetra session had ended, so the prior session close is the relevant daily comparison.

US equities remain sensitive to the interaction between technology demand, component costs and interest-rate expectations; investors can follow the S&P 500 market backdrop.

Apple's board declared a cash dividend of $0.27 per share, payable on November 16 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 12. The next major investor focus is the December-quarter performance, when the effects of memory pricing, product availability and the new hardware lineup will become clearer. More news and analyses on Apple stock.