Apple shares hit a record high fueled by the expected blockbuster premiere of a mixed-reality headset

Shares of the iPhone maker rose as much as 1.6% to $183.76 on Monday, above the closing high reached on Jan. 3, 2022. The gain would extend Apple’s year-to-date rally of 41%, a remarkable turnaround for a stock that sank to a 19-month low in the first trading days of the year.

“Today’s announcement should give it another boost,” said Matthew Maley, chief market strategist at Miller Tabak Co. 

“Given that it has only spent five trading days above 30x earnings over the last half-dozen years, it shows that the stock is getting quite expensive” said Maley. “That doesn’t mean investors should dump the stock, but they should be a little bit careful about chasing up at these levels.”

The stock has risen consistently throughout 2023, with investors viewing it as a safe haven in periods of economic risk or uncertainty given the strength of its balance sheet, its capital-return program, and its durable revenue streams. In addition, its recent results topped expectations, thanks to a rebound in its iPhone and growth in its Services business.

“Even with how much it has risen, it still feels like a quality company, with a lot of cash, continued innovation, a fortress balance sheet, and a large customer base upgrading their products,” said Devon Drew, chief executive officer of DFD Partners. “It should continue to grow, but it can also weather any storm. That means it works in both risk-on and risk-off environments, and that makes me very excited to own it.” 

Apple’s ascent follows Nvidia Corp. soaring in 2023 on optimism surrounding artificial intelligence, briefly driving the chipmaker above the $1 trillion market value level. 

At the current price, Apple is poised to add $41.4 billion of market cap, putting it even closer to a historic $3 trillion valuation. It is the largest public company by far, and comprises about 7.6% of the weight of the S&P 500 Index.