Apple's Stock Rally: Has the Tech Giant Regained its Mojo?

Apple's stock has surged, with CEO Tim Cook visiting the White House, sparking debate among the 'Fast Money' traders on whether the company has regained its momentum. The visit is seen as a positive sign for the tech giant, but some traders remain skeptical about Apple's long-term prospects. The company's performance is closely watched by investors and analysts, who are looking for signs of a turnaround after a recent decline.

Apple's stock has surged following CEO Tim Cook's visit to the White House, where he joined President Donald Trump to announce a $100 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing. The event, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. PDT / 4:30 p.m. EDT, has sparked debate among 'Fast Money' traders regarding Apple's long-term prospects.

The visit comes as Apple's stock has been closely watched by investors and analysts, who are looking for signs of a turnaround after a recent decline. Apple's shares opened at $210.87 and rose by 0.4% before the bell on Friday, following a 3% gain the day before [3]. The stock has traded 12% lower year to date as investors remain concerned about the company's lag in the AI race [4].

Analysts have mixed reactions to Apple's latest move. While DZ BANK AG analyst Ingo Wermann maintained a 'Hold' rating despite the company's strong performance, Needham's Laura Martin also issued a 'Hold' rating, while TR | OpenAI reiterated a 'Buy' rating on AAPL [3]. Corporate insider sentiment is negative, with an increase in insiders selling shares over the past quarter [3].

Some traders are skeptical about the long-term impact of Apple's investment in the U.S. manufacturing sector. Ann Berry, founder of Threadneedle and an Apple shareholder, warned that the move might be more about optics than actual impact [4]. Berry noted that building out domestic capacity, especially at Apple's scale, will take years and may not significantly reduce the company's near-term supply chain exposure.

However, some on Wall Street have cheered the news. Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan raised the firm's price target from $213 to $250, citing the upside potential if the company is exempt from tariffs [4]. Mohan suggests that if the US government grants Apple an exemption, the company might reduce its projected fourth quarter headwinds of $1.1 billion, although the precise details remain undefined.

The visit to the White House also comes as Apple is moving some iPhone assembly to India and exploring alternatives like Vietnam. However, the company's semiconductor packaging and most of its core hardware production still rely on Chinese factories [4]. The new "American Manufacturing Program" is expected to be a significant driver of Apple's growth in the coming years.

References:
[1] https://macdailynews.com/2025/08/06/watch-live-president-trump-tim-cook-announce-apples-100-billion-investment-in-american-manufacturing/
[2] https://www.investors.com/market-trend/stock-market-today/dow-jones-sp500-nasdaq-trade-desk-ttd-stock/
[3] https://www.ainvest.com/news/apple-stock-maintains-hold-rating-dz-bank-ag-analyst-2508/
[4] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/shareholder-warns-apples-100-billion-investment-is-more-optics-than-impact-164045324.html