Apple stock price falls 6% Analysis: The fundamentals remain stable

As of February 18, 2026, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock has declined approximately 6% year-to-date, with a weekly drop of up to 8%. The latest wave of tech stock sell-offs has severely impacted Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). The stock has fallen nearly 6% so far this year, and in just the past week, it plummeted 8%. This sell-off was primarily triggered by short-term concerns, including a warning letter from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and news of potential delays in some of Apple’s artificial intelligence features. Additionally, in early February, as investors assessed the disruptive potential of AI companies across various industries, large sectors of the software and tech markets were affected.

The Nasdaq website cited analysis from Motley Fool, stating that Apple’s fundamentals remain solid, with revenue exceeding $143 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, a 16% year-over-year increase, and diluted earnings per share rising 19%. Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that the company’s performance far exceeded expectations and announced a cash dividend of $0.26 per share.

The analysis concludes that, ultimately, this wave of selling in Apple stock may have been somewhat overdone. The federal regulatory warning letters received by the company could suggest that tensions between Tim Cook and the Trump administration might be emerging. However, for now, these letters are mainly criticisms from federal regulators and do not have any substantial impact. Apple’s product release schedule is still proceeding as planned. The launch of Siri 2.0 is imminent, and once released, it is likely to compete with other top chatbots. While there is indeed a lot of short-term noise surrounding Apple, from a product perspective, 2026 could be an exceptionally successful year for this tech giant.