Wall Street is betting on Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) again: iPhone 17 series ignites performance expectations.

Multiple Wall Street investment institutions have given Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) positive evaluations. At the same time, Counterpoint Research has released positive sales data for the iPhone 17 series, leading to a 1.9% increase in the company's stock price in pre-market trading on Monday. Loop Capital analyst Ananda Baruah has upgraded Apple Inc. from "Neutral" to "Buy" and raised the target price from $226 to $315. He stated that the strong sales of the iPhone 17 series provide "significant upside potential" for the iPhone business. Investment firm Evercore ISI has included Apple Inc. in its "Tactical Outperform List," citing strong iPhone sales data. The firm also reiterated its "Outperform" rating for Apple Inc. and maintained a target price of $290. In addition, Counterpoint Research pointed out that in the markets of China and the United States, the sales of the iPhone 17 series in the first 10 days of its release were 14% higher than the iPhone 16 series. The influential research institution emphasized that the base model of the iPhone 17 is the "core DRIVE" for sales growth, with sales of the base model increasing by almost 33% compared to the iPhone 16 series. Further analysis revealed that Chinese consumers are particularly fond of the base model of the iPhone 17. Reports also mentioned that the iPhone Air sold out within "minutes" after receiving approval for launch in China last week. In contrast, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has the highest sales in the US market, partially due to generous subsidies offered by carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Counterpoint analyst Maurice Klaehne stated, "US carriers are trying to convert high device subsidies into higher monthly service fees over 24 or 36-month financing contracts to maximize customer lifetime value. The focus on subsidies for the Pro Max model makes this top-of-the-line Apple Inc. device more accessible to consumers, driving both the trend towards premium products and strengthening the bond between high-value customers and the Apple Inc. ecosystem." The iPhone Air, which garnered significant attention from media and analysts when it was released last month, has shown mixed results in the US market, but overall performance has surpassed that of the iPhone 16 Plus. Apple Inc. is set to release its latest quarterly earnings report after the market closes on October 30th. Analyst consensus expectations show that Apple Inc. is expected to have earnings per share of $1.76 and revenue of $101.71 billion for the quarter.