Apple Stock Underperforms Amid Barclays’ Bearish Outlook
Apple shares ROSE a mere 0.5% on Monday, lagging behind the broader market's 1.5% gain. Barclays reiterated its underweight rating on the tech giant, citing structural challenges in hardware growth, competitive threats in China, and regulatory risks to its services segment.
The bank's modest price target increase to $180 failed to offset concerns about Apple's Core business. Fiscal Q3 growth was inflated by inventory stocking ahead of anticipated tariffs, masking underlying softness in product demand.
China's smartphone market presents particular vulnerability as local competitors erode Apple's dominance. Meanwhile, global regulators are sharpening their focus on app store monopolies—a direct threat to Apple's lucrative services revenue stream.
