Is Apple Stock a Buy Ahead of September 2025 Awe-Dropping Event?

Excited anticipation is bubbling in the tech and investment spheres as Apple prepares to unveil its most daring product event to date, the “Awe-Dropping” event on September 9, 2025. With anticipation at its peak and competitors charging ahead, investors are left with one burning question: Is Apple stock a buy right before this transformative unveil? 

Setting the Stage

This year has been a challenging one for this “Magnificent Seven” of tech stocks, Apple. While Microsoft and Alphabet have surged this year with aggressive bets on AI and wise acquisitions, Apple is down with a loss of 4.7% so far, lagging behind its rivals. Meanwhile, Apple stock has nonetheless rallied 18.2% in the past month as investors hope to see what the company has in store for its Sept. 9 event and trust is renewed in the stock. 

Apple Event

September’s Awe-Dropping event is packaged with all kinds of new products:

• iPhone 17 Series: iPhone 17, 17 Plus, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max will be the main protagonists of the launch with the new generation of A19 Bionic and A19 Pro chips, titanium enclosures, cameras, and displays. 
• Apple iPhone 17 Air: Apple iPhone 17 Air is well recognized for its incredibly thin and light design, reportedly measuring 5.5mm in thickness, breaking records for smartphones. 
• Apple Watch series: Apple is expected to add new features to the Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3 like advanced health sensors, satellite connectivity, and new AI-powered features. 
• AirPods Pro 3: Better listening, more power in the chip and health-monitoring with gesture gestures 
• Ecosystem Enhancements: iOS 26 will introduce “Live Translation,” enhanced visual intelligence and more tightly integrated Apple Intelligence across devices.

Each of these products has been designed to fill in what was viewed as a gap with Apple in specific areas-specifically, advanced AI and hardware integration. From thinner and smarter to better and lighter gadgets, it’s a direct conduit to consumer fashions and investor speculations in a competitive arena. 

Financial Heath: Resilience Amid Challenges 

Amidst the challenges, Apple’s financial position mirrors a vitality that has instilled confidence in long-term investors. The company reported record revenue of $94 billion in Q3 2025 driven by solid growth in the iPhone segment (13.5%), Mac shipment (14.8%), and services growth (13.3%) across the global markets. 

Fast emerging markets outside of China, in particular, India, South Asia, Middle East and Brazil, have increasingly emerged as growth driver businesses offset the regional headwinds and complement Apple’s strategy for diversification. 

However, the company’s underlying business is still absorbing real costs from supply chain pressures and tariffs with management expecting a $1.1 billion impact on operating margins in fiscal Q4. Even so, Apple is looking ahead to gross margins of between 46% and 47% (compared to 46.5% in Q3) as a testament to its operational discipline and capacity to manage higher costs. 

Looking further out in the future, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q4 2025 borders on $100.8 billion in revenue (6.2% year-over-year, y-o-y) with an EPS of $1.74 (6.1% y-o-y). This combination of market or platform maturity, financial strength and eco-sustainability makes Apple well positioned to withstand short-term headwinds (though far more likely to succeed if Apple Intelligence can be brought to market and make its way into a quickly maturing AI market)

Sentiment & Valuation of the Analysts

Apple’s forward price valuation is one of the hottest topics in the investor world:

• P/E and Sales: The forward P/E and sales ratio of the stock were 30 and 8.7, well above Amazon (3.7) and well above Alphabet (7.7X forward P/E/sales), while well below Microsoft (11.4X P/E/sales) from 12 months ago. 
• Apple Stock Outlook: Apple Span Price & Dividend Yield The price of Apple stock on September 5th, 2025 is $239.69, having rallied after the breakout in the year 2025 for Apple stock, after reversing the downtrend for the 50-day & 210-day moving averages; Apple stock is a bullish technical buy. 
• Average Consensus Rating: Based on 31 analyst recommendations since last updated: Buy (20.94%) Strong Buy (15.8%) Sell (4.4%) Sell Strong (2.3%) Hold (24.7%) Overweight consensus: Buy; implied downside Price Target: slight discount (-0.66%)

Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan expect iPhone sales to grow at 5% and 7% in fiscal 2025 and 2026, respectively, and are counting on the upgrade cycle as the upside driver. BofA Securities also issues a “sell-the-news” warning if the event proves smaller than market expectations (so far, in the case of major launches, this hasn’t been the case).

Product Innovation Spotlight

iPhone 17 Air: Changing the Game?

If the Air launches successfully, it may trigger a super cycle of upgrades, especially for budget-conscious users seeking a blend of stylish design and Apple’s renowned ecosystem.

Apple Watches and AirPods: Health, Connectivity, and AI

The Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 are expected to feature advanced health tracking, oxygen monitoring, and satellite connectivity, tapping into consumer demand for wellness and safety. AirPods Pro 3 promises better audio, speedier chips, and new gesture controls (thanks to IR sensors and deeper AI integration), positioning them as lifestyle essentials. 

This cohesive expansion across product categories anchors Apple’s efforts to lock in customers and push up ARPU (average revenue per user).

Risks and Headwinds

Apple’s blueprint for transformation is ambitious but not without risk:

• Competition in China: iPhone’s market share dropped to 14% last year amid local device competition and regulatory hurdles. 
• Sales Bans: Temporary bans like those in Indonesia (over local content disputes) highlight ongoing geopolitical challenges. 
• Underperforming Pro Models: While base model iPhone sales grew, demand for Pro and Pro Max variants weakened, underlining the need for compelling innovation in premium devices. 
• AI Timelines: The delay of major AI features until 2026 especially for Siri may dampen investor enthusiasm in the short term.

A successful event could turn these headwinds into tailwinds, but missteps could lead to a post-event stock dip, as seen in previous cycles.

The Road Ahead

Apple’s trajectory following its latest event will depend on several critical pillars. The anticipated upgrade super cycle, driven by strong demand for the iPhone 17 and the Air lineup, could unlock a wave of refreshes from over 300 million aging devices, fueling robust revenue growth through 2026. 

At the same time, the success of Apple Intelligence once fully expanded, refined, and seamlessly integrated across devices will be pivotal in determining whether Apple can reassert leadership in AI-powered user experiences. 

In addition, market reactions may be shaped by event-driven volatility, with many analysts noting a potential “buy-the-rumor, sell-the-news” pattern that could temporarily weigh on the stock before its longer-term growth story resumes.