Apple shares slid nearly 3% on Friday after the company trimmed its stock buyback program by $10 billion, and warned of an estimated $900 million in additional costs for the current quarter due to trade tariffs imposed under US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Chief Executive Tim Cook said the company is bracing for a significant rise in expenses for the quarter ending in June, assuming no further changes to global tariff rates.
“I’m not sure what will happen with the tariffs … It’s very difficult to predict beyond June,” Cook said.
“Tim Cook did his best to reassure investors on last night’s earnings call, but many likely came away still wanting more clarity about what lies beyond June,” said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, adding that the $900 million hit to profit turned out to be smaller than many had feared.
India and Vietnam step in as Apple diversifies supply chain
To blunt the impact of new tariffs, Apple is accelerating its supply chain diversification efforts.
Cook revealed that a majority of iPhones sold in the US this quarter will be manufactured in India, while nearly all US-bound iPads, Mac computers, Apple Watches, and AirPods will originate from Vietnam.
“It looks like Apple is progressing faster than expected with its move to shift production of US phones into the region (India),” Matt said.
Analysts at Wedbush called India Apple’s “life raft supply chain” as the tech giant navigates tariff headwinds.
Despite these moves, Cook noted that China will remain the primary manufacturing base for Apple products sold outside the United States.
Nonetheless, the company has reportedly begun stockpiling US-bound inventory to avoid the full brunt of tariff increases in the near term.
Revenue outlook steady but investor nerves remain
Apple expects its revenue to grow in the low- to mid-single-digit-percentage range for the June quarter, Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh said, with gross margins projected between 45.5% and 46.5%.
Operating expenses are forecast between $15.3 billion and $15.5 billion.
Cook was quick to caution that the $900 million tariff-related cost should not be extrapolated to future quarters, citing “certain unique factors” in the June period.
Still, despite Cook’s efforts to calm market anxiety, investors remained cautious.
Apple’s stock has declined about 15% so far this year, underperforming peers such as Microsoft and Alphabet.
Microsoft’s shares are up nearly 1%, while Meta Platforms has fallen just 2.3% over the same period.
“The question for investors is what can replace China for Apple? This is not an easy question to answer and could threaten the long-term trajectory of Apple’s growth plan,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB.
Apple faces pressure amid Big Tech divergence
While Apple grapples with production shifts and cost pressures, its Big Tech peers reported stronger earnings.
Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms all beat quarterly expectations, aided by investments in artificial intelligence. Amazon’s cloud business, however, posted slower-than-expected growth.
In contrast, electronics firms with heavy reliance on hardware and consumer budgets—such as Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, and Intel—have painted a gloomier picture, similar to Apple’s.
The changing landscape has also weighed on Apple’s valuation.
The company’s 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio now stands at 27.63, slightly below Microsoft’s 28.64 but above Meta’s 21.48.
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