Apple Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, and accessories worldwide. The company offers iPhone, a line of smartphones; Mac, a line of personal computers; iPad, a line of multi-purpose tablets; and wearables, home, and accessories comprising AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, and HomePod. It also provides AppleCare support and cloud services; and operates various platforms, including the App Store that allow customers to discover and download applications and digital content, such as books, music, video, games, and podcasts. In addition, the company offers various services, such as Apple Arcade, a game subscription service; Apple Fitness+, a personalized fitness service; Apple Music, which offers users a curated listening experience with on-demand radio stations; Apple News+, a subscription news and magazine service; Apple TV+, which offers exclusive original content; Apple Card, a co-branded credit card; and Apple Pay, a cashless payment service, as well as licenses its intellectual property. The company serves consumers, and small and mid-sized businesses; and the education, enterprise, and government markets. It distributes third-party applications for its products through the App Store. The company also sells its products through its retail and online stores, and direct sales force; and third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and resellers. Apple Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Apple Inc.

(RTTNews) - Apple Inc. (AAPL) will host a conference call at 5:00 PM ET on January 29, 2026, to discuss Q1 26 earnings results.
To access the live webcast, log on to https://investor.apple.com/investor-relations/
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Apple Q1 26 Earnings Conference Call At 5:00 PM ET

Key Points
Apple stock is cooling off after a rapid run-up in the second half of last year.
A Gemini-powered Siri upgrade could come in February.
Apple shares are far from cheap.
Less than one month into the new year, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is already down 8.8% year to date at the time of this writing, compared to a 1% gain in the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC).
That makes Apple the second-worst-performing component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Here's what's driving the sell-off, and if the mega-cap tech stock is a buy now.
Context is key
Always take context into account when evaluating a stock's performance within a specific window, such as year to date or a year.
Apple sold off in the first half of 2025 due to tariff-related fears of eroding margins that never came true. The stock then gained 32.5% in the second half of the year. So heading into 2026, the company had added more than $1 trillion in market cap in a matter of months.
The stock is still up big over the last seven months, even when factoring in its pullback so far this year. It's up to investors to decide how much of the gain is warranted.
Apple is making a splash with AI
On Jan. 12, Alphabet and Apple published a joint statement announcing the integration of Google's Gemini models and cloud technology into the next generation of Apple Foundation Models. Reports indicate that a Gemini-powered version of Siri could come as soon as February.
Having a voice-controlled artificial intelligence (AI) assistant is a brilliant move on Apple's part. Manually-controlled AI functionality may be off-putting to some users, but narrating commands to an assistant could make AI more approachable for users who aren't tech savvy. It's also a good way for the company to gradually phase in AI rather than launching big, overwhelming upgrades.
Apple is known for taking its time with product launches, which is something long-term investors can appreciate. Instead, it aims to maximize the overall impact of a product or a product line's life cycle.
And that was certainly the case last year with the iPhone 17, which featured significant improvements in its camera, processing, and design but lacked the AI showstopper that some investors wanted.
Still, the iPhone 17 came out in September 2025, and investors cheered strong demand and a return to meaningful earnings growth, which Apple had been lacking for years.
Fundamentals are improving
As you can see in the following chart, Apple's earnings soared during the pandemic as consumers shifted purchasing from services to products, but then stagnated. Its recent results have given its earnings and operating margins a much-needed jolt.
Apple's product revenue grew 4.1% in fiscal 2025, and services revenue jumped 13.5%.
For the fiscal year, products raked in a highly impressive 36.8% gross margin, but services were even better at 75.4%. And with services now making up 26.2% of total sales, margins could continue to expand.
Overall, Apple's results have been solid. And that's without factoring in the growth potential of what is likely to be a big calendar year for the company with AI-powered software upgrades and an iPhone purpose-built for AI integration, which may also feature its first-ever foldable design.
Higher-end versions of the iPhone 18 are expected to be powered by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's 2-nanometer chips, which will make it by far the most expensive iPhone ever, but will also drastically improve processing and battery life.
Apple's valuation is elevated
With earnings growth and margins improving, the stock may become more appealing to growth investors. But its valuation is expensive, given that analyst estimates have the company growing earnings by only 10.3% in fiscal 2026 and 10.5% in fiscal 2027.
