New York, February 17, 2026, 10:05 EST — Regular session
- Apple traded higher this morning, defying losses seen across other megacap stocks.
- Wedbush kept its Outperform call and $350 target, citing Apple’s AI rollout schedule.
- Eyes are on Apple’s March 4 New York event and the Feb. 24 annual meeting, as investors look for any new signals.
Apple (AAPL) climbed roughly 1.3% Tuesday, with traders jumping on a Wall Street note that minimized concerns over the company’s artificial intelligence launch. The stock was recently up $3.39 at $259.17.
Lately, shares have been jumping at any whiff of Siri or fresh AI news. That’s the play—it comes down to whether those timelines stick. If they do, chatter ramps up around a possible upgrade cycle; if not, Apple takes a hit, as if it stumbled again.
Apple continues to carry significant weight in the major U.S. indexes, so even a modest shift in its shares can ripple through portfolios—especially when risk appetite is already on the low side.
U.S. equities slipped out of the gate following the long weekend, pressured by fresh anxiety over possible AI-driven shakeups. Investors kept a close watch on U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, according to Reuters. (Reuters)
Apple’s recent slide doesn’t add up, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said Tuesday. In a note, Ives called the share drop “unwarranted,” and argued investors have gotten ahead of themselves on worries about AI delays. “The time is now for Apple to accelerate its AI efforts,” the firm wrote, as it stuck with an Outperform rating—signaling expectations that Apple outpaces the S&P 500—and maintained its $350 price target. Advanced features planned for this summer remain on schedule, Wedbush said, estimating that AI monetisation could tack on $75 to $100 per share in the years ahead. (Investing.com Canada)
The move came as other AI-heavy megacaps lost ground. Alphabet dropped around 1.5%, Microsoft shed about 1.4%, while Nvidia slid roughly 1.5% in early action.
Apple’s product schedule is back in focus. The company has lined up a “special Apple experience” for March 4 in New York City, kicking off at 9 a.m. ET, and press events are set to run at the same moment in London and Shanghai. What Apple plans to reveal is still a mystery. (The Verge)
Apple on Monday announced plans to roll out advanced video podcast features for Apple Podcasts this spring, tapping HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) to deliver video more efficiently online. “Today marks a defining milestone in that journey,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, in a statement. The new video tools are ready for testing now through beta versions of iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4. (Apple)
The AI narrative isn’t locked in—things could shift quickly. If there’s another Siri delay or fresh regulatory heat on Apple’s services arm, Tuesday’s pop could vanish just as fast.
Apple has its annual shareholder meeting coming up on Feb. 24, with the company planning to host the event virtually. (Apple Investor Relations)
For traders, the focus now turns to whether Apple can move the conversation from making deadlines to actually delivering features. March 4 stands out as the next key date.
