Apple enters the final stretch before its Sept. 9 iPhone event with analysts divided over whether its premium valuation supports further gains. Rosenblatt Securities raised its price target to $303 from $300 while maintaining a Neutral rating, but the new target remains roughly 4%-5% below Apple’s $316-$320 share price ahead of Tuesday’s U.S. session. The firm expects Apple to address supply-chain pressure through higher pricing and a larger mix of premium products. BofA Securities reiterated a Buy rating with a $380 target, implying nearly 20% upside, and said new CEO John Ternus can maintain Apple’s device dominance as artificial intelligence gains importance in consumer hardware. The split reflects investor concerns about whether Apple can generate enough growth to support a valuation of about 33 times forward earnings while facing higher component costs and competition in AI. Ternus became CEO on Sept. 1, with Tim Cook moving to executive chairman after 15 years in charge. Apple’s Sept. 9 event at 10 a.m. Pacific will be Ternus’ first major public product launch as CEO. Investors are looking for premium hardware, new form factors and AI-powered features that could support a meaningful upgrade cycle. Apple’s U.S. leasing arrangement with Klarna and its brief return in July as the world’s most valuable public company, when its market capitalization approached $5 trillion, add to the expectations surrounding the event. With the stock already above Rosenblatt’s target, the launch will test whether Apple can deliver enough innovation to justify its valuation.