Gold's record surge sets a new benchmark for Wall Street by 2026.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 23 2025
0mins
Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: MarketWatch
Market Outlook: Stocks are expected to have a quiet trading session before the Christmas break, despite a busy data schedule.
Santa Rally: The official Santa Rally period begins tomorrow, covering the last five trading days of the year and the first two of the new year.
Performance Review: The S&P 500 has seen a modest increase of only 1.6% in December, indicating a lackluster month for the index.
Need for Boost: There is a general sentiment that stocks could benefit from a rally as the year comes to a close.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy AAPL?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on AAPL
Wall Street analysts forecast AAPL stock price to rise
27 Analyst Rating
17 Buy
9 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 260.830
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 260.830
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
About AAPL
Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. Its product categories include iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its software platforms include iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS. Its services include advertising, AppleCare, cloud services, digital content and payment services. The Company operates various platforms, including the App Store, that allow customers to discover and download applications and digital content, such as books, music, video, games and podcasts. It also offers digital content through subscription-based services, including Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV+. Its products include iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone SE, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro, iPad Pro, iPad Air, AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Apple's MacBook Neo Officially Launched
- Positive Market Reception: Apple's MacBook Neo officially launched on Wednesday, with expected shipments of 4.5 to 5 million units this year despite being in small-volume production, indicating strong market demand, particularly in the education sector.
- Significant Price Advantage: Starting at $599 (or $499 for education), the MacBook Neo effectively fills a gap in Apple's mid-range PC market, likely attracting more price-sensitive consumers and enhancing cross-device engagement within the Apple ecosystem.
- Changing Competitive Landscape: Analysts note that rising memory prices may lead other laptop models to increase prices starting in Q2 2026, making the MacBook Neo more competitive on price and further solidifying its market position.
- Market Share Growth: J.P. Morgan analysts believe the MacBook Neo will significantly increase Apple's computer market share, particularly against Chromebooks and Windows devices, leveraging the A18 Pro chip to ensure smooth product delivery.
See More
Apple's AI Strategy Sparks Market Interest
- Market Position Recovery: Apple's stock has surged nearly 30% over the past few months, potentially allowing it to reclaim its market-leading status, despite its overall business experiencing sluggish growth with revenues fluctuating in the mid-single digits, leading investors to remain cautious about its future performance.
- Low AI Spending Attracts Investors: Apple's conservative approach to AI spending makes it more appealing in the current market, especially as the AI sector faces challenges; investors are increasingly favoring stable companies like Apple over those aggressively transforming into AI-first operations.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: While Apple enjoys high customer loyalty, the introduction of AI features by competitors poses a threat to its market share, and there is a risk that a game-changing feature could emerge, leading to potential user attrition and impacting Apple's ecosystem.
- Strategic Risks Emerge: Although Apple's cautious AI investment strategy has garnered market favor in the short term, if generative AI does not develop as expected, Apple may need to rely on external companies for computing capacity, which could challenge its future market position.
See More
Apple's AI Investment Strategy Raises Concerns
- Market Recovery: Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock has surged nearly 30% over the past few months, indicating investor preference for its relatively low-risk investment strategy, despite significantly lower AI spending compared to peers.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: While Apple remains the most popular tech brand in the U.S., the introduction of AI features by competitors poses a challenge to user loyalty, which could impact its market share in the future.
- Investor Sentiment Shift: In contrast to Nvidia's (NASDAQ: NVDA) mere 5.5% gain since August, Apple's performance suggests that investors are gravitating towards companies that maintain a low profile in AI spending, reflecting a cautious approach to market volatility.
- Strategic Risk Assessment: Although Apple's conservative AI investment strategy may attract investors in the short term, failing to keep pace with industry changes could necessitate reliance on external computing capacity for its AI models, increasing future uncertainty.
See More
Buffett's Core Holdings Update
- Core Holdings Overview: Greg Abel, Buffett's successor, highlighted nine companies that constitute over 60% of Berkshire Hathaway's equity portfolio, reflecting the company's long-term confidence in these outstanding businesses.
