The S&P 500 may be just a hair shy of breaking out to brand-new all-time highs, but not every stock has participated in the latest upswing. Indeed, the Magnificent Seven seem magnificent again, but not all of the seven have been all too magnificent.
Notably, I don’t think shares of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) have been anything close to magnificent in the past couple of months, with the shares seemingly stuck at or around $200 per share. With minimal gains (around 5% or so) posted in the last two years, the Cupertino-based company is having a moment in the dark, as its six peers in the Mag Seven proceed to march higher amid the latest upward run in stocks. Indeed, it’s really hard to tell what Apple’s next big move will be.
The name mostly sat out of the last few days of relief gains in the Nasdaq 100. And though the perceived artificial intelligence (AI) laggard may have a shot to make up for lost time in the second half, especially if its new iPhone 17 (and iPhone 17 Air) and iOS 26 hit the spot, while the company opens the door to a potential AI deal (Perplexity AI, anyone?), most analysts seem muted on the stock, which seems to lack all the right catalysts to proceed back to prior highs.
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Apple
Indeed, it feels like a great time to ditch Apple shares, but I think it’s an ultra-cheap Mag Seven stock that’s ripe for buying. And though time will tell how the firm makes it past recent tariff disruptions and AI setbacks, I certainly wouldn’t dream of shorting the stock at current levels, especially as Tim Cook and company look forward to a packed year of AI catalysts in 2026.
Indeed, Apple needs to make the iPhone exciting again. A thinner design, alongside a fresh new interface (think the Liquid Glass design), and maybe even a foldable device in the mix may not be enough to impress investors who may be more inclined to opt for one of Apple’s six peers in the Magnificent Seven. In any case, shares look quite cheap at 31.26 times trailing price to earnings (P/E), especially given that many iPhone users are long overdue for a shiny, new upgrade.
The dividend yield, while small at 0.52%, seems positioned to grow at a good rate every single year as well. If Apple can get off the mat, there’s really no telling how furious its rally can be. Until then, the firm needs to prove to investors that it has what it takes to warrant more of an AI premium, something that most other tech stocks have earned by now.
Spin Master
Spin Master (TSX: TOY) is a Canadian toy company with shares closing in on multi-year lows again. The stock shed around a third of its value from 52-week highs and seems more or less like dead money. That said, I think there’s serious value to be had in the name while it’s trading at 15.9 times trailing P/E. The 2.1% dividend yield is solid and on good footing. And with the firm reacting to tariff threats, perhaps there’s too much negativity baked into the share price.
Sure, the consumer is in a tough spot and tariffs will bite, but with a solid management team that can effectively pivot in response to supply chain disruptions, I’d be willing to give the name a spin at $23 per share. It seems like investors are already preparing for a muted holiday season of sales. With that, perhaps there’s room for a positive surprise as Spin manages through another round of headwinds.