Even after its recent sell-off, Apple has a 30.9 forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) -- which is more expensive than Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms. Even Broadcom, which is growing at a breakneck pace and is also high-margin, has a 31.6 forward P/E. And Nvidia -- which converts over half of its revenue into after-tax net income and is also growing at a breakneck pace -- has a forward P/E under 40.
I would choose every stock in that chart over Apple because they all have strong competitive moats and more attractive valuations relative to their growth potential. Another distinct difference between Apple and other major tech stocks is its business model.
Apple is heavily dependent on consumer spending. In fiscal 2025, it demonstrated remarkable resilience in its core North American market, and strong growth in Europe and Asia (outside of China).
But China sales declined, and it remains to be seen if U.S. consumers will continue paying higher prices for Apple's AI-integrated devices, especially given that the cost of living continues to outpace wage growth. By comparison, big tech companies that rely mainly on business-to-business sales aren't as sensitive to weakness in consumer spending.
Keep Apple on a watch list (for now)
Apple is a decent stock to buy in 2026, but it's not all that compelling. Investors can buy a high-octane growth stock like Broadcom for a similar valuation, or get far more balanced earnings growth from Microsoft, or high margins and solid earnings from Meta at a far less expensive valuation.
The slower a company's earnings growth, the more critical you should be of its valuation. And in Apple's case, it's somewhere between a tech stock and a consumer-facing company.
In terms of consumer-facing companies, I would much rather buy high-yield dividend stocks like Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble, which are passive-income powerhouses at far more attractive valuations than Apple.
That said, investors who believe in Apple's ability to capitalize on AI may still want to consider buying Apple now. And if there is a sell-off in AI stocks or a pullback in hyperscaler spending on AI, I would expect Apple to hold up far better than companies that have been pouring capital into long-term AI investments. Apple has an impeccable balance sheet and consistently generates gobs of free cash flow, which it uses to buy back stock and invest in long-term projects.
In sum, there are worse ideas than buying Apple after its latest pullback, but it's not a screaming buying opportunity by any means.
Should you buy stock in Apple right now?
Before you buy stock in Apple, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Apple wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $461,527!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,155,666!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 950% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 197% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 29, 2026.
Daniel Foelber has positions in Nvidia and Procter & Gamble and has the following options: short February 2026 $150 calls on Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Salesforce, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Apple Is the Second-Worst-Performing Dow Jones Stock So Far in 2026. Is the Sell-Off a Buying Opportunity?

For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – January 29, 2026 – Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights Apple AAPL and Alphabet GOOGL.
Can Apple Shake Off AI Struggles?
This week’s reporting docket is headlined by many notable companies, a list that includes beloved Mag 7 member Apple. Shares have had a negative showing in 2026 so far, down roughly 5% and underperforming relative to the S&P 500.
But can the tech titan’s results push some life back into shares? Let’s take a closer look at revisions and a few other key metrics to keep an eye on.
Revisions Show Positivity
The EPS outlook for the tech titan has remained stable and positive over recent months, with the current Zacks Consensus EPS estimate of $2.65 up 1.1% since the beginning of last November. Sales revisions have followed a similar path, with the $137.4 billion consensus estimate up 1.2% over the same period.
As shown below, the company’s top line has shown steady improvement over recent years, with its high-flying growth days largely behind it. The stock commonly reflects a ‘safer’ tech play given its size and maturity, partly explaining why it generally trades at rich valuation multiples despite not posting outsized growth. Shares currently trade at a 30.0X forward 12-month earnings multiple, reflecting a 30% premium relative to the S&P 500.
Key Apple Metrics to Watch
A key metric to watch in the release is Apple’s Services results, which have regularly been robust and reached record levels throughout recent periods. Apple’s Services segment represents all the recurring, non-hardware revenue tied to its ecosystem, such as Apple Music, Apple Pay, App Store, and Apple TV+, for a few examples.
Our consensus Services estimate stands just at $30.0 billion, reflecting a 14% YoY climb. Below is a chart illustrating AAPL’s Services revenues on a quarterly basis, with our consensus estimate also blended in.
Keep in mind that Alphabet and AAPL announced a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology.
Notably, AAPL has yet to have its big AI moment. The reaction to Apple Intelligence so far has been mixed at best, with several highly anticipated features, like an improved Siri, delayed during the initial rollout.
We’ll undoubtedly hear a lot about the collaboration during theearnings call especially given the current sentiment surrounding its AI ventures. Of course, this leads back to iPhone sales, which we forecast to reach $77.6 billion throughout the period. The iPhone still remains the largest sales contributor, but the Services segment’s growth has helped reduce the reliance on this critical segment.
