Apple Hits $4T: Is the Tech Giant Still a Buy After Slowing Growth?
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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It’s been more than two years since Apple became the first company in Wall Street history to reach a market cap of $3 trillion, and the iPhone maker has since grown its valuation by a trillion more.
The difference now is that Apple is not alone in the $4 trillion club — and no longer even ranks at the top. That title belongs to Nvidia, which last year passed Apple as the world’s most valuable company, and currently boasts a market capitalization rocketing toward $5 billion. Meanwhile, Apple ranks second while Microsoft rounds out the top three.
So, is Apple still a buy as it hovers at a $4 trillion market cap? The company’s stock price has edged slightly higher in 2025, but it also faces several challenges.
First $3T Company
In June 2023, Apple became the first company to close the trading day with a valuation of $3 trillion or more. As Fortune reported at the time, the $3 trillion milestone continued a rapid ascent that saw Apple reach $1 trillion in 2011 and $2 trillion in 2020.
Apple’s stock price traded at around $194 a share when it hit the $3 trillion mark, according to Yahoo Finance. Shares have since risen by about 35% to close at $262.82 on Oct. 24, 2025. Meanwhile, Apple’s market cap has climbed by roughly 30%.
But lately, Apple’s stock momentum has slowed considerably. Shares are up by about 6% year-to-date in 2025. That lags well behind the tech-heavy Nasdaq, which is more than 20% year-to-date.
Apple shares did touch a new all-time high of $265.29 on Oct. 21, 2025. Here are some of the company’s key metrics as of early Oct. 27, 2025:
- Stock price: $266
- YTD gain: 6.2%
- 52–week price range: $169.21-$265.29
- P/E ratio: 40.3
Is Apple Still a Buy?
Most analysts continue to view Apple with guarded optimism. A recent MarketWatch poll of 52 analysts arrived at a consensus rating of “overweight,” meaning they believed the stock will outperform others in its sector over the next six to 12 months.
Of those 52 analysts, 24 rated Apple a “buy,” while the others were broken down between “hold” (16 analysts), “overweight” (8), “underweight” (2) and “sell” (2).
There are some concerns, however. For one thing, Apple posted an annual earnings dip in fiscal year 2024, Simply Wall Street reported. Results of Apple’s fourth-quarter 2025 results from Oct. 30, 2025 saw quarterly revenue up 8%, though.
The bigger worry is Apple’s revenue growth as a whole, which is expected to slow over the next couple of years. Here’s a look at the company’s average annual revenue estimates as of Oct. 25, per Yahoo Finance:
- 2025: $415.6 billion (43 analysts)
- 2025 year-over-year growth estimate: 6.28%
- 2026: $440.7 billion (44 analysts)
- 2026 year-over-year growth estimate: 6.04%
Potential Headwinds
As previously reported by GOBankingRates, Apple’s heavy reliance on the iPhone could weigh on its stock in the years ahead, according to Edward Corona, founder of The Options Oracle AI Trade Manager.
“Apple is an incredible company, but so much of its story is still tied to the iPhone,” Corona told GBR. “That’s great for steady cash flow, but it makes it harder for Apple to find the next big growth engine.”
That’s not as big a problem for other big tech companies including Microsoft, whose shares have risen more than 25% so far in 2025.
“Microsoft [is] right at the center of cloud and AI, and those aren’t just trends — they’re shaping how businesses and people operate every day,” Corona added. “That gives Microsoft more ways to grow — not just one product to rely on.”
Disclaimer: Numbers referenced were accurate as of Oct. 30, 2025 and subject to change.
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