Latest news with #Zino
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Apple is the worst-performing Mag 7 stock this year. Here's what analysts and investors say about whether you should buy the dip.
Apple is the worst-performing Magnificent Seven stock year-to-date by a large margin. Shares of the iPhone maker are down 20% in 2025, amid headwinds related to global trade and AI. Here's what Wall Street analysts and investors say about where the stock may be headed next. It's been a rough year for Apple. Shares of the iPhone maker were down 20% year-to-date through Thursday's close, making it the worst-performing Magnificent Seven stock in 2025. The only other stock in the mega-cap cohort that's down this year is Alphabet, which has lost about 9%. Analysts say the decline has been brought on by a whirlwind of factors outside the tech giant's control, like the trade war, but its plunge this year could be a buying opportunity for long-term investors. Angelo Zino, a senior equity strategist at CFRA Research, said investors are mainly fretting over the impact of tariffs. The vast majority of Apple's iPhones are assembled in China, which could leave the firm more exposed to the impact of price increases. President Donald Trump has also singled out Apple, calling for the company to make iPhones in the US or else pay a 25% tariff. While Trump's trade war hit legal stumbling blocks this week, the court battles add another layer of uncertainty to how the trade war could play out. Apple, Zino said, is uniquely exposed to trade headwinds. "Hardware is kind of in the middle, or in the eye of the storm, when it comes to the policy uncertainty, the tariff uncertainty that's sitting out there," Zino said, referring to how most tech hardware is manufactured abroad. James Demmert, the chief investment officer at Main Street Research, also thinks Apple's decline in the stock market this year is due to the company's lack of "game-changing" products. It was also late in implementing AI in its phones, and AI hasn't yet stimulated a boom in demand for iPhone upgrades. "In terms of a new creative, blockbuster device or applications, the future is still uncertain," Demmert told BI. But, overall, many are still optimistic about the tech titan's prospects and its ability to navigate the trade war. Here's what analysts and investors say about what's ahead for the stock — and whether it's time to buy the dip. Apple stock looks attractive on the basis of historic price-to-earnings, Goldman Sachs said this month. The bank's analysts said big risks to the stock include weakening consumer demand, potential disruptions to Apple's supply chain, and the possibility that Apple will be under increased regulatory scrutiny in key markets. Still, Apple is on track to continue growing, the analysts said, pointing to the "durability" of its revenue and product ecosystem. Goldman has a "buy" rating for the stock and a 12-month price target of $253, implying 27% upside. Apple might not be that affected if Trump follows through with a 25% tariff on iPhones, and the stock could rise slightly from current levels, UBS said. If Trump implements a 25% tariff on phones not made in the US, that would likely only impact around 2% of Apple's annual earnings per share, the bank estimated. The firm has a "neutral" rating on Apple stock and $210 price target, implying 5% upside from current levels. For long-term investors, it's the right time to buy Apple stock, CFRA's Zino told BI. The long-term growth trend for the stock looks intact, he said, and uncertainty surrounding tariffs and regulatory issues in China are likely to smooth out in the coming months. "We believe that yes, it is a buying opportunity," Zino said of the stock's decline, predicting that the company's pricing and brand power could make it better positioned to pass along the cost of tariffs to consumers. Main Street's Demmert also thinks the stock is a buy despite uncertainty about its product roadmap and what the company might do next to reignite excitement about the brand. "We think all of the bad news is in the current price of shares," Demmert told BI. "In terms of AI and the China trade war, we expect significant improvement in the back half of the year, making the shares attractive at these levels." Wedbush analysts wrote this week that Apple is equipped to navigate the headwinds from tariffs. The firm said that Apple remains one of its top picks in the tech sector for 2025. They pointed to how CEO Tim Cook told investors that around 50% of iPhones being manufactured for sale in the US were now being assembled in India, in order to avoid tariffs imposed on goods imported from China. "It feels like Apple has a very good grip around this very complex tariff issue with Cook being 10% politician and 90% CEO," they wrote. The firm reiterated its "outperform" rating and $270 price target on the stock, implying 35% upside from current levels. The research firm said it believed that Apple is "misunderestimated" by investors. While the near-term outlook for Apple looks "quite choppy," the Company has an installed base of around 2.4 billion devices. Analysts wrote that Apple is also working on higher-priced variations of the iPhone and could have new initiatives related to its AI and services businesses underway. The firm issued a "buy" rating and $240 price target for the stock, implying 20% upside from current levels. Clockwise Capital's chief investment officer, James Cakmak, said the firm had completely exited its position in Apple stock because tariffs make it too risky to hold, he told CNBC last week. "What this simply creates is a no-win situation for anybody. Apple loses, consumers lose. And there's no getting around it," Cakmak said, referring to President Donald Trump's threats of tariffs on the company. "It's not something we think will derail the company in a material fashion. At the same time, as an investor, you have to look elsewhere other than Apple." Read the original article on Business Insider Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Apple is the worst-performing Mag 7 stock this year. Here's what analysts and investors say about whether you should buy the dip.
