Apple Inc. announced its fiscal third‑quarter earnings on Thursday, revealing revenue of $94.5 billion, a 7 percent increase year‑over‑year and well above the consensus estimate of $91.2 billion. Earnings per share came in at $1.42, surpassing the forecast of $1.31. The company attributed the beat to robust iPhone demand in China and India, where sales rose 12 percent, as well as a 15 percent jump in services revenue driven by App Store and iCloud subscriptions.
Following the release, Apple shares surged 5 percent in after‑hours trading, pushing the stock to a new 52‑week high. Analysts upgraded the stock, citing the company's ability to maintain pricing power despite a competitive smartphone market. The earnings call highlighted upcoming product refreshes, including a new iPad Pro with M3 chip and an expanded AR headset slated for launch later this year.
Investors are also watching Apple's cash flow, which rose to $28 billion, providing ample room for share buybacks and dividend increases. The strong results are expected to lift the broader technology sector, with peers such as Microsoft and Nvidia likely to benefit from renewed investor confidence in growth‑oriented hardware and services.