Apple (AAPL) Stock: 2 Catalysts That Could Rocket Shares Back to $250

Wall Street’s favorite fruit stock might be ripening for another run—despite the usual chorus of ’valuation concerns’ from analysts who missed the last 200% rally.

Reason 1: Services Growth Goes Supersonic

Apple’s high-margin services division—App Store, iCloud, that thing where they charge you $5/month to keep your cat photos—now generates more revenue than most Fortune 500 companies. And it’s accelerating.

Reason 2: The AI Sleeper Play

While rivals brag about their AI roadmaps, Apple’s been quietly embedding machine learning into every iPhone. Next iOS update could be the trigger that makes analysts finally notice the 2 billion devices already in consumers’ pockets.

Will AAPL hit $250? Maybe—if the market stops pretending tech valuations need to ’make sense.’

Solid Earnings and Share Buyback Could Send AAPL Higher

Furthermore, Apple’s Q1 2025 earnings and renewed shareholder-focused strategies have reignited investor confidence in AAPL. Apple reported $95.4 billion in revenue for the quarter, with a net profit of $24.8 billion. Earnings per share (EPS) also climbed to $1.65, setting a new March quarter record. The Services segment delivered its highest-ever revenue, underlining Apple’s success in expanding beyond hardware. On top of the solid earnings, Apple authorized a substantial $100 billion stock buyback, reinforcing its long-term confidence and commitment to enhancing shareholder value. Investors reacted positively to the news, sending AAPL higher.

Analysts remain in the middle of the road when forecasting Apple (AAPL) stock. While the stock could go as high as $300 according to CNN analysts, it could also fall another 30% back to $141. However, CNN’s median AAPL stock price prediction appears to settle around $235 over the next 12 months, an 11% ROI from current prices. Should Apple’s next earnings report outperform once again, though, AAPL stock could become even more valuable.