Investor Gary Black Warns Automakers Face BlackBerry Moment
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 19 2026
0mins
Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: Benzinga
- Investment in Autonomy: Gary Black, managing director of the Future Fund, warns that automakers not investing in autonomous driving technology risk facing a 'BlackBerry moment,' which could lead to their obsolescence and loss of competitive edge.
- Tesla's Challenges: Black highlights that Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) adoption rate is only 15%, indicating a lack of consumer awareness regarding its technical superiority, which may hinder its market share growth.
- FSD Subscription Model: Tesla plans to offer FSD as a subscription service at $99 per month after Valentine's Day, aiming to boost adoption rates and meet the targets outlined in Musk's $1 trillion pay package.
- Market Reaction: Tesla's stock slipped 0.24% to $437.50 at market close on January 16, reflecting cautious market sentiment regarding its future growth potential amid increasing competition.
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Analyst Views on AAPL
Wall Street analysts forecast AAPL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AAPL is 299.69 USD with a low forecast of 230.00 USD and a high forecast of 350.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
32 Analyst Rating
19 Buy
11 Hold
2 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 275.910
Low
230.00
Averages
299.69
High
350.00
Current: 275.910
Low
230.00
Averages
299.69
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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- Design Team Integration: The acquisition of Jony Ive's design startup last year aims to enhance the design quality of OpenAI's consumer hardware products, potentially leading to innovations in its future product lines.
- Patent Leak Insights: A recent patent filing in China reveals that OpenAI's consumer hardware product is internally dubbed “Sweetpea” and is expected to be marketed as “Dime,” with the public disclosure of this information suggesting an imminent product reveal.
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- Increased Microsoft Investment: Thiel purchased 49,000 shares of Microsoft in Q3, elevating its share to 34% of his hedge fund, reflecting his endorsement of Microsoft's focus on AI-integrated products, despite lower-than-expected growth in its cloud services.
- New Position in Apple: Thiel initiated a new position in Apple by acquiring over 79,000 shares in Q3, signaling confidence in Apple's AI potential, particularly its vast iPhone user base and upcoming AI-powered smart glasses.
- AI Investment Portfolio Analysis: Although Thiel's hedge fund does not hold Nvidia or Palantir, his investments in Microsoft and Apple demonstrate a preference for
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- Increased Marketing Investment: The company invested $6.3 billion in marketing in 2025, a 75% increase since 2019, which not only boosted customer demand and engagement but also improved credit quality and retention rates, further solidifying its competitive advantage.
- Attraction to Younger Consumers: Although Gen-Z spending accounted for only 6% of total spending, it grew by 36% year-over-year, making it the fastest-growing age group, indicating a broad growth runway for American Express as it penetrates the younger market.
- Outstanding Stock Performance: Over the past five years, American Express's stock has surged 201%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 91%, and this trend is expected to continue as the company invests for the future and expands its market share.
See More
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- Warrant Issuance: Under the agreement, STM issued warrants to AWS for the acquisition of up to 24.8 million ordinary shares, which will vest in tranches tied to payments for STM products and services, positioning STM as a key player in the semiconductor supply chain.
- Comprehensive Technology Solutions: The collaboration encompasses a wide range of semiconductor solutions from STMicroelectronics, including high-bandwidth connectivity, advanced microcontrollers, and analog and power ICs, aimed at addressing the increasing demands for compute performance and efficiency in hyperscale data centers.
- Financial Outlook and Market Reaction: While STMicroelectronics reported fourth-quarter net revenues of $3.329 billion, surpassing analyst expectations, its adjusted EPS of 11 cents fell short of the 25 cents forecast; however, the stock rose 4.22% in premarket trading, reflecting market optimism about its growth potential.
See More
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- Sustained Investment and Growth: American Express reported a 10% year-over-year revenue increase and a 16% rise in earnings per share in Q4 2025, indicating that its business model resonates with younger consumers, particularly with Gen-Z spending growing by 36%.
- Increased Marketing Expenditure: The company invested $6.3 billion in marketing in 2025, a 75% increase since 2019, which has directly driven higher customer demand and engagement, while also improving credit quality and retention rates.
- Technology-Driven Innovation: American Express is rolling out a cloud-based data analytics model for deeper personalization in its marketing, which is expected to yield better market performance and further solidify its competitive advantage in the financial services industry.
See More
