"It's a good time to accelerate AI development": Wedbush raises Apple targeting. What is he waiting for?
Analysts led by Dan Ives were positive about the change of the top executive in charge of Apple's AI
Wedbush analysts have raised their target price for Apple shares by 10%: they believe the company will finally enter the "artificial intelligence revolution" in 2026. Apple is strengthening its management team, preparing a partnership with Google and sustained demand for the iPhone 17, including in China.
Details
Wedbush raised the target price of Apple shares from $320 to $350, maintaining its recommendation to buy them (Outperform rating), SeekingAlpha writes. The new Wedbush target suggests further growth of Apple shares by another 25% from the last closing price. In the first minutes of trading on December 8, shares of the company were falling by about 0.3%.
"We are raising our target price from $320 to $350 based on the view that 2026 will finally be the year that Apple truly enters the AI revolution. We also believe that iPhone 17 sales show good momentum towards the end of the year, including the Chinese market. Apple continues to perform above Wall Street expectations in the December quarter, with a strong holiday season ahead," wrote analysts led by Dan Ives.
What does Wedbush see as the driver of Apple's stock growth?
Analysts believe that Apple is finally starting to build a full-fledged artificial intelligence strategy that has not been seen until now, and it starts with a renewal of the team in charge of this area. In early December, the company announced the departure of its head of AI development, John Giannadrea. The new VP of AI will be researcher Amar Subramanya, who spent 16 years at Google (where he led the development of the Gemini AI assistant, among other things) before being named Microsoft's VP of AI in June 2025.
"We believe Subramanya is the right appointment at the right time, as time is starting to run out for Apple: the company needs to accelerate its AI strategy next year. Bringing in outside talent is a necessary step to refresh its approach to AI and build a new culture and DNA that will drive these processes at the company," the analysts said.
Apple will announce an AI partnership with Google in early 2026, Wedbush believes. This will be a watershed event for both companies, experts believe.
Analysts estimate that monetizing artificial intelligence-based services could add between $75 and $100 to Apple's stock price over the long term. They believe that Apple's current share price does not include an "AI premium," making the company an attractive large technology asset for the end of the year and into 2026.
"In our estimation, Apple is facing a major AI reset: [CEO Tim] Cook and his team will be hiring even more external talent to set the right development path and get the company ready to launch an AI version of Siri by mid-2026," Ives and his colleagues said.
What are other analysts saying?
On December 8, Evercore ISI raised its target price on shares of Apple from $300 to $325, reiterating a "buy" recommendation on them (Outperform rating). His estimate implies a 16.5% growth in the stock.
Of the 48 analysts covering the company's stock, 29 recommend buying it, 15 are neutral, and four advise selling.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
