The space and tech stocks continue to draw investor attention, with Wall Street analysts projecting an average upside of roughly 51 percent for SpaceX, compared to about 5 percent for Apple. SpaceX, which conducted the largest-ever IPO in June, now holds a market cap exceeding $2 trillion, driven by its Starlink, AI, and data center businesses. Apple, valued at nearly $4.7 trillion, recently saw a CEO transition to John Ternus and launched new products. Analysts remain split: 16 of 32 rate Apple a buy, while most of over 30 analysts covering SpaceX rate it a buy, citing significant revenue growth potential tied to Starship reliability.
SpaceX and Apple represent two distinct risk profiles for investors. Wall Street’s current analysis shows the average SpaceX stock upside near 51 percent, while Apple’s price target suggests only about 5 percent additional room.
Apple went public in 1980 and now carries a market cap close to $4.7 trillion. Tim Cook stepped down as CEO, and John Ternus, former head of hardware engineering, took over on September 1. Apple recently rolled out the Apple 18 Pro and a foldable iPhone Duo starting at $1,999.
Apple stock is up about 18 percent this year. Of the 32 analysts TipRanks tracks, 16 call it a buy, 12 say hold, and four recommend selling. The average price target lands around $336, about 5 percent above where shares traded on September 10.
Rosenblatt’s Barton Crockett kept his rating at Neutral and nudged his target to $303, tying it directly to how Ternus handles his first big product cycle. Crockett stated, “We update Apple estimates for what promises to be a September to remember.”
SpaceX’s IPO in June raised nearly $86 billion, still the largest ever, and its market cap now tops $2 trillion. Beyond rockets, the company operates Starlink, an AI arm including Grok and X, and a fast-growing data center business. SpaceX says its addressable market is worth $28.5 trillion.
Most of the over 30 analysts TipRanks tracks rate SpaceX a buy. The average price target sits around $228 to $232, roughly 51 to 65 percent above where shares traded in mid-September. Oppenheimer’s Timothy Horan raised his target to $280 from $250 after SpaceX acquired Cursor for $60 billion.
Horan told CNBC’s Power Lunch, “The company’s doing an incredible job with AI.” He also said SpaceX aims for a $100 billion revenue run rate by year-end and expects $120 to $130 billion next year. That upside hinges on Starship flying reliably.
Choosing between SpaceX and Apple ultimately depends on risk tolerance. Apple’s moderate upside reflects a mature business built on steady hardware sales. SpaceX’s larger forecasted gain depends on Starship, satellite growth, and AI bets landing on plan. Morningstar’s Nicolas Owens values SpaceX well below its current trading price.