It's been a rough year for Apple. Shares of the iPhone maker were down 20% year-to-date through Thursday's close, making it the worst-performing Magnificent Seven stock in 2025. The only other stock in the mega-cap cohort that's down this year is Alphabet, which has lost about 9%. Analysts say the decline has been brought on by a whirlwind of factors outside the tech giant's control, like the trade war, but its plunge this year could be a buying opportunity for long-term investors. Angelo Zino, a senior equity strategist at CFRA Research, said investors are mainly fretting over the impact of tariffs. The vast majority of Apple's iPhones are assembled in China, which could leave the firm more exposed to the impact of price increases. President Donald Trump has also singled out Apple, calling for the company to make iPhones in the US or else pay a 25% tariff. While Trump's trade war hit legal stumbling blocks this week, the court battles add another layer of uncertainty to how the trade war could play out. Apple, Zino said, is uniquely exposed to trade headwinds. " Hardware is kind of in the middle, or in the eye of the storm, when it comes to the policy uncertainty, the tariff uncertainty that's sitting out there," Zino said, referring to how most tech hardware is manufactured abroad. James Demmert, the chief investment officer at Main Street Research, also thinks Apple's decline in the stock market this year is due to the company's lack of "game-changing" products. It was also late in implementing AI in its phones, and AI hasn't yet stimulated a boom in demand for iPhone upgrades. "In terms of a new creative, blockbuster device or applications, the future is still uncertain," Demmert told BI. But, overall, many are still optimistic about the tech titan's prospects and its ability to navigate the trade war. Here's what analysts and investors say about what's ahead for the stock — and whether it's time to buy the dip. Goldman Sachs: Buy Apple stock looks attractive on the basis of historic price-to-earnings, Goldman Sachs said this month. The bank's analysts said big risks to the stock include weakening consumer demand, potential disruptions to Apple's supply chain, and the possibility that Apple will be under increased regulatory scrutiny in key markets. Still, Apple is on track to continue growing, the analysts said, pointing to the "durability" of its revenue and product ecosystem. Goldman has a "buy" rating for the stock and a 12-month price target of $253, implying 27% upside. UBS: Neutral Apple might not be that affected if Trump follows through with a 25% tariff on iPhones, and the stock could rise slightly from current levels, UBS said. If Trump implements a 25% tariff on phones not made in the US, that would likely only impact around 2% of Apple's annual earnings per share, the bank estimated. The firm has a "neutral" rating on Apple stock and $210 price target, implying 5% upside from current levels. CFRA Research: Buy For long-term investors, it's the right time to buy Apple stock, CFRA's Zino told BI. The long-term growth trend for the stock looks intact, he said, and uncertainty surrounding tariffs and regulatory issues in China are likely to smooth out in the coming months. "We believe that yes, it is a buying opportunity," Zino said of the stock's decline, predicting that the company's pricing and brand power could make it better positioned to pass along the cost of tariffs to consumers. Main Street Research: Buy Main Street's Demmert also thinks the stock is a buy despite uncertainty about its product roadmap and what the company might do next to reignite excitement about the brand. "We think all of the bad news is in the current price of shares," Demmert told BI. "In terms of AI and the China trade war, we expect significant improvement in the back half of the year, making the shares attractive at these levels." Wedbush Securities: Buy Wedbush analysts wrote this week that Apple is equipped to navigate the headwinds from tariffs. The firm said that Apple remains one of its top picks in the tech sector for 2025. They pointed to how CEO Tim Cook told investors that around 50% of iPhones being manufactured for sale in the US were now being assembled in India, in order to avoid tariffs imposed on goods imported from China. "It feels like Apple has a very good grip around this very complex tariff issue with Cook being 10% politician and 90% CEO," they wrote. The firm reiterated its "outperform" rating and $270 price target on the stock, implying 35% upside from current levels. Melius Research: Buy The research firm said it believed that Apple is "misunderestimated" by investors. While the near-term outlook for Apple looks "quite choppy," the Company has an installed base of around 2.4 billion devices. Analysts wrote that Apple is also working on higher-priced variations of the iPhone and could have new initiatives related to its AI and services businesses underway. The firm issued a "buy" rating and $240 price target for the stock, implying 20% upside from current levels. Clockwise Capital: Sell Clockwise Capital's chief investment officer, James Cakmak, said the firm had completely exited its position in Apple stock because tariffs make it too risky to hold, he told CNBC last week. "What this simply creates is a no-win situation for anybody. Apple loses, consumers lose. And there's no getting around it," Cakmak said, referring to President Donald Trump's threats of tariffs on the company. "It's not something we think will derail the company in a material fashion. At the same time, as an investor, you have to look elsewhere other than Apple."
