Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives has unveiled his bullish roadmap for Apple Inc., highlighting key catalysts that could propel the company's stock higher in 2026, even as Wall Street remains skeptical about its role in the artificial intelligence race.
In a post on X on Sunday, Ives stated, "We are very bullish on Apple's performance in 2026," while outlining four critical "strategic and financial goals" he believes are essential for Apple's stock to reach his $350 target, implying a potential gain of nearly 35% from current levels.
Ives argues that the "elephant in the room" remains Apple's lack of a visible AI roadmap, despite possessing what he calls "the world's largest installed user base, with 2.4 billion iOS devices and 1.5 billion iPhones," suggesting that partnerships could be Apple's preferred path forward.
Secondly, Ives anticipates a revamped Siri to launch in early 2026, which he describes as "Apple's response to ChatGPT and Perplexity."
Third, on the hardware front, he stated that Apple "has the potential to see iPhone sales easily exceed Wall Street's current expectations in 2026," emphasizing strong momentum in the Chinese market and the anticipated launch of a foldable phone during the iPhone 18 cycle.
Finally, Ives dismissed speculation about Apple CEO Tim Cook's departure. "We disagree with this narrative," he added, stating he expects Cook to remain CEO at least until the end of 2027, calling this a "critical period for Cupertino to design and execute a broader AI revolution strategy."
According to recent reports, Apple is working to expand its AI business beyond the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, with plans to launch AI wearables like smart glasses and AirPods in 2026.
The company is also developing AirPods with built-in infrared cameras to support features like spatial recognition and visual interaction.
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