Apple shares hit lowest since June 2021 on iPhone supply concerns

APPLE shares closed at their lowest level since June 2021 on Tuesday (Dec 27), amid an ongoing selloff of big-tech stocks amplified by concerns over iPhone supply in the key holiday period.

The stock fell 1.4 per cent in its third straight negative session. While Apple remains a modest outperformer for 2022, with a 27 per cent decline that is narrower than the 34 per cent drop of the Nasdaq 100 Index, it has lagged the tech-heavy gauge over the past month.

Recent weakness has come as production halts in a major iPhone plant in China contribute to a supply shortfall of Apple’s flagship product. Earlier on Tuesday, JPMorgan wrote that iPhone supply is “improving and inching slowly towards parity with demand”, although it added that Apple is typically “much further along in reaching parity between iPhone demand and supply” at this time in the year. Due to this issue, the firm expects results in Apple’s December quarter to be “muted” relative to consensus expectations.

Separately, JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee also wrote that the latest smartphone shipment data out of China “confirm industry headwinds”.

Tech fell broadly on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq 100 down 1.5 per cent. The group is facing its worst December performance since the dotcom era as investors expect the Federal Reserve will retain a hawkish stance as it grapples with inflation. BLOOMBERG