Below is a chart illustrating the company’s iPhone sales on a quarterly basis, with our consensus estimate also blended in. iPhone sales spike during the period due to the September launch.
Bottom Line
Beloved Apple is gearing up to reveal its next set of quarterly results this week, with many other notable companies slated to report.
Analysts have kept their revisions positive and stable, a key development heading into the release. While shares are a bit rich, the company has historically traded at a steep multiple given its consistent and cash-generating nature. Below is a chart illustrating its free cash flow on a quarterly basis.
Investors should keep a close eye on commentary surrounding the recent deal withAlphabet given its weak AI story so far, with iPhone and Services results also reflecting key metrics.
Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
https://www.zacks.com
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. Little-known AI firms tackling the world's biggest problems may be more lucrative in the coming months and years.
See
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights: Apple and Alphabet

Key Points
CHAT charges a much higher expense ratio but has delivered a stronger 1-year return
XLK is far larger and more diversified within the technology sector, while CHAT tilts toward generative AI and applies an ESG screen
CHAT has exhibited higher volatility and a deeper recent drawdown, reflecting its concentrated and thematic approach
The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEMKT:XLK) stands out for its scale and broad technology exposure, while the Roundhill Investments - Generative AI & Technology ETF (NYSEMKT:CHAT) takes a narrower, actively managed approach with higher costs and a thematic AI focus.
Both the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEMKT:XLK) and the Roundhill Investments - Generative AI & Technology ETF (NYSEMKT:CHAT) target the technology space, but their strategies and risk profiles differ. XLK offers diversified exposure to the largest U.S. tech names, while CHAT zooms in on generative artificial intelligence and related themes, actively picking stocks it believes will benefit most from this trend. This comparison unpacks their differences in cost, performance, holdings, and risk to help investors see which may better fit their goals.
Snapshot (cost & size)
Issuer
SPDR
Roundhill Investments
Expense ratio
0.08%
0.75%
1-yr return (as of 2026-01-27)
30.91%
63.06%
AUM
$92.48 billion
$995.24 million
Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.
CHAT’s expense ratio is meaningfully higher than XLK’s, making XLK the more affordable option for cost-conscious investors.
Performance & risk comparison
Max drawdown (2 y)
-25.65%
-31.35%
CHAT’s recent returns have outpaced XLK, but this comes with higher risk. Its larger drawdown and elevated beta signal greater volatility, which could be a trade-off for investors drawn to its AI focus.
What's inside
CHAT is an actively managed fund with 52 holdings and a mandate to capture the growth of generative artificial intelligence. The portfolio leans heavily into technology (85%), with smaller allocations to communication services and consumer cyclicals. Its top holdings include Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA), and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), and the fund applies an ESG screen. At 2.7 years old, it is relatively new and intentionally concentrated around the AI theme.
XLK, by contrast, offers broad technology sector exposure with 70 holdings, covering nearly the entire U.S. tech landscape. Its top positions are Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA), Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), reflecting the sector’s giants. XLK does not apply an ESG screen or thematic tilt, providing a more traditional approach to tech investing.
For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.
What this means for investors
Many investors reach for AI funds expecting broad tech exposure, without realizing how much concentration they are taking on. That distinction sits at the heart of the decision between the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund and the Roundhill Generative AI and Technology ETF, two funds that live in the same sector but reflect very different views on how to capture growth.
XLK is built as a core holding and offers broad access to the largest U.S. technology companies through a low-cost and rules-based structure. It spreads risk across established leaders whose earnings power drives long-term returns. CHAT takes a much narrower approach. It actively selects companies tied to generative AI and concentrates capital around a single theme. The trade-off is straightforward: XLK prioritizes scale and liquidity, while CHAT prioritizes thematic focus and the potential of outsized gains when AI enthusiasm runs hot.
For investors, XLK suits you if you are looking for steady exposure to tech without tying outcomes to a single narrative, while CHAT fits investors who are intentionally seeking AI exposure and willing to accept sharper swings and higher costs. The choice ultimately comes down to whether you want tech exposure anchored in broad earnings power or tied to continued confidence in a single trend.
Where to invest $1,000 right now
When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor’s total average return is 950%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 197% for the S&P 500.
They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 29, 2026.
Eric Trie has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

XLK vs. CHAT: Broad Tech Exposure or a Focused AI Bet?

