World, meet the iPhone 11.
Apple unveiled its latest smartphone and a range of other products including updated watches, iPads and details of its Apple TV+ streaming service in a wide-ranging product launch Tuesday.
Three experts lay out what it could mean for the stock.
Rich Greenfield, partner at Light-Shed Partners, said this move to beef up its subscription services, including its streaming platform, should pay off.
“We’ve been debating this for months with investors, trying to explain to them that this is a really big deal, this is not a joke, Apple’s not doing this lightly. They’re really serious and we’re in this kind of transformational period for TV, moving from linear TV to internet TV. … If you buy an Apple device, and we calculate that there’s over 250 million Apple devices sold each year, you think about that — 250 million people will have a full-year subscription to the service without paying. Apple’s really focusing on subscriptions … Apple really wants to build a robust subscription business and you look at Music. Music isn’t beating Spotify, but it’s No. 2. It’s doing a lot better than Amazon Music, and I don’t think people give them enough credit for how well they’re doing in building this subscription.”
Tom Forte, senior research analyst at D.A. Davidson, saw high demand ahead for its latest offerings.
“The two key takeaways from Apple’s announcements today are the $4.99 price point for Apple TV+. Going into the event, we were more interested in the price point for TV+ than the specs for the new iPhone. … They’re pricing it very aggressively. We think it’s a shot across the bow against Netflix. Takeaway No. 2 and what we think investors are missing is tariffs. The tagline for Apple iPhone 11 should be ‘buy the iPhone 11 before the government raises the price on the iPhone 12.’ So you’re looking at $699 for the entry price point. A 10% tariff brings it closer to $700 next year.”
Walter Piecyk, partner at Light-Shed Partners, said Apple is laying out cash to continue to grow.
“The stock is now at a 10% premium to the S&P. … It’s been outperforming the market this year and they are returning to growth, and they’re doing a lot of this earnings growth through share repurchases still. People talk about innovation, they’re spending $16 billion in [research and development] this year. Since Tim Cook has taken over as CEO, that’s seven times higher than what they used to spend.”
