Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) could gain considerably in fiscal 2014 after the China Mobile deal, according to some analysts. Recently Apple and China Mobile Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:CHL) (HKG:0941) entered into a deal to sell the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C starting next month.
China Mobile deal to boost revenue for Apple
Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, said the latest agreement between Apple and China Mobile could take the former’s revenue to considerable heights, increasing it by as much as 5% in the next fiscal year. The revenue earned in the next fiscal year, could include sales for as many as 17 million more iPhone 5S and 5C handsets or 10% of China Mobile’s 3G subscriber base of 176 million.
Another analyst, Maynard Um from Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE:WFC), notes that with the recent agreement, investors will likely gain more confidence when Apple announces iPhone sales in March. Um is looking forward to 42.8 million iPhone sales in the March-ending quarter.
Analyst Brian J.White at Cantor Fitzgerald said investors were waiting for the China Mobile deal, which was significant in every aspect. In the report, the analyst mentioned that around 35 million to 40 million iPhone users are expected on the network at China Mobile. “Our visits to China Mobile branches and resellers and an Apple Retail Store this weekend in China highlighted that China Mobile is offering the iPhone 5S (and iPhone 5C) to customers,” analyst said.
At present, Apple’s stock is comparatively in a better position than it was last week, when Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock declined to the $540 – 545 range following the news that China Mobile Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:CHL) (HKG:0941) would not sell the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on December 18th as was previously expected.
Analysts optimistic
Raymond James analysts in a report released on Monday assigned a $700.00 price target to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). Similarly, Ned Davis Research analysts raised their rating to Buy from Neutral. Another research firm, Stifel Nicolaus, raised its price target on Apple’s stock from $600.00 to $650.00 in a research note to investors on Monday. Monness Crespi & Hardt analysts increased their price target on the stock from $560.00 to $605.00 in a research note to investors on Dec. 19.
