Apple shares seen staying muted until iPhone 7 rings in growth

According to analysts, the depressed stock price could create a buying opportunity for long-term value seekers

Apple Inc stock was set to open 4% lower on Wednesday after the company reported its slowest-ever rise in iPhone shipments, with an uptick likely only after the expected launch of iPhone 7 in September.

The March quarter is likely to be the weakest this year in terms of iPhone sales for the company, which forecast on Tuesday its first quarterly revenue drop in 13 years.

A $96.20 opening for the stock is set to knock off nearly $20 billion in market value.

Tepid demand for the latest iPhones - that succeeded blockbuster sales of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus - led Apple to sell 74.8 million iPhones in the first quarter. It expects to sell 50-52 million units in the March quarter.

But analysts said the depressed stock price could create a buying opportunity for long-term value seekers.
 

 

"We are looking for March to mark the trough in year-on-year iPhone unit growth, which should provide an attractive entry point into the stock ...," Goldman Sachs analysts wrote in a note.

At least 11 analysts cut their price targets on the stock. FBR Capital was the most bearish, cutting its target by $20 to $120. The median price target is $142.29, according to Reuters data.

"Cook & Co have a few tough quarters ahead until we get to the buildup around iPhone 7 later this year, which is what bulls (including ourselves) are focused on to turn this ship back into growth waters," FBR & Co analysts said.

The iPhone 7 is expected to sport a new look with features such as waterproofing, wireless headphones and force touch as home button.

The drop in share price on Wednesday is expected to be compounded by a decline in the broader U.S. markets, which have been hit by a fall in oil prices and uncertainty before the Federal Reserve's first policy statement this year.

Apple's stock has lost a quarter of its market value since April 28, when it hit a record high of $134.54. In contrast, shares of Alphabet Inc have risen 10% in the same period.

While Apple trades at 10.5 times forward 12-months earnings, Alphabet trades at 25.30.