- Apple's Performance: Apple (AAPL) represents 19% of Berkshire's marketable equities, and despite Buffett selling over three-quarters of its shares during his tenure, its strong sales growth and over $100 billion in free cash flow keep it as a core holding.
- American Express Strategy: American Express (AXP) has been a core holding for over 30 years, and Abel intends to maintain this position, leveraging its high-end customer base and digital payment transformation to drive strong earnings growth, with a forward P/E ratio of just 17.
- Coca-Cola's Steady Growth: Coca-Cola (KO) benefits from brand strength allowing price increases, achieving 5% organic revenue growth last year, and is expected to maintain similar growth in 2026, although its current P/E ratio of 24 may appear slightly overvalued.
See More
Greg Abel Takes Over Berkshire's Portfolio Management from Warren Buffett
- Core Holdings Strategy: In his first letter to shareholders, Abel indicated that Berkshire will maintain limited trading in nine core stocks, which collectively account for over 60% of the company's portfolio, demonstrating a strong commitment to long-term investments.
- Apple's Performance: Despite Buffett selling over three-quarters of Apple shares during his tenure, Abel's letter suggests a potential halt in selling, with Apple expected to generate over $100 billion in free cash flow in 2026, reflecting its strong market position.
- American Express Growth: As a core holding for over 30 years, American Express has successfully attracted high-end consumers and small businesses, driving revenue growth, with a forward P/E ratio of just 17, indicating a solid investment opportunity moving forward.
- Coca-Cola Stability: Coca-Cola leveraged its global brand recognition to achieve 5% organic revenue growth last year, and is expected to maintain similar growth in 2026; despite a 24 P/E ratio, Berkshire's significant capital gains on its investment suggest that Abel is unlikely to sell these shares anytime soon.
See More
BYD Plans to Enter Formula 1 Racing
- Brand Exposure Strategy: BYD's success in the electric vehicle market has allowed it to surpass Tesla, and it now plans to enhance global brand awareness by participating in Formula 1 racing, particularly in the U.S. and other countries.
- Event Expansion Opportunity: The return of F1 racing in Asia, especially with the Shanghai event, presents BYD with a prime opportunity to increase its influence in the Asian market.
- Investment Challenges: While BYD aims to acquire an existing team or create a new one, the substantial cost of $450 million for a team, along with operational expenses, poses significant challenges that could impact its investment decisions.
- Potential Acquisition Target: BYD may consider acquiring a minority stake in the Alpine team, which is not currently for sale, but opportunities for minority investments could still attract BYD's interest.
See More
Apple's MacBook Neo Officially Launched
- Positive Market Reception: Apple's MacBook Neo officially launched on Wednesday, with expected shipments of 4.5 to 5 million units this year despite being in small-volume production, indicating strong market demand, particularly in the education sector.
- Significant Price Advantage: Starting at $599 (or $499 for education), the MacBook Neo effectively fills a gap in Apple's mid-range PC market, likely attracting more price-sensitive consumers and enhancing cross-device engagement within the Apple ecosystem.
- Changing Competitive Landscape: Analysts note that rising memory prices may lead other laptop models to increase prices starting in Q2 2026, making the MacBook Neo more competitive on price and further solidifying its market position.
- Market Share Growth: J.P. Morgan analysts believe the MacBook Neo will significantly increase Apple's computer market share, particularly against Chromebooks and Windows devices, leveraging the A18 Pro chip to ensure smooth product delivery.
See More
Apple's AI Strategy Sparks Market Interest
- Market Position Recovery: Apple's stock has surged nearly 30% over the past few months, potentially allowing it to reclaim its market-leading status, despite its overall business experiencing sluggish growth with revenues fluctuating in the mid-single digits, leading investors to remain cautious about its future performance.
- Low AI Spending Attracts Investors: Apple's conservative approach to AI spending makes it more appealing in the current market, especially as the AI sector faces challenges; investors are increasingly favoring stable companies like Apple over those aggressively transforming into AI-first operations.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: While Apple enjoys high customer loyalty, the introduction of AI features by competitors poses a threat to its market share, and there is a risk that a game-changing feature could emerge, leading to potential user attrition and impacting Apple's ecosystem.
