We recently published a list of 12 Best NASDAQ Stocks To Buy in 2025. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stands against other best NASDAQ stocks to buy in 2025.

As 2025 began, King Lip, chief strategist and partner at BakerAvenue Wealth Management expressed his bullish outlook for tech stocks in 2025 during a CNBC interview. He underscored a strong belief in the continued outperformance of tech stocks in 2025, driven by robust earnings growth and ongoing investments in AI infrastructure. Here’s a short excerpt from our article on the 12 Best Technology Stocks to Invest In for the Long Term that covered this:

“…Lip was against the prevailing sentiment among investors that big tech has peaked and that funds should rotate into smaller stocks or other themes. He argued that the recent weakness in the tech sector is largely due to technical rebalancing rather than a fundamental downturn. He emphasized that cash is likely to flow back into leading tech stocks, as they are projected to deliver the highest earnings growth in 2025, with an anticipated earnings increase of over 20%.”

While acknowledging the high valuations of many tech stocks, he argued that they remain within acceptable historical norms. On January 9, Mark Avallone, president at Potomac Wealth Advisors, joined ‘The Exchange’ on CNBC to discuss why technology is the best sector to invest in right now. He asserts that above-target inflation will prevent the Fed from implementing further easing measures, countering the notion that higher rates are detrimental. He noted that market rates have surged to all-time highs, with a significant increase of 1,800 points since October 2023. Avallone emphasizes that tech stocks, particularly cash-flowing mega-cap and large-cap companies, have shown resilience against rising rates, attributing this to improved operational efficiencies and ongoing technology spending even in a slowing economy.

Avallone highlighted recent deal chatter in the tech sector, including Shutter Stock’s potential acquisition in the uniform space, reflecting growing interest in technology-driven solutions. He is optimistic about the incoming administration’s impact on economic efficiencies and stock performance, particularly for large-cap tech firms and mid-cap companies focused on innovation. He views Hilton favorably for its technological advancements in office management and cost efficiency. In the defense sector, he expressed confidence in Boeing’s growth potential, emphasizing that significant cuts to defense spending are unlikely and that advancements in tech will enhance military capabilities.

Methodology

We first sifted through the Finviz stock screener to compile a list of the top 20 NASDAQ for 2025. We then selected the 12 stocks that were the most popular among elite hedge funds and that analysts were bullish on. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the number of hedge funds that have stakes in them, as of Q3 2024. The hedge fund data was sourced from Insider Monkey’s database which tracks the moves of over 900 elite money managers.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 158

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is a global technology company that is known for its innovative consumer electronics, such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs. With a loyal customer base and a rapidly growing portfolio of subscription services like Apple Music and Apple TV+, the company continues to shape the technology landscape.

The company faced a 7.7% year-over-year sales decline in FY24 in China, which is one of its major markets. This resulted in the total revenues dropping from $72.5 billion in FY23 to $66.9 billion in FY24. This is attributed to the competition from domestic brands like Huawei and a sluggish economy. To deal with this decline, the company is reducing its reliance on hardware sales. This includes a focus on Services revenue, largely driven by the App Store.

The Services revenue reached a record $25 billion in FQ4 2024, marking a 12% year-over-year increase. However, Wedbush analysts, including Dan Ives, predict that the AI-powered iPhone 16 sales could hit 240 million units in 2025. Analysts believe that the company’s focus on AI could increase its value, potentially reaching $4 trillion by early 2025. At the same time, MoffettNathanson, an investment firm, downgraded Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to Sell on January 7, lowering the price target to $188 from $202. The main reason behind this was the decline in iPhone 16 sales and the China competition. MoffettNathanson believes that the company’s 30% 2024 rally is unjustified.

Mar Vista Strategic Growth Strategy viewed Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock positively due to investor enthusiasm for its AI roadmap and iPhone 16 launch. Here’s what it is said regarding the company in its Q3 2024 investor letter:

“Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock was strong in the quarter as investors viewed the company’s generative AI roadmap and iPhone 16 product cycle positively. The market was reminded of the strength of the Apple ecosystem as management demonstrated how generative AI solutions would be integrated into its iOS 18 operating system, which was broadly released in the iPhone 16 late in calendar Q3. We believe Apple’s generative AI-enabled products should spur a meaningful iPhone upgrade cycle and create new avenues of monetization through its app store and advertising offerings. We believe this will support intrinsic value growth that will range between high single digits and low double-digits over our investment horizon.”

Overall, AAPL ranks 6th on our list of best NASDAQ stocks to buy in 2025. While we acknowledge the growth potential of AAPL, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AAPL but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.