AAPL, TSLA, NFLX, GME, RKLB: Why Retail Traders Couldn’t Take Their Eyes Off These Stocks Last Week

• Apple’s $1,999 foldable iPhone Duo saw delivery estimates stretch to January 2027 after preorders opened Oct. 16.

• Netflix announced plans to cut about 1,000 jobs to salvage dropping viewer engagement.

• Rocket Lab stock posted its worst week ever after delaying the first Neutron rocket launch.

Last week brought a mix of strong product demand, corporate restructuring, insider buying, and development setbacks for five companies in the spotlight. Apple Inc. (AAPL) attracted attention with its first foldable iPhone, Netflix Inc. (NFLX) announced job cuts, GameStop Corp. (GME) saw continued insider purchases, Tesla Inc. (TSLA) showcased its redesigned Roadster, and Rocket Lab Corp. (RKLB) pushed its Neutron rocket debut into 2027.

Apple’s Foldable iPhone Demand Surges

Apple’s new iPhone Duo quickly built a long preorder backlog after orders opened Oct. 16. Delivery estimates for the $1,999 foldable smartphone slipped into January 2027, raising expectations while leaving questions about supply. Evercore ISI viewed the 100-day waiting period as a positive sign for Apple, saying demand has started strongly. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts suggested sales could exceed their earlier fiscal 2027 estimate of 14 million units and $28 billion in revenue.

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Separately, Apple and Meta Platforms Inc. (META) announced work to help developers run Meta’s Muse Spark model on Mac Studio computers, highlighting a new area of cooperation between the longtime rivals. Users can connect two to four computers to run AI tasks locally, which may improve privacy and reduce cloud costs. Apple stock rose 2% over the week. However, on Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained ‘extremely bearish’.

Netflix: Workforce Cuts Signal A Strategic Reset

Netflix stock edged up 0.3% over the week as the company devised plans to cut about 1,000 jobs, or 6% of its workforce. The cuts will mainly affect product, technology, legal and human resources teams. Co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos said Netflix remains on track to meet its yearly financial targets. However, the company faces challenges in keeping viewers engaged and competing for audiences as it expands into live programming and other formats.

Also, Netflix named former Disney and Fox executive Peter Rice as its new chief content officer, replacing Bela Bajaria, who is leaving after nearly 10 years. He will oversee TV shows, movies and live events. Retail sentiment around the stock turned ‘bearish’ from ‘neutral’.