- Strategic Risks Emerge: Although Apple's cautious AI investment strategy has garnered market favor in the short term, if generative AI does not develop as expected, Apple may need to rely on external companies for computing capacity, which could challenge its future market position.
See More
Apple's AI Investment Strategy Raises Concerns
- Market Recovery: Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock has surged nearly 30% over the past few months, indicating investor preference for its relatively low-risk investment strategy, despite significantly lower AI spending compared to peers.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: While Apple remains the most popular tech brand in the U.S., the introduction of AI features by competitors poses a challenge to user loyalty, which could impact its market share in the future.
- Investor Sentiment Shift: In contrast to Nvidia's (NASDAQ: NVDA) mere 5.5% gain since August, Apple's performance suggests that investors are gravitating towards companies that maintain a low profile in AI spending, reflecting a cautious approach to market volatility.
- Strategic Risk Assessment: Although Apple's conservative AI investment strategy may attract investors in the short term, failing to keep pace with industry changes could necessitate reliance on external computing capacity for its AI models, increasing future uncertainty.
See More
Buffett's Core Holdings Update
- Core Holdings Overview: Greg Abel, Buffett's successor, highlighted nine companies that constitute over 60% of Berkshire Hathaway's equity portfolio, reflecting the company's long-term confidence in these outstanding businesses.
- Apple's Performance: Apple (AAPL) represents 19% of Berkshire's marketable equities, and despite Buffett selling over three-quarters of its shares during his tenure, its strong sales growth and over $100 billion in free cash flow keep it as a core holding.
- American Express Strategy: American Express (AXP) has been a core holding for over 30 years, and Abel intends to maintain this position, leveraging its high-end customer base and digital payment transformation to drive strong earnings growth, with a forward P/E ratio of just 17.
- Coca-Cola's Steady Growth: Coca-Cola (KO) benefits from brand strength allowing price increases, achieving 5% organic revenue growth last year, and is expected to maintain similar growth in 2026, although its current P/E ratio of 24 may appear slightly overvalued.
See More
Greg Abel Takes Over Berkshire's Portfolio Management from Warren Buffett
- Core Holdings Strategy: In his first letter to shareholders, Abel indicated that Berkshire will maintain limited trading in nine core stocks, which collectively account for over 60% of the company's portfolio, demonstrating a strong commitment to long-term investments.
- Apple's Performance: Despite Buffett selling over three-quarters of Apple shares during his tenure, Abel's letter suggests a potential halt in selling, with Apple expected to generate over $100 billion in free cash flow in 2026, reflecting its strong market position.
- American Express Growth: As a core holding for over 30 years, American Express has successfully attracted high-end consumers and small businesses, driving revenue growth, with a forward P/E ratio of just 17, indicating a solid investment opportunity moving forward.
- Coca-Cola Stability: Coca-Cola leveraged its global brand recognition to achieve 5% organic revenue growth last year, and is expected to maintain similar growth in 2026; despite a 24 P/E ratio, Berkshire's significant capital gains on its investment suggest that Abel is unlikely to sell these shares anytime soon.
See More
BYD Plans to Enter Formula 1 Racing
- Brand Exposure Strategy: BYD's success in the electric vehicle market has allowed it to surpass Tesla, and it now plans to enhance global brand awareness by participating in Formula 1 racing, particularly in the U.S. and other countries.
- Event Expansion Opportunity: The return of F1 racing in Asia, especially with the Shanghai event, presents BYD with a prime opportunity to increase its influence in the Asian market.
- Investment Challenges: While BYD aims to acquire an existing team or create a new one, the substantial cost of $450 million for a team, along with operational expenses, poses significant challenges that could impact its investment decisions.
- Potential Acquisition Target: BYD may consider acquiring a minority stake in the Alpine team, which is not currently for sale, but opportunities for minority investments could still attract BYD's interest.
See More
