Apple iPhone 16 series' first weekend pre-order sales fell short of expectations, dragging down the stock price. Analysts: Long-term prospects remain optimistic

According to the information from Zhitong Finance and Economics APP, Apple (AAPL.US) saw its stock price fall by 2.78% on Monday, due to concerns arising from lower-than-expected pre-order sales of the iPhone 16 series during the first weekend. It is reported that Tianfeng International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimated the pre-order sales of the iPhone 16 series to be around 37 million units during the first weekend, a decrease of approximately 12.7% compared to the first weekend sales of the iPhone 15 series last year, with the key issue being the lower-than-expected sales of the iPhone 16 Pro series. Kuo pointed out that the shipment time of the iPhone 16 Pro series is significantly lower than that of the 15 Pro series, and apart from the increase in pre-order inventory, the key factor for the decrease in sales compared to last year lies in the lower-than-expected demand.

Analysts believe that although this weak demand may have a short-term impact on Apple, it is unlikely to be a larger issue for this tech giant. Julian Lin, head of the Seeking Alpha investment group, stated: "While many investors may think that Apple's aggressive valuation demands more attention to the numbers, this is only half the story." "Based on the adjusted growth basis, Apple's stock price has a significant premium compared to its large tech peers, but this premium is largely driven by the stickiness of its business. Due to the deviation from expectations, the stock may still experience fluctuations in the near term, but I believe this will not drag down the stock in the long run."

Seeking Alpha analyst Leo Nelissen pointed out that Apple's P/E ratio is 33 times, so its margin for error is "very small", but in the long run, this tech giant will continue to innovate and generate revenue from its user base. He stated: "Considering the bigger picture, I don't think Apple is in trouble." However, he also warned that Apple is now fighting a tougher battle than before.

Daniel Sereda, head of the Seeking Alpha Investing Group, also believes that this short-term weakness in Apple's stock price may persist, but as Apple Intelligence is rolled out on a larger scale, the company may achieve stronger performance. Daniel Sereda said: "I expect (Apple's) earnings to be revised downwards, which may cause the stock to soften further in the near term. I believe that Apple will be able to achieve stable sales in the medium term regardless, making it easier to once again break market consensus, as the company usually does."