President Trump has urged tech giant Apple (AAPL) to start manufacturing iPhones in the United States, but Wall Street analysts believe that this is unlikely. Indeed, analysts from Wedbush said that the logistics and costs associated with U.S. production would make it unfeasible. They pointed out that the price of an iPhone made in the U.S. would likely skyrocket to around $3,500. This would far exceed the current price range for iPhones, which starts at $799 for the iPhone 16 and $999 for the iPhone 16 Pro.
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Trump’s comments came after he reportedly told Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop expanding iPhone production in India by urging the company to shift operations back to the U.S. It is worth noting that Cook had previously stated that a majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. this quarter will be made in India, rather than China. Trump also remarked on his frustration with Cook’s decisions by mentioning that India had offered favorable trade terms, including no tariffs, for U.S. businesses.
Despite these geopolitical tensions, Apple’s stock has seen a nearly 7% increase this week, bringing it to around $211 per share. However, the stock is still down about 16% year-to-date. Nevertheless, Wedbush, which is led by four-star analysts Daniel Ives, maintains a price target of $270 for Apple, which is higher than the analyst consensus of $228. It is also worth noting that, so far, Ives has enjoyed a 71% success rate on AAPL stock, with an average return of 10.8% per rating.
Is Apple a Buy or Sell Right Now?
Overall, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on AAPL stock based on 17 Buys, eight Holds, and four Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. Furthermore, the average AAPL price target of $228.65 per share implies 8.1% upside potential.
