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Apple stock is in focus because it set a record high near $345 on September 22, 2026, as the first iPhone launch under new CEO John Ternus reached stores and the foldable iPhone Duo heads toward an October release. For US-stock investors, the question is whether a pricier, Pro-focused lineup can keep supporting growth as Apple approaches its next earnings report.
Apple Stock Sets a Record Near $345 as the iPhone 18 Cycle Begins
According to Yahoo Finance, shares of Apple (AAPL) hit a record $345 on Tuesday, September 22, before closing at $339.75, leaving the stock up 25% year to date. As reported by ad-hoc-news, that close valued the company at about $4.96 trillion, and the stock briefly passed a $5 trillion market value at the session high.
Per The Motley Fool, John Ternus officially became CEO on September 1, Apple's first leadership change in 15 years, with Tim Cook staying on as executive chairman. The stock rose 2.5% to $337.02 by early afternoon that day, while the S&P 500 fell 0.7%. Ternus led his first launch event on September 9. According to Apple, iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299, with both on sale from September 18. In a separate announcement, Apple said its first foldable, iPhone Duo, starts at $1,999.
Why $100 Higher iPhone Prices and a $1,999 Foldable Matter for AAPL
The iPhone remains the core of the business. According to Apple's fiscal third-quarter results filed with the SEC, the June quarter brought $109.4 billion in revenue, up 16% from a year earlier, with iPhone contributing about $54.3 billion and Services about $30.7 billion. Gross margin was 50.1%, which Apple said included roughly two percentage points of benefit from tariff refunds.
That is why the pricing shift matters. As reported by Analytics Insight, the new lineup raises Pro and Pro Max prices by $100 each and skips a base model, moving the growth focus "from unit volume to average selling price and margin discipline." The foldable opens a new category.
Per Barchart, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring described the September launch, before it took place, as Apple's "most consequential" since the iPhone X and estimated a foldable iPhone could contribute roughly $14 billion of December-quarter revenue (an analyst estimate, not company guidance).
The same page notes Apple was outsourcing some of Apple Intelligence to Google, linking Apple's AI story to Alphabet. Motley Fool contributor Johnny Rice argued Apple is "well placed to take advantage of AI without bearing most of the enormous costs," a writer's view rather than a company claim.
AAPL Price and Volume Snapshot, September 10 to 23
Per Yahoo Finance historical data, the stock climbed from $326.57 on September 10, the first session after the launch event, to $339.75 on September 22, then slipped about 0.8% to $337.02 on September 23.
Session
Close (USD)
Volume (shares)
Sep 10, 2026
$326.57
70.0 million
Sep 11, 2026
$332.27
50.7 million
Sep 15, 2026
$331.34
31.7 million
Sep 18, 2026
$336.13
86.6 million
Sep 21, 2026
$338.98
35.0 million
Sep 22, 2026
$339.75
40.7 million
Sep 23, 2026
$337.02
31.6 million
Volume was heaviest on September 18, at about 86.6 million shares, and on September 10, at about 70.0 million, before easing to between 31 and 41 million in the latest sessions. As reported by ad-hoc-news, the 52-week range runs from $243.42 to $345.34. On valuation, Barchart put Apple's forward price-to-earnings ratio at 37.1x in early September.
What to Watch: iPhone Duo Pre-Orders on October 16 and Fiscal Q4 Results
iPhone Duo rollout. Per Apple, pre-orders open October 16 and the device arrives October 23. Early delivery times will offer the first read on foldable demand.
A mixed demand picture. Analytics Insight reported that GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who rates the stock Hold, saw "lukewarm" pre-order wait times, trimmed his Pro and Pro Max production estimate to 72 million units, and cut his Duo forecast to 6 million from 7 million. On the other side, Evercore ISI analyst Amit Daryanani said demand "is holding up well through the first week of the cycle," per Yahoo Finance.
Margins after tariff refunds. The June-quarter margin included about two points of tariff-refund benefit, so whether margins hold as that fades is one of the metrics Analytics Insight flags.
The fiscal fourth-quarter report. Analytics Insight points to October 28, although Apple had not listed a date on its investor relations earnings-call page at the time of writing. Management commentary on iPhone 18 demand will be the next checkpoint.
Gotrade is the trading name of Gotrade Securities Inc., which is registered with and supervised by the Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA). This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research (DYOR) before investing.
M. Alfathan Rahman is a content writer with over 3 years of experience developing digital content strategies across various industries, including fintech. He has experience producing content for tax-related websites and financial education platforms registered with Kominfo (Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Informatics). His focus areas include data research, and crafting financial articles that are informative, accurate, and accessible to investors of all experience levels.
Hendrie Saputra holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Business Risk & Finance, along with professional experience in finance, marketing, and project management. He is a licensed Securities Broker-Dealer Representative (WPPE) under the supervision of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and is experienced in analyzing market data and developing research-driven business strategies.
