Three months after AAPL’s “breakout,” it faces its first real test. As we discussed in August [see: Engineering AAPL’s Breakout] the stock burst out of a long-term rising channel with the aid of several well-timed increases in its stock repurchase program.
Now, it’s time to backtest that mediocre 12%-per-year channel it’s been in since 2010 and embrace its new and improved 36%-per-year channel.A drop to 200 or so wouldn’t do much to dent bulls’ enthusiasm. Even a likely drop to the SMA200, currently at 192.17, could be passed off as a base-building exercise. One key number in the middle is the open gap remaining at 195.96, a gap which would obviously be closed with a tag on the SMA200 and red channel bottom.
All of these scenarios presuppose that, like many of its FAANG cohorts, AAPL will disappoint at least a little. Clearly, the company could turn out some great numbers. But, with the market’s ongoing rally depending on AAPL’s results, anything more than a minor disappointment could do some real damage.
Bears probably shouldn’t get too worked up. Even if there were a disappointing number of people willing to shell out $1,500 for a fancier way of posting on Instagram or playing Fortnite, the company could always expand their buyback program by another $100-200 billion.
If the SMA200 doesn’t hold, AAPL will have some important decisions to make re buybacks. The next significant support is way down at 144.48.
Stay tuned.
![]() Sorry, this content is for members only.Click here to get access.
Already a member? Login below… |