UBS expects 'iPhone 6s' launch to push Apple's total Sept. quarter sales to record 49M

Posted:
in AAPL Investors edited August 2015
Investment firm UBS remains bullish on the future of the iPhone, with its latest research suggesting Apple is on track to ship a record 49 million iPhones in the current September quarter.




The data is based on UBS's Evidence Lab iPhone Monitor, which measures search volumes around the world, and was revealed in a new research note published on Thursday. A copy of the note by analyst Steven Milunovich was provided to AppleInsider.

Milunovich believes that iPhone growth will slow for the anticipated "iPhone 6s" upgrade, but he doesn't believe that the platform has yet peaked.

He noted that iPhone growth over the last four years has been 73 percent, 20 percent, 13 percent, and an estimated 35 percent this year. He expects the upward trajectory will continue in fiscal 2016, led by the "iPhone 6s."

It's widely anticipated that Apple will unveil its next-generation iPhone in September, putting it on sale just before the end of the quarter. The Evidence Lab iPhone Monitor suggests demand for the iPhone remains strong, even ahead of a new product launch, which caused Milunovich to increase his forecast from 46 million units to 49 million units.




If his forecast proves accurate, that would be yet another record breaking quarter for Apple's hot selling handset. In the same period a year ago, during with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus debuted, Apple shipped a then-record 39 million iPhones.

Looking forward to Apple's fiscal year 2016, Milunovich predicts that iPhone sales will grow another 6 percent to 245 million units. He noted that most -- 73 percent --?of the current install base has not yet upgraded to the larger displays of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Milunovich reiterated his "buy" recommendation for shares of AAPL on Thursday. UBS has also maintained its price target of $150 per share.

UBS joins FBR Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets in reinforcing their support for Apple stock this week, advising investors to buy in while the company trades at a discounted price. Shares of AAPL have fallen this week as investors have expressed concern about possible slowing iPhone growth, as well as future business prospects in China.

While UBS, FBR and RBC have all continued to endorse Apple stock, Bank of America Merrill Lynch downgraded the company to neutral on Wednesday, lowering its price target from $142 to $130.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    qvakqvak Posts: 86member

    All signs point to HOLD.

     

    Hopefully the september crash conspiracy theory doesn't prove to be right.

  • Reply 2 of 12
    robmrobm Posts: 1,068member
    And so the ramp up on the share price begins .... to be followed by the inevitable slump after APPL again fails to meet analysts adjusted targets. /s
  • Reply 3 of 12
    robmrobm Posts: 1,068member
  • Reply 4 of 12
    davendaven Posts: 696member

    "UBS expects 'iPhone 6s' launch to push Apple's total Sept. quarter sales to record 49M"... You know what that means. Apple is doomed! /s

  • Reply 5 of 12
    robmrobm Posts: 1,068member
    Looks like you won't have to self ban, sog !
  • Reply 6 of 12
    Hello....SEC? Where are you? Can't you see the manipulation like the rest of the Apple stockholders?

    I thought spreading false rumors about a company to drive it's stock down (making a profit) and then spreading the truth to reverse the trend and drive the price back up again (making a profit) was/is illegal? No?
  • Reply 7 of 12
    robmrobm Posts: 1,068member
    Not if you're Bloomberg.
  • Reply 8 of 12
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Wait I thought Apple was a bad investment based on "market share" surveys?

    Sure it's 49 MM now, but then in early September the whispers say 53MM. Apple then release real numbers at 50 MM. Apple stock get clobbered again.

    I hope the loser of these analyst battles get fired.
  • Reply 9 of 12
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,148member
    The 6s will be lucky to sell for more than a couple of days in September, preceded by three weeks of waiting after the announcement.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    6S better have the same features as the 6S+ this time. Don't want to have mid trier iPhone this time around! Especially on screen resolution and camera!
  • Reply 11 of 12
    With Verizon pulling out of phone subsidies. I wonder how many people can stomach higher monthly costs and longer contract terms. I can't speculate what that will translate to iphone sales but it can't help increase iphone sales.
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