Apple Recap: iPhone Buzz, Android Misery, and Undervalued Stock

Finally grabbing a hold of the broader gains etched out by the all three U.S. stock indices, shares of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) closed on Thursday up $4.92, or 1.16 percent, at $430.58. After reaching a 52-week low of $419 per share on Monday, the company’s stock has been buffeted around over the past few days. But with the help of a positive endorsement from fund manager Paul Theron and Goldman Sachs analyst David Kostin, Apple ended the day in the green. Here’s a cheat sheet to company news making the buzz on Thursday:

Is the iPhone Buzz is Wearing Off?

It may be like comparing Apple to oranges, but analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch believe that search-volume analysis can provide insight into the popularity of its products — and by extension, the strength of the company. It’s also worth pointing out the dollop of irony that comes with the fact that Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) search trends are being used for the analysis.

The insights that the analysts are drawing from search query volume are focused around various products, and the duration and intensity of their popularity. For example, they compared the cycles of interest for the keyword “iPhone” that surrounded each of the product launches to date. The conclusion from here — echoing concerns expressed by analysts at Credit Suisse — is that interest in and sales of the iPhone 5 are winding down…