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華爾街日報Tim Cook's AI Reset Will Pay Off, Gene Munster Says— Predicts Apple's Top Mag 7 Performance
On Friday, Deepwater Asset Management's Gene Munster says Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) sweeping leadership shake-up is a strategic reset designed to strengthen its position in artificial intelligence — and he believes the company's stock will lead the Magnificent 7 through spring.
Munster Says Apple's Upheaval Is ‘Good' For Firm
In an episode of his "Pressure Points" series, Munster argued that Apple's latest wave of executive departures is not a sign of instability but a deliberate refresh by CEO Tim Cook aimed at accelerating Apple's AI ambitions.
"These changes are for the good of the company," Munster said, adding that Cook is using this moment to reset the energy, ambition and drive inside Apple as it prepares for its next chapter in AI.
Apple announced multiple high-level exits this year, including CFO Luca Maestri, COO Jeff Williams, General Counsel Kate Adams, and policy chief Lisa Jackson — all of whom Munster considers legitimate retirements at a typical age for top executives.
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Meta Poaching And Quiet Departures Add Pressure — But Cook Is Resetting
Munster noted that another cluster of exits reflects aggressive poaching from Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META), led by longtime design chief Alan Dye, who he believes was lured with a package worth roughly $500 million over five years.
Several robotics and machine-learning leaders have also jumped to Meta this year, Munster stated.
He added that former AI chief John Giannandrea's "retirement" appeared to be a push-out as Cook sought a leadership shift. Apple also hired a new AI head, Amar Subramanya, from Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT).
"It seems that Cook really wanted to change, shuffle the deck and really inject some more energy around it," Munster said, arguing this gives Apple the cultural reboot it needs going into its next wave of products.
Apple Still Has Time To ‘Nail AI'
Despite heightened competition, Munster believes Apple's massive 1.3 billion-device ecosystem gives it more runway than critics assume.
"Apple has a lot more time than people realize to figure AI out. There has been no consumer AI device that’s captured attention," he said, adding that any early missteps with Apple Intelligence or the revamped Siri won't be fatal.
Munster: Apple Will Lead The Mag 7 Into Spring
Munster closed with a bullish outlook: he expects iPhone sales to beat December-quarter estimates and maintains his view that "shares of Apple are going to be the best performing Mag 7 through the spring."
Last month, it was reported that Apple had expanded its lead in China's premium smartphone segment in October as iPhone shipments jumped sharply.
The country's overall smartphone market grew 8% from a year earlier, driven by Apple and several domestic brands. Apple captured roughly one-quarter of all smartphone sales, with iPhone shipments surging 37% year over year on strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup.
In October, Apple reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $102.47 billion, slightly ahead of the $102.17 billion analysts expected. The company reported earnings of $1.85 per share, topping forecasts of $1.76 per share.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings place AAPL in the 97th percentile for Growth and the 85th percentile for Quality, underscoring the company's strong performance compared with its industry peers.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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