Will iPhone 15 ‘Wonderlust’ Event Help Apple Recover $200BN Lost?

^{Apple CEO Tim Cook holding iPhone 15. Photo: Twitter}

Apple’s iPhone 15 event on Tuesday 12 September is expected to boost stock prices for shareholders, but will it be enough to recover its stock market valuation which fell by more than 6%, or almost $200bn (£160bn), in two days last week?

According to Nigel Green, CEO and founder of deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory, asset management and fintech organizations, the event will not help Apple recover the $200bn lost.

Apple’s stock prices fell following reports that Chinese government workers have been banned from using iPhones. The deVere Group CEO goes on to say that investors will nonetheless see a dip in the stock price as a buying opportunity.

Apple’s iPhone 15 showcase on Tuesday, dubbed ‘Wonderlust,’ unveiled new hardware, including the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9 models. The keynote presentation, which has become an annual staple on the tech calendar, was held on Apple’s campus at the Steve Jobs Theater.

Nigel Green comments:

“Apple's iPhone events typically generate significant buzz and anticipation, leading to a surge in sales. This in turn will boost stock prices for shareholders in the short-term.

However, we don’t expect it to be enough to recover its full stock market valuation which fell by more than 6%, or almost $200bn in two days last week.”

The deVere Group CEO continues: 

“This is not because of the issue of Beijing reportedly banning government workers using iPhones. The impact of this move has been greatly exaggerated.

The drop in stock prices comes at the same time as the release of an important rival phone in China, the Huawei Mate 60.

It also comes at a time when Apple has had three consecutive quarters of declining sales due to the macroeconomic climate in the market, with major headwinds for consumption across the board.

These should be the main reasons stock prices fell last week, not the knee-jerk reaction to a ban that affects only around 500,000 government employees’ phones.

And as these real reasons remain in the short term, we believe it will be a struggle for Apple to make up the stock market valuation with Tuesday’s event.”

But, the dip in stock price “will be used by savvy investors as a buying opportunity,” adds Nigel Green. He notes: 

“The robust fundamentals of the biggest company remain unchanged. It has huge amounts of capital and expertise, dominates the market, and is amazingly adaptable – which is critical.”

That is evidenced by Apple CEO Tim Cook, despite being the head of a major US company, has managed - so far at least – being viewed by Beijing as almost ‘independent’ from the US, which many other major brands haven’t been able to pull off.

“For me personally, Apple remains a ‘buy’,” Nigel Green adds. “We don’t expect the iPhone 15 event on Tuesday to rock the world for Apple shareholders, but global investors will not be ruling the company out – if anything they’ll be using the volatility as an opportunity.”