Key Points
Intel stock soared following investments from the U.S. government and Nvidia.
Investors were disappointed with its first-quarter guidance.
The world's leading chip manufacturer, TSMC, continues to deliver strong results and is affordably priced.
After years of lagging the market, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) has suddenly found new life.
The stock has more than doubled over the last six months, even after its sharp pullback following disappointing guidance in its fourth-quarter earnings report.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »
Intel has rebounded with the help of the U.S. government, which took a 9.9% stake in the stock last August, which was followed by Nvidia investing $5 billion in the chip-maker in September.
Both moves gave Intel much-needed capital to continue investing in its foundry business and to develop new AI products. It also showed confidence in the company's turnaround prospects under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who has cut costs, streamlined the business, scaled back on capital expenditures, and is aiming to overhaul the culture, making it less bureaucratic and more like a start-up.
However, the recent pullback on its earnings report shows that the stock may be overbought and that expectations seem to have outrun the current reality of the business. Intel is still struggling to grow and turn a profit. Revenue fell 4% in the fourth quarter to $13.7 billion, and it reported a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) loss of $591 million, though it was profitable on an adjusted basis.
For the first quarter, it expects revenue of $11.7 billion-$12.7 billion, which is a sharp sequential decline, and sees adjusted earnings per share of just break-even.
For investors looking to capitalize on the AI infrastructure boom, there's a more reliable stock to buy here. In fact, it's a chief rival of Intel. I'm talking about Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (NYSE: TSM), the world's leading contract manufacturer of semiconductors.
A track record of excellence
TSMC, as the company is often known, isn't a household name like Intel. It doesn't make branded products, and it's based in Taiwan rather than the U.S.
However, the company is one of the most valuable in the world at a market cap of $1.8 trillion, and it's a linchpin in the global economy as it's the primary chip manufacturer for tech titans like Apple, Nvidia, AMD, Broadcom, and others. It manufactures more than half of the contract chips in the world and is estimated to account for 90% of the advanced contract chips.
That gives it a strong competitive advantage, and its results back that up as it's turned in phenomenal growth and profit margins during the AI boom.
In its fourth quarter, revenue rose 25.5% to $33.7 billion, and it reported an operating margin of 54%, or $18.2 billion in operating income.
TSMC now makes 77% of its revenue from advanced chips, which it defines as those that are 7 nanometers (nm) or less. The stock also trades at an attractive valuation at a price-to-earnings ratio of 32, making it only slightly more expensive than the S&P 500. Historically, the stock has traded at a discount because it's based in Taiwan and some investors fear that China could invade the island territory.
TSMC stock has also been a longtime winner on the stock market, up more than 1,000% over the last decade.
Intel vs. TSMC
Intel operates in two primary segments: its products division, which refers to its chip designs, and its foundry division, which is focused on manufacturing. Historically, the company has manufactured chips solely for itself, but it restructured its business in 2021 to open its foundry to outside customers and has signed up some new customers, including Amazon.
Intel has staked the future of the foundry business on advanced processes like 18A (18 angstroms or 1.8nm), which it recently launched. 18A and the upcoming 14A, which is expected to enter production in 2028, have the potential to make Intel a real competitor to TSMC. However, a meaningful challenge from Intel is likely years away, and Intel has been losing billions of dollars a year on the foundry business as it builds out advanced processes in an attempt to establish a third-party manufacturing business.
At this point, Intel stock is more expensive than TSMC, even though its revenue is basically flat and it's losing money on a GAAP basis. TSMC, on the other hand, expects to grow revenue by a compound annual rate of around 25% through 2029, and it's currently keeping more than half of its revenue as operating income.
While Intel's turnaround may be appealing as a story, TSMC is the much safer bet here and should continue to beat the market as long as the AI boom continues.
Should you buy stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing right now?
Before you buy stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $461,527!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,155,666!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 950% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 197% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 28, 2026.
Jeremy Bowman has positions in Advanced Micro Devices, Amazon, Broadcom, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Amazon, Apple, Intel, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Forget Intel: This AI Infrastructure Stock is a Better Bet for 2026

Key Points
Sold 308,055 shares; estimated trade size $15.65 million (based on quarterly average price).
Quarter-end AIQ position value decreased by $15.21 million, reflecting both share sales and price movement.
Transaction equaled 1.34% of Stonebridge’s 13F reportable AUM.
