1. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is included in our list of the best Warren Buffett stocks.
Buffett added Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to his portfolio back in 2016. As of Q1 2016, Warren Buffett held 39.25 million shares worth over $1.07 billion. Over the years, the billionaire continued to acquire more shares of the iPhone-maker, seeing the investment appreciate significantly. As of Q4 2025, Berkshire holds over 227 million shares, which translates into a $62 billion stake.
Meanwhile, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is also widely held by hedge funds, with 169 out of 1,041 hedge funds remaining bullish on the stock. The combined hedge fund stake in the company totals $108.68 billion as of Q4 2025.
Investor confidence in Apple reflects the durability of the company’s ecosystem, AI-driven device engagement, and a high-margin services segment that continues to expand.
Meanwhile, RiverPark Advisors, an investment advisory firm and sponsor of the RiverPark family of mutual funds, said the company’s shares rose on better-than-feared iPhone 17 sell-through, stronger momentum in services, and early adoption of on-device AI exceeding internal expectations. In addition to this, the firm cited higher Pro-model attach rates in North America and Europe and wearables’ return to growth even as macro softness in China persisted.
Additionally, RiverPark noted that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) remains one of the world’s most resilient and profitable businesses, supported by its massive installed base, strong ecosystem lock-in, expanding recurring revenue streams, robust cash generation, ongoing share purchases, and disciplined cash allocation.
Around the same time, YCG LLC, an asset management firm, echoed that long-term optimism in its Q4 investor letter, noting that it purchased Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) during the April tariff-driven selloff, viewing the company as a high-quality business temporarily impacted by market fear. It later trimmed its position after the stock recovered, while maintaining that its long-term outlook for Apple remains largely unchanged.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, and accessories, and also provides a range of related services.
While we acknowledge the potential of AAPL to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AAPL and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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