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Apple turns in first negative year since 2008

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Apple, one of the best-performing tech stocks in recent memory, snapped a six-year winning streak on Thursday.

The company's shares finished the year down 4.64 percent, at $105.26. Apple had previously closed lower for the year in 2008; it shed 56.91 percent that year.

2015 was a roller-coaster ride for Apple, as the company's shares hit an all-time closing high of $133 on Feb. 23, and an all-time intraday high of $134.54 on April 28. Apple was even added to the Dow Jones industrial average in February, replacing AT&T.

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However, the stock fell 21.76 percent since hitting the April 28 mark, as possible iPhone market saturation and China growth concerns contributed to its troubles. Apple's plunged has wiped out about $57 billion of its market cap, about as much as fellow Dow component DuPont is worth.

Apple shares in 2015

Source: FactSet

Apple could face another tough year in 2016, according to Dan Ives, tech analyst at FBR Capital Markets.

"I think the blooms are coming off the rose a bit for Apple. Not just in terms of the multiple, or in terms of what investors want to pay, but in terms of products," Ives told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. "It's a make-or-break, white-knuckle period for Apple."

However, Erin Gibbs, equity chief investment officer of S&P Investment Advisory, said Dec. 23 that the company's products should add to its profitability next year.

"Right now we've seen a big hit because there's been some news of slowing iPhone sales," she told CNBC's "Trading Nation." "But we've known that even though iPhone sales make up about two-thirds of the revenue, a lot of the future growth is expected to come from non-iPhone products like the Apple Watch and the iPad."

Apple unveiled a slew of new products this year, including the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, the Apple Watch, the streaming service Apple Music and the iPad Pro.

The stock has also gained more than 90 percent since CEO Tim Cook took over.

Clarification: Erin Gibbs spoke about Apple on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

— CNBC's Stephanie Yang and Gina Francolla and Reuters contributed to this report.