Post-sale holding: 4,534 shares valued at $230,579.
AIQ stake fell from 1.36% to 0.02% of AUM, placing it outside the fund’s top five holdings.
On January 20, 2026, Stonebridge Financial Group, LLC disclosed in an SEC filing that it sold 308,055 shares of Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF (NASDAQ:AIQ), with the estimated transaction value at $15.65 million based on quarterly average pricing.
What happened
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated January 20, 2026, Stonebridge Financial Group, LLC reported selling most of its shares of the Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF. The value of the fund’s AIQ position decreased by $15.21 million over the period, reflecting both trading activity and stock price changes.
What else to know
Following the sale, AIQ represents 0.02% of Stonebridge's 13F AUM, down from 1.36% the previous quarter.
Top holdings after the filing:
NYSEMKT:DGRO: $54.72 million (4.7% of AUM)
NYSEMKT:SMMU: $53.65 million (4.6% of AUM)
NYSEMKT:CGCP: $44.87 million (3.8% of AUM)
NASDAQ:USTB: $38.72 million (3.3% of AUM)
NASDAQ:AAPL: $37.15 million (3.2% of AUM)
As of January 20, 2026, shares were priced at $50.94, up 29.09% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 by 17.75 percentage points.
ETF overview
AUM
0.02%
Price (as of market close 1/20/26)
$50.94
Dividend yield
0.18%
1-year total return
29.09%
ETF snapshot
Investment strategy focuses on tracking companies engaged in artificial intelligence and big data, aiming to replicate the performance of a specialized underlying index.
Portfolio is composed primarily of global equities involved in AI development, utilization, and supporting technologies, with at least 80% of assets allocated to index constituents.
Operates as a non-diversified ETF structure.
Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF provides investors with targeted access to companies at the forefront of artificial intelligence and big data innovation.
What this transaction means for investors
The fact that Stonebridge Financial Group almost cashed out of the Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF is notable. In Q3, this exchange-traded fund (ETF) had been a top 20 holding in the fund.
Additionally, the fund has an implicit bias toward (ETFs). Hence, the fact that it holds substantial individual positions in Apple and Microsoft is notable implies a continuing belief in the tech sector.
Nonetheless, the fund also sold its entire stake in AMD. That may imply that it wants less direct exposure to artificial intelligence (AI).
That impulse seems to be confirmed by its other moves. None of its new positions were tech stocks, though it increased its stake in Netflix by 955% and its position in Oracle by 52%.
Hence, while Stonebridge Financial may be content to rely heavily on ETFs, it has become more selective about tech stocks, implying that it thinks the opportunities in that sector lie in specific names rather than tech or AI in general.
Where to invest $1,000 right now
When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor’s total average return is 950%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 197% for the S&P 500.
They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 28, 2026.
Will Healy has positions in Advanced Micro Devices. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, and Oracle. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Stonebridge Dumps 308,000 AIQ Shares Worth $15.6 Million

The NASDAQ 100 After Hours Indicator is up 128.37 to 26,151.16. The total After hours volume is currently 125,620,079 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the after hours session:
Intel Corporation (INTC) is +0.087 at $48.85, with 12,315,136 shares traded. INTC's current last sale is 108.56% of the target price of $45.
Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares (TSLL) is +1.21 at $18.45, with 6,955,002 shares traded. This represents a 193.32% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is -0.058 at $256.38, with 6,197,543 shares traded.AAPL is scheduled to provide an earnings report on 1/29/2026, for the fiscal quarter ending Dec2025. The consensus earnings per share forecast is 2.65 per share, which represents a 240 percent increase over the EPS one Year Ago
AT&T Inc. (T) is +0.05 at $24.12, with 3,767,830 shares traded. Smarter Analyst Reports: AT&T Posts Strong Q3 Results on Customer Growth
Grab Holdings Limited (GRAB) is -0.01 at $4.52, with 3,646,258 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for GRAB is in the "buy range".
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is +0.513 at $192.01, with 3,596,718 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NVDA is in the "buy range".
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) is -25.9061 at $455.72, with 3,103,630 shares traded. Smarter Analyst Reports: Monday’s Pre-Market: Here’s What You Need to Know Before the Market Opens
Kenvue Inc. (KVUE) is +0.02 at $17.36, with 2,386,263 shares traded. KVUE's current last sale is 96.44% of the target price of $18.
Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) is unchanged at $137.58, with 2,145,623 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 3 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Dec 2025. The consensus EPS forecast is $1.68. XOM is scheduled to provide an earnings report on 1/30/2026, for the fiscal quarter ending Dec2025. The consensus earnings per share forecast is 1.68 per share, which represents a 167 percent increase over the EPS one Year Ago
Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU) is -0.06 at $18.70, with 1,530,923 shares traded., following a 52-week high recorded in today's regular session.
The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) is +0.08 at $103.55, with 1,418,441 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 7 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Mar 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $1.33. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for SCHW is in the "buy range".
IonQ, Inc. (IONQ) is +0.01 at $45.81, with 1,316,422 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for IONQ is in the "buy range".
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

After Hours Most Active for Jan 28, 2026 : INTC, TSLL, AAPL, T, GRAB, NVDA, MSFT, KVUE, XOM, NU, SCHW, IONQ

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently approved a Nasdaq proposal that will give options traders more flexibility and control over their investments on Qualifying Securities.
Nasdaq’s proposal introduced Monday/Wednesday expiration dates for options on a list of Qualifying Securities, which include the Magnificent Seven stocks -- Alphabet (GOOG), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA), and Tesla (TSLA) -- as well as Broadcom (AVGO) and the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT).
With the SEC’s greenlight on Jan. 26, Nasdaq can now list options expiries for these securities on Mondays and Wednesdays, in addition to their typical Friday expirations. Single-stock options have typically been limited to Friday expirations, with an exception for certain ETFs such as the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), Invesco QQQ (QQQ) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM), which trade with daily expiries.
David Barrett, Nasdaq’s Head of U.S. Options Product Strategy, sat down with the Nasdaq Newsroom to discuss these changes and the benefits it affords to market participants.
Q&A with David Barrett, Nasdaq’s Head of U.S. Options Product Strategy
Nasdaq Newsroom: Before this new SEC approval, what was the previous state of play when it comes to expiries?
David Barrett: Previously, there were eight instruments that were allowed to trade intra-week expirations. Expiries on the SPY, QQQ and IWM, which are the index ETFs, could trade every day. Additionally, the GLD, which is the gold ETF, the SLV, the silver ETF, and the TLT, the 20-year Treasury ETF, traded on Monday and Wednesday expirations along with the regular Friday expirations. ETFs on oil futures (USO) and natural gas (UNG) traded on Wednesday and Friday expirations. All other contracts traded on Friday expiries on either a weekly or monthly cadence.
Nasdaq Newsroom: Why have Friday expiries been the norm?
David Barrett: It used to be that expirations were only quarterly occurrences. Then, some of the more heavily traded options went to a monthly cadence, and for those that retained a quarterly cadence, they were around their underlying’s earnings dates, so the expiries would generally encompass the earnings date. Weekly expiries started to appear in the 2010s, and the Monday-Wednesday-Friday cadence for SPY and QQQ — heavily liquid ETFs — kicked off around 2016.
In terms of why Friday (as opposed to another day), a lot of it had to do with the historical structure. Clearing processes needed to take place over a weekend because computer processes weren’t as fast.
Nasdaq Newsroom: How does the recently approved change benefit investors?
David Barrett: There's a whole host of reasons.
First, it’s just a clear investor preference — [traders] do prefer to trade in shorter-dated options. Every time there's been a shorter-dated option listed, the volumes have spiked in that. It has not cannibalized the other volumes too.
Second, options that are shorter dated tend to be more efficiently priced. When you think about any insurance instrument, the bigger the time window, the more potential there is for an untoward outcome, and so market makers have to take that into account. Consequently, the prices tend to be a bit less efficient.
Nasdaq Newsroom: How did you pick which securities could participate in this expiry program?
David Barrett: We want to do this responsibly — we want to ensure that the most liquid securities are the ones that are traded this way and that there's always a competitive price for a retail investor. That's why we picked a stringent series of qualifications that a security had to meet to get into this program.
There were 4 qualifications that we filed with the SEC to become part of the program:
The first was a $700 billion market cap for a single stock, or $50 billion in assets under management for an ETF, on the last day of the prior quarter.
Qualification number two was that it has to have traded 10 million sides in the preceding month to the quarter end. So, in December, in March, in June, and in September, we're going to look to see if it traded 10 million sides.
Third, it has to have a 250,000-lot position limit, as listed on the OCC's website.
