Analyst Explains Why He's Selling Apple (AAPL) Shares - 'Victim of Their Own Success'

We recently published Trending Analyst Calls: 10 Stocks to Buy and Sell. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the trending analyst calls.

Jason Snipe, Founder and CIO of Odyssey Capital Advisors, explained in a recent program on CNBC why he’s selling Apple shares. Here is what he said:

“Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) been the eye of the storm with the kind of tariffs discussion all year. You know, but the stock has jumped since August, up about 20%. I think they’re in some ways, and we talk about this a lot, a victim of their own success. You know, replacement cycles are approaching five years. They had a really strong quarter this past quarter, but for me, I think the real run is going to be next year and demand’s been good for the iPhone 17. ASPs are going up, iPhone Air and the Pro have obviously gone up $100. So, I think that’ll be accretive for the stock. But as I look forward, I think the real opportunity is when they really start to focus on Siri, which I think they will start to solve soon, and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) Intelligence going forward. And I think that iPhone 18 next season will be the one.”

Early indicators point to a strong consumer response to the latest iPhone 17. However, can this enthusiasm lift the stock in the long term, especially when the company is falling behind in the AI race? Apple can only do so much in innovation to revolutionize its iPhone each year. A UBS survey shows that the iPhone upgrade cycle has reached 35 months in the US. A separate report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners says about 63% of iPhone users keep their smartphones for more than two years. Apple is losing its pricing edge as it has to put a cap on its price tags to compete in key markets like China. Samsung, Xiaomi and other companies can launch advanced hardware and software features to compete with Apple and keep the company under pressure in Asia.

Mar Vista U.S. Quality Strategy stated the following regarding Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:

“Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares rebounded in Q3 2025 as investor concerns over both tariffs and the early adoption of its generative AI product, Apple Intelligence, eased. Attention shifted instead to the favorable resolution of Alphabet’s DOJ trial, seen as a positive for both Apple and Alphabet, and to healthy initial demand for the fall launch of the iPhone 17.

We continue to view Apple as a competitively advantaged business, anchored by the strength of its ecosystem. With over 2 billion active devices and more than 1 billion paying subscribers, Apple benefits from a loyal customer base and a growing stream of high-margin, recurring services revenue. This stable cash flow enables continued investment in innovation, even during periods of cyclical softness. We believe Apple remains well positioned to lead in the emerging category of AI-enabled edge devices.”

While we acknowledge the potential of AAPL as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

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