Apple received a fresh vote of confidence after Citi’s analysts raised the company’s stock price target to $350. The firm expects stronger iPhone sales and clearer progress on Apple’s AI roadmap to lift the stock. The new target suggests a sharp jump from Apple’s recent closing price of $277.18.
The analysts believe many users now sit on older iPhones and plan to upgrade soon. That upgrade wave, combined with solid early demand for the iPhone 17 lineup, helps build a stronger forecast for 2025. The new estimate follows several months of improving investor confidence after Apple worked to ease tension in Washington.
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As the picture becomes clearer, Apple’s stock has already gained close to 30% since August. The company’s expanded United States commitment also helped stabilize the mood among investors.
CNBC reported that Citi kept its “buy” rating and expects a 26.3% jump based on the new target. CNBC also noted that IDC raised its iPhone shipping forecast for 2025 to 6.1%, up from 3.9%. IDC linked the change to the strong performance of the iPhone 17 series.
AI partnership outlook
CNBC shared a statement from Citi’s analysts, who believe Apple’s work with Google could help speed up the AI features promised at last year’s event. According to the report, the analysts wrote:
“We believe the partnership could enable Apple to deliver a more powerful Siri as promised while giving the company time to keep developing its own model.”
Apple’s stock recovery followed a tough period in 2025. Trade tensions in April pushed the stock down, and Apple’s slower AI rollout raised doubts. Even so, this recent report from IDC showed strong iPhone 17 traction, which continues to push the stock higher.
Citi now expects Apple to benefit from both improving hardware sales and a clearer AI direction. The firm believes this combination gives Apple enough momentum to move closer to the new target of $350.
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