Wedbush Optimistic About Apple's AI Strategy and iPhone 17 Sales
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 08 2025
0mins
Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: SeekingAlpha
Price Target Increase: Wedbush raised Apple's stock price target from $320 to $350, citing strong iPhone 17 sales and an anticipated entry into the AI market in 2026 as key factors for the upgrade.
AI Strategy Development: Analysts believe Apple is beginning to outline a comprehensive AI strategy, with expectations for a significant partnership announcement with Google Gemini in early 2026, which could be transformative for both companies.
Leadership Changes: John Giannandrea, Apple's senior vice president for Machine Learning and AI Strategy, will step down, with AI researcher Amar Subramanya taking over, indicating a shift in Apple's approach to AI development.
Stock Potential: Analysts suggest that Apple's stock currently does not reflect any "AI premium," making it an attractive investment opportunity as the company prepares for significant advancements in AI technology.
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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: 278.120
Low
230.00
Averages
299.69
High
350.00
Current: 278.120
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.
- IPO Preparations: OpenAI is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) this year, with a potential valuation of $1 trillion, while also working on a $100 billion private funding round, indicating strong appeal in the capital markets.
See More
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- Codex Product Surge: Altman noted that OpenAI's coding product Codex grew approximately 50% in just one week, which not only boosts its market share but also demonstrates the company's increasing competitiveness in the AI coding tools sector.
- Ad Testing Launch: OpenAI plans to test ads within ChatGPT, and despite facing criticism from Anthropic, Altman emphasized that the ads will be clearly labeled and will not affect user experience, with expectations that ad revenue will account for less than half of the company's long-term income.
- Funding Plan Advancement: OpenAI is pursuing a potential $100 billion fundraising round, with Altman and CFO Sarah Friar highlighting the company's strong performance in both consumer and enterprise markets during private meetings, and funding discussions are expected to accelerate over the next two weeks.
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- User Growth Resurgence: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed in an internal message that ChatGPT's monthly growth rate has exceeded 10%, indicating a recovery in user demand that is expected to further drive the company's market share and revenue growth.
- New Model Launch: Altman stated that OpenAI plans to launch an updated ChatGPT model this week, which will enhance its product competitiveness, especially in the face of pressure from rivals like Anthropic.
- Strong Codex Performance: OpenAI's coding product Codex grew approximately 50% over the past week, demonstrating increased market acceptance and potentially eroding market share from competitors like Claude Code.
- Ad Testing Initiation: OpenAI will begin testing ads within ChatGPT on Monday; although ad revenue is expected to account for less than half of total revenue in the long term, this initiative could provide new revenue streams and enhance the company's financial stability.
See More
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- Microsoft Investment Increase: Thiel purchased 49,000 shares of Microsoft in Q3, elevating it to the second-largest holding at 34% of his total portfolio, reflecting his optimism about Microsoft's cloud services and AI integration, even as the company faces growth slowdowns.
- New Investment in Apple: Thiel initiated a new position in Apple by acquiring over 79,000 shares in Q3, suggesting he sees potential in Apple's AI capabilities, particularly its vast iPhone sales network and upcoming AI-powered smart glasses.
- AI Stock Selection: Although Thiel's hedge fund holds only three AI stocks, his choices of Microsoft and Apple demonstrate a preference for technology builders, indicating a belief that these companies will play a more significant role in future technological revolutions.
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