Fashion United
a day ago
- Business
- Fashion United
AI personal shoppers hunt down bargain buys
Internet giants are diving deeper into e-commerce with digital aides that know shoppers' likes, let them virtually try clothes on, hunt for deals and even place orders. The rise of virtual personal shoppers springs from generative artificial intelligence (AI) being put to work in "agents" specializing in specific tasks and given autonomy to complete them independently. "This is basically the next evolution of shopping experiences," said CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino. Google last week unveiled shopping features built into a new "AI Mode". It can take a person's own photo and meld it with that of a skirt, shirt or other piece of clothing spotted online, showing how it will look on them. The AI adjusts the clothing size to fit, accounting for how fabrics drape, according to Google head of advertising and commerce Vidhya Srinivasan. Shoppers can then set the price they would pay and leave the AI to relentlessly browse the internet for a deal -- alerting the shopper when it finds one, and asking if it should buy using Google's payment platform. "They're taking on Amazon a little bit," Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart said of Google. The tool is also a way to make money from AI by increasing online traffic and opportunities to show ads, Greengart added. The Silicon Valley tech titan did not respond to a query regarding whether it is sharing in revenue from shopping transactions. Bartering bots? OpenAI added a shopping feature to ChatGPT earlier this year, enabling the chatbot to respond to requests with product suggestions, consumer reviews and links to merchant websites. Perplexity AI late last year began letting subscribers pay for online purchases without leaving its app. Amazon in April added a "Buy for Me" mode to its Rufus digital assistant, allowing users to command it to make purchases at retailer websites off Amazon's platform. Walmart head of technology Hari Vasudev recently spoke about adding an AI agent to the retail behemoth's online shopping portal, while also working with partners to make sure their digital agents keep Walmart products in mind. Global payment networks Visa and Mastercard in April each said their technical systems were modernized to allow payment transactions by digital agents. "As AI agents start to take over the bulk of product discovery and the decision-making process, retailers must consider how to optimize for this new layer of AI shoppers," said Elise Watson of Clarkston Consulting. Retailers are likely to be left groping in the dark when it comes to what makes a product attractive to AI agents, according to Watson. Knowing the customer Analyst Zino does not expect AI shoppers to cause an e-commerce industry upheaval, but he does see the technology benenfitting Google and Meta. Not only do the Internet rivals have massive amounts of data about their users, but they are also among frontrunners in the AI race. "They probably have more information on the consumer than anyone else out there," Zino said of Google and Meta. Tech company access to data about users hits the hot-button issue of online privacy and who should control personal information. Google plans to refine consumer profiles based on what people search for and promises that shoppers will need to authorize access to additional information such as email or app use. Trusting a chatbot with one's buying decisions may spook some people, and while the technology might be in place the legal and ethical framework for it is not. "The agent economy is here," said PSE Consulting managing director Chris Jones. "The next phase of e-commerce will depend on whether we can trust machines to buy on our behalf."(AFP)
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
AI personal shoppers hunt down bargain buys
Internet giants are diving deeper into e-commerce with digital aides that know shoppers' likes, let them virtually try clothes on, hunt for deals and even place orders. The rise of virtual personal shoppers springs from generative artificial intelligence (AI) being put to work in "agents" specializing in specific tasks and given autonomy to complete them independently. "This is basically the next evolution of shopping experiences," said CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino. Google last week unveiled shopping features built into a new "AI Mode". It can take a person's own photo and meld it with that of a skirt, shirt or other piece of clothing spotted online, showing how it will look on them. The AI adjusts the clothing size to fit, accounting for how fabrics drape, according to Google head of advertising and commerce Vidhya Srinivasan. Shoppers can then set the price they would pay and leave the AI to relentlessly browse the internet for a deal -- alerting the shopper when it finds one, and asking if it should buy using Google's payment platform. "They're taking on Amazon a little bit," Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart said of Google. The tool is also a way to make money from AI by increasing online traffic and opportunities to show ads, Greengart added. The Silicon Valley tech titan did not respond to a query regarding whether it is sharing in revenue from shopping transactions. Bartering bots? OpenAI added a shopping feature to ChatGPT earlier this year, enabling the chatbot to respond to requests with product suggestions, consumer reviews and links to merchant websites. Perplexity AI late last year began letting subscribers pay for online purchases without leaving its app. Amazon in April added a "Buy for Me" mode to its Rufus