Finally, it has to be part of the Penny Interval Program. Certain options on stocks and ETFs that meet the Penny Interval Program eligibility requirements trade in minimum price increments of a penny. Other options on stocks and ETFs trade in minimum price increment of a nickel. There are about 300 options that trade in a minimum price increment of a penny.
Nasdaq Newsroom: What’s next for expiries?
David Barrett: The trend is always going to be towards instrument expansion, but we want to do it in a thoughtful way that maintains investor protection and market quality.
Customers are saying that they want risk profiles that are more defined to the short end of expirations. They probably want that in more securities than we're currently listing, so there could well be an expansion of this program at some point.
Again, it will be deliberate and it will be based on where real customer demand exists. And, no matter what, it will be done in such a way that we're acting responsibly for both our customers and our industry partners.
To learn more about the new options expirations, watch a recent webinar on the topic with Nasdaq Head of U.S. Options Sales Tanya Patwaa.
Options involve risk and are not suitable for everyone. Prior to buying or selling an option, a person must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Copies may be obtained from your broker, one of the exchanges or The Options Clearing Corporation, One North Wacker Drive, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60606 or call 1-888-OPTIONS or visit www.888options.com. An investor should review transaction costs, margin requirements and tax considerations with a broker and tax advisor before entering into any options strategy. Any strategies discussed are strictly for illustrative and education purposes and are not to be construed as an endorsement, recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell securities.

Nasdaq Lists New Options Expiries: What This Means and Why It Matters

Key Points
SoundHound is growing rapidly, but it’s still posting steep losses.
SoundHound’s stock isn’t cheap, and it hasn’t proven its business model is sustainable.
Apple, which weaves Siri across its walled garden, might be a better voice AI play.
SoundHound AI (NASDAQ: SOUN), a developer of audio and speech recognition tools, grew rapidly in recent years as more companies launched their own AI-powered voice services. Its namesake app can identify songs from just a few seconds of recorded audio or a few hummed bars. Still, it generates most of its revenue from Houndify -- a developer platform for creating customized voice recognition apps that aren't tethered to big tech companies.
SoundHound already serves automakers like Stellantis, quick-serve restaurants like Chipotle, and credit card giants like Mastercard. Over the past two years, it acquired the AI restaurant services provider SYNQ3, the online food ordering platform Allset, the conversational AI company Amelia, and the customer service AI company Interactions to increase its exposure to the restaurant and AI chatbot industries.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
From 2020 to 2024, SoundHound's revenue grew at a CAGR of 60%. From 2024 to 2027, analysts expect its revenue to grow at a 49% CAGR to $283 million, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) turning positive in the final year.
That makes SoundHound one of the market's fastest-growing AI stocks, but it's also valued accordingly. With a market capitalization of $4.18 billion, it trades at 18 times its 2026 sales. It's also increasingly dependent on acquisitions to offset its slowing organic growth, and its gross margins are declining. It's expected to remain unprofitable under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) through 2027. It's also more than doubled its outstanding share count since it went public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in April 2022. That dilution will likely continue for the foreseeable future.
In other words, SoundHound hasn't yet proven its business model is sustainable. So instead of chasing this volatile stock in this choppy market, it might be smarter to simply stick with Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) as a safer way to profit from the growth of the voice AI market.
Why is Apple a safer and smarter bet on the voice AI market?
Apple might not initially seem like a voice AI company, since it generates most of its revenue from its hardware products. In fiscal 2025 (which ended last September), it generated 50% of its revenue from the iPhone, 8% from the Mac, and 7% from the iPad. Another 9% came from its wearables, home devices, and accessories. The remaining 26% came from its services -- including its App Store, iCloud, Apple TV, and other subscription-based services.
Apple also doesn't actively monetize Siri, the voice assistant, which it launched in 2011. Instead, it acts as the voice-activated gatekeeper to the company's sprawling services -- which weave through its iPhones, iPads, Macs, Watches, Apple TVs, and other devices.
Unlike other cloud-based voice AI services, Siri can process many of its commands locally on its devices. That feature speeds up its voice queries, keeps users' data private, and reduces Apple's cloud infrastructure costs. Apple also develops its own "Neural Engine" chips to process those tasks more efficiently, and it's been gradually upgrading Siri's own large language model (LLM) to improve its conversational AI capabilities.
Siri doesn't need to make money for Apple. It merely keeps its customers locked into its software ecosystem through its devices -- which are closed off in a "walled garden" that makes it difficult to switch to Android or Windows-powered devices.
