<div id="readability-page-1"><p>On Thursday, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring increased his price target for Apple stock to $315 from $305 and reiterated a Buy rating, calling the iPhone maker one of the preferred IT hardware stocks for 2026. Meanwhile, Jefferies analyst Edison Lee raised his price target for AAPL stock to $283.36 from $246.99 and reaffirmed a Hold rating. Lee expects the company's December quarter results to beat expectations, driven by strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup.</p><h3>Claim 50% Off TipRanks Premium and Invest with Confidence </h3><ul><li>Unlock  hedge-fund level data  and  powerful investing tools  designed to help you make smarter, sharper decisions  </li><li> Stay ahead of the market with  the latest news and analysis  so your portfolio is always positioned for maximum potential</li></ul> <h2><strong>Morgan Stanley Analyst Is Bullish on AAPL Stock</strong></h2> <p>Woodring expects the IT hardware category's performance in 2026 to be impacted by lofty valuations, a &#34;still-inconsistent&#34; macro backdrop, and higher memory costs. Amid this scenario, the top-rated analyst highlighted Western Digital (WDC), Seagate Technology (STX), Apple, TD Synnex (SNX), and Teradata (TDC) as Morgan Stanley's IT hardware stocks for 2026.</p> <p>Specifically, Woodring views Apple as a key &#34;product-cycle beneficiary.&#34; While the analyst lowered his Fiscal 2027 product gross margin assumptions due to higher memory costs, he expects higher iPhone units and increased pricing to more than offset the memory headwinds.  </p> <p>Woodring stated that his new price target is based on a valuation multiple of 32x his revised Fiscal 2027 earnings per share (EPS) estimate of $9.83 (up from $9.55). He explained that the 3% rise in his Fiscal 2027 EPS estimate reflects 5% higher revenue to reflect increased prices amid higher commodity costs, 130 basis points of lower gross margin due to increased memory input costs, and a modestly higher iPhone shipment forecast &#34;assuming 0.1-year Y/Y replacement cycle elongation.&#34;</p> <h2><strong>Jefferies Analyst Weighs in on Apple Stock</strong></h2> <p>Meanwhile, Jefferies' Lee believes Apple is &#34;highly resilient&#34; to the spike in memory costs, thanks to its high average selling prices (ASPs).</p> <p>Based on industry checks indicating solid growth in China business, mainly driven by the iPhone 17 lineup, Lee increased his Q1 FY26 iPhone unit forecast by 7% to 86.9 million units, representing 18% year-over-year growth. He now projects Q1 FY26 EPS to grow by 15%, about 6% above the Street's consensus.</p> <p>For Fiscal 2026 and 2027, Lee expects top-line growth of 9% and 7%, respectively, with EPS growth of 12% and 10%. Despite the positives, Lee remains sidelined on Apple stock due to its valuation, which he thinks could limit the upside.</p> <h2><strong>Is AAPL Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold?</strong></h2> <p>Currently, Wall Street has a Moderate Buy consensus rating on Apple stock based on 20 Buys, 10 Holds, and two Sell recommendations. The average AAPL stock price target of $299.49 indicates 10% upside potential. AAPL stock has risen 9% year-to-date.</p></div>

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<p>Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring raised his price target for Apple stock to $315, maintaining a Buy rating, while Jefferies analyst Edison Lee increased his target to $283.36 with a Hold rating. Woodring cited Apple's strong position in the IT hardware sector for 2026, despite higher memory costs. Lee expects strong iPhone 17 demand to boost Apple's December quarter results. Wall Street holds a Moderate Buy consensus on Apple stock, with an average price target of $299.49, indicating a 10% upside potential.</p>

- Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring has raised Apple's price target to $315, citing strong demand for the iPhone 17 and calling Apple a preferred IT hardware stock for 2026, despite concerns over memory costs.  
- Jefferies analyst Edison Lee increased his target to $283.36, expressing confidence in Apple's resilience against these costs and projecting significant growth in iPhone units for Q1 FY26.  
- Currently, Wall Street views Apple stock as a Moderate Buy, with a consensus target price of $299.49, reflecting a 10% upside potential.

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Top Morgan Stanley, Jefferies Analysts Lift Apple Stock (AAPL) Price Target. Here's Why