digital assistant, allowing users to command it to make purchases at retailer websites off Amazon's platform. Walmart head of technology Hari Vasudev recently spoke about adding an AI agent to the retail behemoth's online shopping portal, while also working with partners to make sure their digital agents keep Walmart products in mind. Global payment networks Visa and Mastercard in April each said their technical systems were modernized to allow payment transactions by digital agents. "As AI agents start to take over the bulk of product discovery and the decision-making process, retailers must consider how to optimize for this new layer of AI shoppers," said Elise Watson of Clarkston Consulting. Retailers are likely to be left groping in the dark when it comes to what makes a product attractive to AI agents, according to Watson. Knowing the customer Analyst Zino does not expect AI shoppers to cause an e-commerce industry upheaval, but he does see the technology benefitting Google and Meta. Not only do the Internet rivals have massive amounts of data about their users, but they are also among frontrunners in the AI race. "They probably have more information on the consumer than anyone else out there," Zino said of Google and Meta. Tech company access to data about users hits the hot-button issue of online privacy and who should control personal information. Google plans to refine consumer profiles based on what people search for and promises that shoppers will need to authorize access to additional information such as email or app use. Trusting a chatbot with one's buying decisions may spook some people, and while the technology might be in place the legal and ethical framework for it is not. "The agent economy is here," said PSE Consulting managing director Chris Jones. "The next phase of e-commerce will depend on whether we can trust machines to buy on our behalf."
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
AI personal shoppers hunt down bargain buys
NEW YORK: Internet giants are diving deeper into e-commerce with digital aides that know shoppers' likes, let them virtually try clothes on, hunt for deals and even place orders. The rise of virtual personal shoppers springs from generative artificial intelligence (AI) being put to work in 'agents' specializing in specific tasks and given autonomy to complete them independently. 'This is basically the next evolution of shopping experiences,' said CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino. Google last week unveiled shopping features built into a new 'AI Mode'. It can take a person's own photo and meld it with that of a skirt, shirt or other piece of clothing spotted online, showing how it will look on them. The AI adjusts the clothing size to fit, accounting for how fabrics drape, according to Google head of advertising and commerce Vidhya Srinivasan. Shoppers can then set the price they would pay and leave the AI to relentlessly browse the internet for a deal – alerting the shopper when it finds one, and asking if it should buy using Google's payment platform. 'They're taking on Amazon a little bit,' Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart said of Google. The tool is also a way to make money from AI by increasing online traffic and opportunities to show ads, Greengart added. The Silicon Valley tech titan did not respond to a query regarding whether it is sharing in revenue from shopping transactions. Bartering bots? OpenAI added a shopping feature to ChatGPT earlier this year, enabling the chatbot to respond to requests with product suggestions, consumer reviews and links to merchant websites. Perplexity AI late last year began letting subscribers pay for online purchases without leaving its app. Amazon in April added a 'Buy for Me' mode to its Rufus digital assistant, allowing users to command it to make purchases at retailer websites off Amazon's platform. Walmart head of technology Hari Vasudev recently spoke about adding an AI agent to the retail behemoth's online shopping portal, while also working with partners to make sure their digital agents keep Walmart products in mind. Global payment networks Visa and Mastercard in April each said their technical systems were modernized to allow payment transactions by digital agents. 'As AI agents start to take over the bulk of product discovery and the decision-making process, retailers must consider how to optimize for this new layer of AI shoppers,' said Elise Watson of Clarkston Consulting. Retailers are likely to be left groping in the dark when it comes to what makes a product attractive to AI agents, according to Watson. Knowing the customer Analyst Zino does not expect AI shoppers to cause an e-commerce industry upheaval, but he does see the technology benefitting Google and Meta. Not only do the Internet rivals have massive amounts of data about their users, but they are also among frontrunners in the AI race. 'They probably have more information on the consumer than anyone else out there,' Zino said of Google and Meta. Tech company access to data about users hits the hot-button issue of online privacy and who should control personal information. Google plans to refine consumer profiles based on what people search for and promises that shoppers will need to authorize access to additional information such as email or app use. Trusting a chatbot with one's buying decisions may spook some people, and while the technology might be in place the legal and ethical framework for it is not. 'The agent economy is here,' said PSE Consulting managing director Chris Jones. 'The next phase of e-commerce will depend on whether we can trust machines to buy on our behalf.'
