Apple analyst sets bold stock target for 2026
Here’s what could be next for Apple stock.
It’s almost the time of year when investors look at what they’ve been through and revisit the stocks that shaped the market narrative. The technology sector delivered another strong run in 2025, with the S&P 500 gaining 16% and the Nasdaq Composite gaining more than 20% year to date through Dec. 9.
However, the Magnificent 7 stocks, which account for roughly a third of the S&P 500, showed mixed results in 2025.
The Magnificent 7 stocks’ year-to-date performance as of Dec 9:
- Alphabet (GOOGL): 65.12%
- Nvidia (NVDA): 38.17%
- Microsoft (MSFT): 16.49%
- Meta Platforms (META): 13.88%
- Apple (AAPL): 10.97%
- Tesla (TSLA): 8.85%
- Amazon (AMZN): 3.42%
Apple’s gain puts it in the lower middle of the pack and behind the major indexes. Investors are now watching what the company signals for the rest of the year and into 2026. getty images
Apple CEO expects stronger iPhone sales ahead
Apple reported better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter results on Oct. 30 and gave a strong outlook for the December period.
Earnings came in at $1.85 per share, above the $1.77 expected. Revenue reached $102.47 billion, slightly ahead of estimates.
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“We expect total company revenue to grow by 10 to 12% year over year, we expect iPhone revenue to grow double digits year over year, and we expect that that would make the December quarter the best ever in the history of the company,” CEO Tim Cook said in a CNBC interview.
iPhone revenue for the fiscal fourth quarter rose 6% to $49.03 billion, though it came in slightly below analyst estimates. The iPhone remains Apple’s biggest business, making up about half of total revenue.
Cook said demand for iPhone 17 has been strong. He also pointed to improving trends in China, where sales fell 4% in the recent quarter.
Cook said Apple plans to release a new version of Siri next year, and hinted at more partnerships like adding ChatGPT to Apple Intelligence.
Analyst raises Apple stock target ahead of 2026
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives raised his stock price target for Apple to $350 from $320, reiterating an outperform rating.
“2026 is going to finally be the year that Apple actually enters the AI Revolution,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in a post on X. “We also believe iPhone 17 sales have been trending well into year-end, including in China."
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Ives believes Apple will continue to beat Wall Street growth expectations for the December quarter with a healthy holiday season ahead, according to a research note emailed to TheStreet.
But what's more important than iPhone sales, Ives said, is that Apple has finally started to outline a comprehensive AI strategy over the coming year.
Ives expects the "big moment of truth" to be when Apple formally announces a stepped-up partnership with Google Gemini on the AI front in early 2026, which could be a game-changer for both tech stalwarts going forward.
Citi analyst Atif Malik also raised the firm's price target on Apple to $330 from $315 with a buy rating. According to a note sent to TheStreet, the analyst believes there's an upside for iPhones in Apple's December and March quarters as iPhone 12 and 13 users enter an upgrade window.
Apple stock closed at $277.89 on Dec 8. Wedbush's target implies about 26% upside from the current level.
Related: Bank of America revises 2026 inflation forecast ahead of CPI
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