Magnificent Seven giant Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) just released its much-anticipated Jan. 29 earnings report. For the iPhone maker, 2025 was a tale of two halves. Through the first six months of the year, shares were down approximately 18%. Tariff worries and the company’s lack of a clear artificial intelligence (AI) strategy were the main factors weighing on the stock. However, the narrative shifted with the release of Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup.
In the second half of 2025, shares delivered a return of nearly 33%. This came due to significant optimism around the latest iPhone products, with Apple posting record iPhone revenue in its September quarter. The company then projected that its December quarter, which marks the holiday season, would be the “best ever for the company and the best ever for iPhone."
