Investors who followed Jim Cramer’s most frequently recommended stock over the last 90 days and invested $1,000 at the start of 2026 would now have approximately $1,248, based on Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) year-to-date performance.
Data tracking stock recommendations across major market personalities over the past 90 days shows Apple as the most recommended stock, receiving 40 buy recommendations, ahead of Alphabet’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) 31 and Nvidia’s (NASDAQ: NVDA) 28.
Apple shares traded around $270 on January 2, 2026. With the stock trading at $336 as of press time, a $1,000 investment made at the beginning of the year would have grown to about $1,248, representing a gain of roughly 24.8%.
Apple’s strong performance in 2026 has come despite volatility across the broader technology sector and the Magnificent Seven group.
The company has continued to benefit from its ecosystem of hardware, software, and services, with recurring revenue from subscriptions and digital services helping support growth.
Investors have also rewarded Apple’s consistent profitability, strong cash generation, and ability to maintain demand for its premium products.
The rally has pushed Apple’s market capitalization above $4 trillion, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most valuable publicly traded companies.
Cramer’s bullish stand on AAPL stock
Meanwhile, Cramer has repeatedly highlighted Apple as a long-term core holding rather than a stock for short-term trading.
His bullish stance centers on the company’s recurring revenue streams, strong balance sheet, shareholder-friendly capital return programs, and the competitive advantages created by its ecosystem.
Apple has also avoided some of the heavy spending commitments that many technology companies have undertaken in the race to develop artificial intelligence infrastructure.
While concerns around AI features and product innovation have occasionally weighed on sentiment, Apple has continued to attract investor interest through steady execution and expanding high-margin services revenue.
While Apple has been one of Jim Cramer’s more successful long-term calls, his broader track record continues to face scrutiny from investors.
Critics have pointed to several high-profile recommendations that later underperformed, helping fuel the popularity of “inverse Cramer” trading strategies and even exchange-traded products designed to bet against his picks.
Some analyses have suggested that portions of his recommendation history have lagged passive market benchmarks, particularly among smaller or more speculative stocks.