The Magnificent Seven stocks have been punished severely. As they struggle to escape the penalty box (they seem to be in for a five-minute major), long-term value investors with an appetite for growth may be able to score a pretty sizeable discount to intrinsic value as tariff troubles and broader weakness in tech continue to act as a drag on shares. Indeed, the Magnificent Seven, which represents seven previously impressive-performing tech studs in the U.S., are now among the most prominent market laggards.
And while I’m not the biggest fan of the group as a whole, I think that a subset of the names are more than buyable right here, right now, even with escalating tariffs on China and great uncertainty as to what Donald Trump will do after the 90-day tariff pause concludes this summer. My guess is we’ll be in for more choppiness come July. And it could persist until Santa Claus comes to town in December, as hopeful investors hope for a bit of sustained relief.
With the loonie bouncing by a few cents in recent weeks in response to the turbulence in the U.S. bond market, I think it’s a pretty wise idea to start thinking about nibbling some of the deals to be had south of the border.
Sure, you’ll need to brave tariff volatility head-on, but if you want a shot at better discounts, such volatility, I believe, should not have you hitting the pause button on your buying activity, especially if you’re too heavy in cash or your returns are being weighed down by long bonds. In any case, here is the one Mag Seven stock that looks like a screaming bargain right now that I’d be willing to scoop up on the dip.
Apple
It’s hard to pick a favourite in the Mag Seven group. I think you could do well by braving the dip with most of them. In any case, if I had to pick one name to buy, it’d have to be Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). Why? Trump tariffs have clobbered Apple right where it hurts.
And while the recent tariff exemptions sparked a nice relief rally of just over 2% on Monday’s session of trade, I still think there’s upside as Trump and his team look to cut Apple and various other artificial intelligence (AI) innovators a break. Indeed, if there’s a category to pull back on tariffs, it’s with electronics, given what’s on the line with the AI race.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that exemptions for Apple and other hardware makers with significant business in China will stick. My guess is that the Trump administration can limit long-lasting damages from a trade war with China by giving the tech titans a pass. Either way, AAPL stock at just over $200 per share screams bargain, especially as we learn more about tariff exemptions.
At this juncture, investors have more reasons to sell Apple than buy. If it’s not the tariff impact, it’s the firm’s lacklustre early showing in AI. With Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook hitting the gas pedal on augmented reality/virtual reality efforts, with the Vision Pro 2 and a cheaper model on the horizon, I wouldn’t dare bet against Apple stock. Tariffs and supply chain disruptions or not, Apple will make it through. Until then, it’ll be focused on making great products.
