Apple's fourth-quarter sales reached $94.93 billion, exceeding profit expectations with earnings per share of 97 cents, which included a charge for a significant European tax payment.

The company's strong performance was driven by the launch of its AI-enhanced iPhone. However, concerns arose from a decline in sales in China, resulting in a 1.4% drop in shares during after-hours trading.

Looking ahead, Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri indicated that Apple expects revenue growth in the low to mid-single digits for the fiscal first quarter ending in December, falling short of analysts' expectations for a 6.65% increase to $127.53 billion. Nevertheless, the company anticipates double-digit growth in its services sector, raising questions about potential declines in overall hardware revenue.