On October 15, Apple stock price hit $237.49, setting a new intraday high, surpassing the historical record of $237.23 on July 15. Although the stock price fell slightly afterwards, it finally closed at $233.85, up 1.1%.

In sharp contrast to other technology stocks under pressure due to negative news, Apple's stock price continued to rise driven by investors' optimism, showing its relative resilience in the market. Several well-known investment banks, including Morgan Stanley, Bernstein and Evercore ISI, have reiterated their "buy" ratings on Apple, showing Wall Street's high confidence in its future growth.

Morgan Stanley analysts pointed out that Apple was fully prepared before the release of the iPhone 16, asking suppliers to increase parts inventory in advance, thus avoiding the supply chain shortage problems that occurred in previous iPhone Pro/Pro Max models. These improvements shortened the delivery time of the iPhone 16, further enhancing Apple's advantage in the highly competitive smartphone market.

According to a report by International Data Corporation (IDC), global iPhone shipments in the third quarter increased by 3.5% year-on-year, a result that exceeded market expectations. Data shows that although Apple is gradually launching new technologies such as Apple Intelligence, its older smartphones still maintain strong demand.

Nabila Popal, senior director of IDC analysis, pointed out that although the demand for the iPhone 16 series is slightly weak, the market demand for previous models is still strong, which is expected to provide strong momentum for Apple in the holiday sales season.

Although most analysts are optimistic about Apple's prospects, Jefferies recently downgraded Apple's stock rating from "buy" to "hold" due to doubts about whether the newly launched artificial intelligence mobile phone can meet market expectations. If the delivery time of the new iPhone is shorter, it may reflect weak market demand and consumers can easily obtain these new products.

However, Morgan Stanley believes that Apple has made significant improvements in supply chain management, prepared sufficient parts supply in advance, and ensured that there will be no supply shortages in the launch of the new iPhone, emphasizing that the shortened delivery time is not due to a decline in market demand.

On the same day, Apple also released a new iPad mini, equipped with an A17 Pro chip, an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, and support for Apple Pencil Pro and artificial intelligence systems. This product update further demonstrates Apple's leading position in hardware and software innovation.

Apple plans to launch Apple Intelligence on October 28, and Morgan Stanley pointed out that the real major update will be in December and another large-scale update in March 2025. These continuous product innovations show that Apple is actively transforming its technology to gain a leading position in the field of artificial intelligence and further consolidate its market competitiveness.

Apple will release its latest quarterly financial report on October 31, and Wall Street analysts generally expect Apple's profits to increase by 9% from the same period last year to $1.59 per share. About 40 analysts recommend "buy" the stock, 19 analysts give a "hold" rating, and only two analysts recommend "sell".

Although Apple faces challenges such as weak iPhone sales, layoffs and antitrust regulation in early 2024, its stock price has risen 31% since last year and rose 3.6% last week, showing the market's high confidence in Apple's resilience in the face of headwinds.