Apple: Navigating Short-Term AI and Macro Headwinds Toward a 2026 Product Refresh–Driven Growth Reacceleration

Analyst Brian White from Monness maintained a Buy rating on Apple and keeping the price target at $300.00.

Brian White has given his Buy rating due to a combination of factors that, in his view, position Apple for a stronger 2026 despite a challenging prior year. He acknowledges that Apple lagged broader tech indices in 2025 amid tariffs, regulatory scrutiny, China weakness, and delays in key Apple Intelligence features, but he expects the disruptive impact of these issues to moderate going forward. He argues that the company’s commitment to only releasing a more advanced Siri when fully ready, combined with Apple’s strong brand trust and privacy stance, should allow it to participate meaningfully in the long-term AI opportunity despite short-term execution hiccups.

At the same time, White highlights that demand for Apple’s hardware and services held up well through the turbulence, with the iPhone 17 line performing better than expected. Looking into 2026, he anticipates a broad product refresh cycle that includes the iPhone 18 family, the highly anticipated foldable iPhone, potential new smart home devices, and a lower-priced MacBook that could expand Apple’s customer base. He also sees further upside in the Services segment, particularly as AI-driven features are integrated into apps and platforms like the App Store and Fitness+, supporting recurring, higher-margin revenue. Taken together, these elements underpin his positive view of Apple’s growth prospects and support his Buy recommendation on the stock.

White covers the Technology sector, focusing on stocks such as Salesforce, Oracle, and Apple. According to TipRanks, White has an average return of 15.8% and a 65.93% success rate on recommended stocks.

In another report released today, TipRanks – OpenAI also reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a $301.00 price target.