Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares fell as much as 5 percent in Wednesday morning trades, dipping dangerously close to $400 per share about a week ahead of the company’s next earnings report. Analysts, however, are remaining positive on the stock.
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) issued a report to investors this week saying they believe the company’s challenges can be corrected through its upcoming product cycles. They’re echoing the thoughts of most other analysts who said Apple’s stock will likely struggle during the first half of this year and then pick up in the second half along with the launch of the company’s new products.
Analysts at Goldman Sachs are looking for $9.92 earnings per share on revenue of $42.59 billion for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s second fiscal quarter. That’s just below the consensus of $10.12 earnings per share on $42.66 billion in revenue.
They’re predicting 36.5 million iPhones, 16 million iPads, 4.1 million Macs and 6.3 million iPods sold. They said they lowered these estimates to their current level on April 1 and are maintaining them in the current report.
In addition to missing consensus for the March quarter, Goldman Sachs analysts believe Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will also miss consensus for its June quarter, coming in at $8.99 earnings per share on $39.44 in revenue compared to the consensus of $9.22 earnings per share on $39.52 in revenue.
They also addressed the ongoing question about Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s capital allocation plan. Some are speculating that we’ll hear an update to that plan with the upcoming earnings report, but Goldman Sachs believes that announcement will come shortly after the earnings report.
They’re maintaining the Buy rating and price target of $575 per share for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
