iPhone 7 gives Apple a boost

Article Excerpt

APPLE INC. $114 (Nasdaq symbol AAPL; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 5.4 billion; Market cap: $615.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.8; Dividend yield: 2.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.apple.com) has launched the iPhone 7, the latest version of its popular smartphone. This new model features several improvements, including a faster processor chip and better cameras. The company has also eliminated the headphone jack in favour of wireless headphones. That makes the iPhone 7 more resistant to water and dust. The stock has gained 6% since the launch. It now trades at 13.8 times the $8.27 a share that it will probably earn in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016. However, the iPhone accounts for high 65% of Apple’s earnings. That increases the company’s risk, particularly if the new device falls short of its sales forecasts. Apple is still a hold. hold…