Apple (AAPL) saw its IBD SmartSelect Composite Rating rise to 96 Friday, up from 93 the day before.
X The new rating shows the stock is outpacing 96% of all stocks when it comes to the most important stock-picking criteria.
Apple is currently forming a flat base, with a 176.34 buy point. Look for the stock to break out in volume at least 40% higher than normal.
Looking For The Best Stocks To Buy And Watch? Start Here
The stock has a 90 EPS Rating, meaning its recent quarterly and longer-term annual earnings growth is outpacing 90% of all stocks.
Its Accumulation/Distribution Rating of B- shows moderate buying by institutional investors over the last 13 weeks.
In Q4, the company posted 24% EPS growth. It has now posted accelerating EPS increases for five consecutive quarters. Top line growth climbed 12%, up from 7% in the prior quarter. That marks five quarters of rising growth.
Apple holds the No. 1 rank among its peers in the Telecom-Consumer Products industry group. Motorola Solutions (MSI) and Tessco Technologies (TESS) are also among the group's highest-rated stocks.
RELATED: