Where Will Apple Stock Be in 5 Years?

By Neil Patel – Apr 2, 2026 at 4:42AM ESTKey PointsApple’s popular products support its powerful brand, adding durability to its robust competitive position.Although it could come down, the stock might still command a premium valuation in five years.The company’s earnings growth will be the key driver of returns.Over the past five years, shares of Apple (AAPL +0.72%) have produced a total return of 114% (as of March 27). That notable gain exceeds the performance of the S&P 500 index. This trend is nothing new for this "Magnificent Seven" stock. Let's now turn our attention to the future. Where will Apple be in five years? Image source: The Motley Fool. Apple's competitive position won't change All the coverage Apple has received that it's falling behind in the artificial intelligence (AI) race definitely provides a reason for investors to be bearish on the company's prospects. I think this is a flawed view. In my opinion, Apple will still be a dominant force in the world of technology five years from now. That's because with its more than 2.5 billion active devices, it has a distribution edge that other companies can only dream about. These hardware products continue to be incredibly popular, especially the iPhone. This single lineup raked in $85 billion in revenue during the fiscal 2026 first quarter (ended Dec. 27, 2025). What's more, Apple has a robust brand name that supports ongoing pricing power. It has a loyal customer base. And its profits are incredible. In fiscal 2025 alone, Apple brought in $112 billion in net income. This is easily one of the highest-quality businesses out there. ExpandNASDAQ: AAPLAppleToday's Change(0.72%) $1.84Current Price$255.63Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.7TDay's Range$253.33 - $256.1852wk Range$169.21 - $288.62Volume78KAvg Vol48MGross Margin47.33%Dividend Yield0.41% Shares could perform in line with the S&P 500's long-term average Investors can follow a straightforward exercise to try and figure out where Apple's stock price will be in late March 2031. It's important to consider both the valuation and profit gains. Apple shares current trade at a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.5. I believe it's reasonable that this multiple could drop to 30 in five years, which is still a premium valuation. On the other hand, sell-side analysts hold a consensus view that diluted earnings per share will rise at a compound annual rate of 11.6% between fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2028. If we assume that this pace of growth continues in the years after this explicit forecast period, then Apple's stock price will be around $410 in five years. This translates to a 10.5% annualized gain. This is obviously a very rough guide that may or may not prove to be correct. Apple's earnings could surprise to the upside or disappoint to the downside. And market sentiment is also extremely unpredictable, which will impact the stock's valuation. That expected rate of return mimics the S&P 500's long-term average. But if the widely followed benchmark keeps up its performance from the past decade, then Apple will lag the market.Read NextApr 1, 2026 •By Lyle DalyThe Largest Companies by Market Cap in April 2026Apr 1, 2026 •By Matt DiLallo7 Best ETFs to Buy in April 2026Apr 1, 2026 •By Adria Cimino2 Reasons This Warren Buffett Favorite May Soar in 2026Mar 31, 2026 •By David Jagielski, CPACould This Be the Big Catalyst That Sends Apple's Stock Soaring in 2026? (Hint: It's Not Artificial Intelligence)Mar 31, 2026 •By Prosper Junior BakinyIs Apple Stock a Buy After Falling 14% From Its All-Time High?Mar 31, 2026 •By Catherine BrockWho Owns Ford? Largest Shareholders & Board of DirectorsAbout the AuthorNeil Patel is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering consumer staples, consumer discretionary, financials, information technology, and communication services. Prior to The Motley Fool, Neil worked in corporate finance roles at JPMorgan Chase and Capital One. He also has experience working on a start-up in the cryptocurrency space. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in finance from Ohio State University.TMFNeilPatelStocks MentionedAppleNASDAQ: AAPL$255.63(+0.72%)+$1.84*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.