By locking its customers into that ecosystem, it ensures it can continue selling more iPhones, Macs, and iPads while expanding into new markets like connected cars and mixed-reality devices. It will also complement its rollout of more gesture-based and eye-tracking services.
From fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2025, Apple's revenue and earnings per share (EPS) grew at CAGRs of 3% and 7%, respectively. Those growth rates might seem anemic compared to SoundHound's, but Apple's prisoner-taking business model is more sustainable. It also bought back 12% of its shares over the past five years.
From fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2028, Wall Street expects its revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 7% and 11%, respectively, driven by the next iPhone upgrade cycle, the growth of its services ecosystem, and the increasing stickiness of its Siri-powered "Apple Intelligence" features. Its stock still looks reasonably valued at 28 times next year's earnings, and it should deliver more reliable gains than SoundHound AI and other smaller AI plays for the foreseeable future.
Should you buy stock in SoundHound AI right now?
Before you buy stock in SoundHound AI, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and SoundHound AI wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $461,527!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,155,666!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 950% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 197% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 28, 2026.
Leo Sun has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Mastercard, and SoundHound AI. The Motley Fool recommends Stellantis and recommends the following options: short March 2026 $42.50 calls on Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Forget SoundHound AI: This Walled‑Garden Superpower Is the Safer, Smarter Way to Profit From Voice AI

Key Points
It's time for Apple to think outside the box as it looks for ways to increase shareholder value.
When it comes to capital allocation, the tech giant could consider taking a page from Strategy's playbook.
Thanks to the incredible popularity of products like the iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as its deep bench of services, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has become one of the most successful companies of all time. Over the past three decades, its share price has increased by about 910-fold (as of Jan. 23).
This business operates from a position of immense financial power, supported by net income that totaled $112 billion in its fiscal 2025 (which ended Sept. 27). Apple's profits find their way to its balance sheet; at last report, it had $132 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities on the books.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »
Here's one brilliant idea for what Apple could do with all that liquidity.
It's time to "Think Different"
Like its old marketing slogan, it's time for Apple to "Think Different." The consumer technology enterprise should seriously consider adding Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) to its balance sheet. If it did so, it would follow in the footsteps of Strategy, which pioneered the Bitcoin treasury company model. Shares of that company, formerly known as MicroStrategy, are up by 1,110% since it first bought Bitcoin in August 2020 and rapidly pivoted the center of its business model to crypto investing.
CEO Tim Cook and his management team wouldn't need to go all-in right away. Perhaps the goal in year one might be to allocate 10% of the current $132 billion of liquidity to Bitcoin.
Bitcoin's price has soared by more than 22,000% in the past decade. Even if one forecasts a more reasonable 25% compound annualized growth rate over the next 10 years, Apple could turn a $13.2 billion investment made now into $122.9 billion by early 2036. If the company uses a dollar-cost averaging strategy to steadily invest 10% of the free cash flow it generates each quarter into the digital asset, that ending figure would get significantly larger -- assuming that Bitcoin, currently down about 30% from its peak, resumes its historical climb.
Apple should be actively thinking about this idea, as it could potentially benefit its shareholders. The business would probably earn a much better return from funds put into Bitcoin than what its cash equivalents and marketable securities currently yield. Apple has in recent times struggled to boost its revenue growth. If this strategy turned out to be successful, it could help bolster market sentiment toward the company.
Plus, it would still have plenty of remaining capital to invest in its research and development efforts.
Apple and Bitcoin probably won't happen anytime soon
In December 2024, shareholders of "Magnificent Seven" peer Microsoft voted against investing some of the software giant's assets in Bitcoin. Even for some of the most financially sound and competitively advantaged businesses on Earth, stepping into those waters is still viewed as off-limits behavior. This tells me that it might be a while until such a move is made on a grand scale.
Based on its long-term trajectory, Bitcoin's price in five or 10 years will be much higher. And with wider adoption of the crypto, the perception of it should evolve from a volatile, speculative asset into one that's not so risky. Maybe then the world's top crypto asset will win over corporate executives and show that it deserves a spot on any company's balance sheet.
Should you buy stock in Apple right now?
Before you buy stock in Apple, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Apple wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $461,527!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,155,666!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 950% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 197% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of January 28, 2026.
Neil Patel has positions in Strategy. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Bitcoin, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Apple Inc.

Sign up and unlock all the capabilities of the AI-screener