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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and its Magnificent 7 peers hit their cheapest collective valuation in seven years, Goldman Sachs finds.
The group trades at a forward P/E of 28 versus 20 for the S&P 493, a 43% premium that sits in the 30th percentile of the past decade. That marks the lowest NTM multiple for Apple, Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Meta (NASDAQ:META), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) since 2018, strategist David Kostin wrote.
Although concerns around AI spending, trade-policy uncertainty and antitrust lawsuits have driven multiples lower, Goldman's cross-sectional model suggests the cohort is actually trading at a modest discount to its fundamental profile based on earnings growth and balance-sheet strength.
In the near term, Kostin says, lighter positioning, relatively cheaper valuations than the past two years and renewed AI enthusiasm after Q1 earnings could propel the Magnificent 7 higher. Yet the risk equation remains two-sided: ongoing U.S. and European antitrust probes into Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft and Meta could cast a shadow, and competitive headlineslike Apple's AI-powered search ambitions wiping 7% off Alphabet's share pricehighlight the vulnerability within the peer group.
Despite those headwinds, the group's financial health and growth outlook remain robust, with average analyst earnings upgrades for the cohort outpacing the broader market. Investor focus is likely to oscillate between AI-driven upside potential and regulatory overhang, setting up a volatile but opportunity-rich environment for tech-heavy portfolios.
Why It Matters: At multi-year lows, the Magnificent 7's valuation reset may offer a buying opportunity for investors seeking exposure to secular growth leaders, but regulatory and competitive risks warrant caution.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.