Why Apple's Tim Cook Is No Longer In Front Of Wall Street's Warpath

Shares of Apple have lost six percent over the past six months as investors and Wall Street analysts may have lost some faith in the company's ability to continue innovating and delivering growth. On September 15, Trip Chowdhry of Global Equities Research

that investors have "zero confidence" in the company's management team and board of directors. However, since the analyst penned his research report, Apple's stock has gained more than four percent and the company reported a better than feared September quarterl results and December guidance. In a report published Friday, Daniel Ives of FBR & Co. commented that Apple's CEO Tim Cook is "now out of the Street's warpath." "Despite rampant China fears, iPhone 6 hangover worries, negative chatter in the supply chain, and overall market jitters, Apple came through with a strong print and healthy forecast for holiday season which should help restore some positive sentiment back in the story heading into 2016." Ives continued that iPhone 6s growth fears are now "back in the bear's cave" and the Street will "positively reevaluate" Apple's growth path for 2016 due to: 1) a healthier than expected iPhone 6s cycle, 2) "white hot" growth in China to continue, 3) streaming growth areas "taking center stage" and opening a "major tangential market opportunity," and 4) iPad Pro ramping in the enterprise segment. Bottom line, Ives argued that Apple has paved the way for a fiscal 2016 growth story ahead of the "game changer" iPhone 7 release. Shares remain Outperform rated with an unchanged $175 price target.