It was easy to give up on the Magnificent Seven group back in March when it seemed like stocks would fall into a bear market. Just over two weeks later, and we’re right back at fresh new highs in the S&P 500. If you sold the panic over the war in Iran, you might have missed the move. But even as markets blast off to new heights, the Mag Seven still hasn’t come all the way back.
With the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS | MAGS Price Prediction) still off just under 4% from its peak, I do think that discount seekers might wish to give the seven names a second look now that the wind is at their back. As they emerge as leaders in the next AI upswing, the S&P might have even higher highs ahead as we enter the peak of the spring season. In any case, here are four reasons I like Apple right here and its chances of outpacing its seven peers.
Apple stock has acted relatively steady through recent chaos
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) might not be the closest to making new highs. But the stock has been as solid as a rock amid the perfect storm of headwinds, which includes the Iran war, the big-tech CapEx shock, inflation hitting DRAM and NAND, and, of course, the potential for Anthropic to disrupt the world. While Apple might still be behind in AI, that’s actually become a good thing for the Cupertino-based giant of late.
The drag of CapEx seems to be the headwind that bothered growth investors the most in recent months. In any case, Apple might soon find itself right in the middle of the pack in the AI race as big updates and its Gemini partnership nudge the firm several steps forward and perhaps ahead of other firms spending more, but not necessarily monetizing all that much.
The China strength is real
As the firm continues growing rapidly in China with an explosive 20% surge delivered in the first quarter of 2026, I think it’ll be harder to dismiss the global comeback as it looks to retain the crown of being the world’s number-one smartphone player.
Apple is firmly a market share-taker again, and I think it’s still early days. In any case, China is a big growth story, which, if it goes right, could mean major upside revisions for Apple. The fact that Apple is going strong in a market where there’s no shortage of rivals, I think, speaks to the company’s ability to achieve perfection across hardware, software, and services.
The value tailwind is underestimated
To take it a step further, it seems like Apple has perfected value with its low-cost MacBook Neo and the iPhone 17e. Of course, it’s not all that exciting when you consider the fact that the Neo might have less powerful hardware that’s more typical of a smartphone than a Mac.
That said, the pricing makes the MacBook Neo a disruptor in its own right. In the budget range of computers, it looks like the Mac is also a share-taker, and investors should be prepared for a surprise as the Mac shows that it’s back. What’s more, though, is the potential for the Neo to act as a gateway towards bringing more consumers within that Apple ecosystem.
Maybe the cheap MacBook is the main initial draw that brings aboard a user who winds up buying an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and maybe even other devices while also staying subscribed to Apple One. The value tailwind has arrived, and investors shouldn’t underestimate its longer-term impact.
The AI factor could be the biggest needle-mover of all
As Apple proves it can monetize AI, I think the case for a super-cycle is there. And it’s probably not just about the iPhone, as Apple looks to convince consumers that Apple Intelligence is a reason to move ahead with an upgrade.
What’s more, though, is that such consumers might opt for higher-tier (think Pro) devices to future-proof their devices for Apple’s future take on AI and agents. With the power of Google Gemini coming very soon to Apple’s AI experience, I think iOS 27 might be the catalyst that Apple investors have been waiting for.
It may have taken a while, but what matters more is the standings in the AI race at the end of the year. And after all the catching up, I think it’s time to consider how such a tailwind will power not only device sales but services growth.
The bottom line
All considered, I’m really impressed with Apple across multiple fronts and think shares will be among the first to hit new highs, once the market realizes all the things that are going right. Even though shares have further to climb than some of its Mag Seven peers, I wouldn’t bet against Apple making the new high list sometime soon.
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