Stocks to Watch After Buffett's Retirement
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 24 2026
0mins
Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: Fool
- Apple's Sustained Growth: Apple (AAPL) boasts around 2.5 billion active iOS devices globally, and with its robust software ecosystem and 12 consecutive years of dividend increases, it is poised to benefit from AI integration, further solidifying its market leadership.
- Coca-Cola's Stability: The Coca-Cola Company (KO), a long-time Buffett investment, has achieved 62 years of consecutive dividend growth, and despite slow growth, its vast scale and distribution network in the global beverage market position it for steady growth over the coming decades.
- Chevron's Strategic Acquisition: Chevron (CVX) has bolstered its long-term growth prospects by acquiring Hess, gaining a 30% stake in the Guyana Stabroek Block, and is expected to see production and cash flow growth through 2030, reinforcing its leadership in the energy sector.
- Visa's Profit Model: Visa (V), as the world's leading payment card issuer, benefits from a mature payment network and 16 years of consecutive dividend increases, and is expected to continue profiting from the shift from cash to electronic payments, maintaining strong cash flow and profitability.
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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: 255.630
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 255.630
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.
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- Revenue Growth: In fiscal year 2025, Apple reported record revenue of $416 billion, surpassing the GDP of 176 countries, showcasing its strong influence and sustained growth potential in the global market.
- Product Ecosystem: With 27% of the world's population using its products, Apple boasts the largest user base of any brand, and CEO Tim Cook emphasizes the company's commitment to innovation and user privacy as key drivers for future growth.
- Market Resilience: Despite facing competition and market challenges, Apple's iPhone revenue surged by 23% in Q1 of fiscal 2026, while the recent launch of the MacBook Neo attracted a significant number of first-time buyers, demonstrating its strong market adaptability and brand appeal.
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- Profitability Recovery: The company reported a net income of $80.5 million for Q4, marking a significant improvement from the net losses posted a year earlier, indicating a shift towards profitability that may attract more investor interest in its future growth.
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See More
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- Historic Milestone: Apple officially turns 50 today, evolving from a garage startup in 1976 to a tech giant with a market capitalization of $3.75 trillion, making it the second-largest company globally, just behind Nvidia.
- Revenue Growth: In fiscal year 2025, Apple reported record revenue of $416 billion, surpassing the GDP of 176 countries, showcasing its strong influence and sustained growth potential in the global market.
- Product Ecosystem: With 27% of the world's population using its products, Apple boasts the largest user base of any brand, and CEO Tim Cook emphasizes the company's commitment to innovation and user privacy as key drivers for future growth.
- Market Resilience: Despite facing competition and market challenges, Apple's iPhone revenue surged by 23% in Q1 of fiscal 2026, while the recent launch of the MacBook Neo attracted a significant number of first-time buyers, demonstrating its strong market adaptability and brand appeal.
See More
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- Return on Investment: The State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF has delivered an average annual return of 15.5% over the past decade, significantly outperforming the long-term average of 10% for the S&P 500, indicating strong performance amidst market fluctuations and suitability for long-term investors.
- Cost Advantage: With an expense ratio of only 0.02%, the fund allows investors to gain exposure to a diversified portfolio of 500 large-cap U.S. stocks at a minimal cost, thereby enhancing net returns and increasing its attractiveness to investors.
- Wealth Growth Potential: Investing $10,000 in SPYM today could grow to $80,768 after 20 years at an 11.01% annual return, reaching $386,966 after 35 years, and potentially exceeding $1 million after 45 years, showcasing its substantial long-term investment potential.
- Core Investment Choice: As a low-fee stock index fund, SPYM is well-suited as a core asset for building a long-term investment portfolio, although analysts note that there are currently 10 other stocks that may offer higher returns, prompting investors to choose wisely.
See More
SPYM ETF: An Ideal Choice for Long-Term Investment
- Historical Returns: Over the past 50 years, the S&P 500 index has delivered an average annual return of 10%, while the State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM) has achieved an impressive 11.01% annual return over the last 20 years, indicating its superior performance and attracting long-term investors.
- Investment Potential: Investing $10,000 in SPYM today could grow to $80,768 in 20 years, $386,966 in 35 years, and ultimately exceed $1 million in 45 years, showcasing its potential as a wealth-building tool for investors.
- Low Fee Advantage: With an expense ratio of just 0.02%, SPYM offers a significantly lower cost compared to industry averages, allowing investors to gain broad exposure to the S&P 500 index while enhancing their overall investment returns.
- Core Investment Choice: SPYM holds stocks from 500 large U.S. companies, including nine major tech firms like Nvidia and Apple, making it an ideal core building block for investment portfolios aimed at achieving long-term growth objectives.
See More
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- Financial Recovery: Roku's total revenue for Q4 2025 increased by 16% year-over-year to $1.39 billion, with its high-margin advertising platform revenue rising 18% to $1.22 billion, indicating significant progress in revenue growth.
- Profitability Improvement: The company reported a net income of $80.5 million for Q4, a substantial improvement from the net losses of the previous year, while generating $484 million in free cash flow for the full year, up over 100%, providing funds for future investments and share repurchases.
- Intense Competitive Landscape: Despite positive financial metrics, Roku faces fierce competition from giants like Amazon, Alphabet, and Apple across multiple fronts, which possess deeper pockets and stronger market integration capabilities, posing structural challenges to Roku's long-term growth.
- Significant Valuation Risks: With a current price-to-earnings ratio of about 165, the market's expectations for Roku's future high growth appear overly optimistic, and if platform growth slows or user acquisition costs rise, the stock price could face significant pressure, necessitating careful risk-reward assessment by investors.
See More
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Roku's total revenue for Q4 increased by 16% year-over-year to $1.39 billion, with platform revenue rising 18% to $1.22 billion, demonstrating strong performance in digital advertising and streaming distribution, thereby enhancing its position in a competitive market.
- Profitability Recovery: The company reported a net income of $80.5 million for Q4, marking a significant improvement from the net losses posted a year earlier, indicating a shift towards profitability that may attract more investor interest in its future growth.
- Strong Cash Flow: Roku generated $484 million in free cash flow for the full year, up over 100% year-over-year, providing a solid foundation for future investments and shareholder returns while also reflecting improved operational efficiency.
- Increased Competitive Pressure: Despite financial progress, Roku's device gross margin was negative 23.3%, highlighting the challenges it faces in competing against giants like Amazon, Alphabet, and Apple, prompting investors to carefully assess whether its high price-to-earnings ratio of 165 is justified.
See More
Google's TurboQuant Algorithm Shakes Memory Chip Market
- Memory Demand Shift: Google's TurboQuant algorithm reduces memory usage for large language model inference by over six-fold, potentially slowing growth in demand for memory chips, impacting companies like Micron (MU).
- Market Reaction: Following the announcement, shares of Micron and its Korean competitors SK Hynix and Samsung fell, as investors worry that improved efficiency in AI chips will lead to slower growth in memory demand.
- Apple's Potential Win: Google's breakthrough could enable Apple to achieve more robust on-device AI processing in its iPhones, potentially driving an upgrade cycle, particularly with the anticipated new Siri features.
- Long-Term Outlook: While the memory chip market faces short-term challenges, Google's advancements may foster further development of AI algorithms, suggesting that changes in memory demand may not significantly impact the market in the long run.
See More
