The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Apple, Alphabet, Garmin and Meta

For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – March 26, 2025 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Apple AAPL, Alphabet GOOGL, Garmin GRMN and Meta META.Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:4 Tech Stocks Penetrating the Health & Fitness Wearables MarketThe healthcare and fitness wearables landscape is transforming rapidly, with tech giants investing heavily to improve the accuracy of their devices and expand the range of health metrics tracked.Leading tech companies like Apple, Alphabet, Garmin and Meta are competing for dominance in the rapidly expanding health and fitness wearables market, which is projected to grow from $103.2 billion in 2025 to $324.7 billion in 2032, with a CAGR of 17.8%, per a report by Fortune Business Insights.Emerging technologies like smart fabrics for muscle movement monitoring and posture control, sweat sensors for electrolyte and hydration monitoring and the use of augmented, virtual and mixed reality wearables for medical training and mental health therapy are leading the trend in 2025.Wearable developers are leveraging AI to analyze workouts, recommend training loads, and predict injuries. AI-based wearables also aid preventive healthcare by detecting diseases and mental distress through stress and sleep monitoring. Embedded AI analyzes sleep, heart rate, blood glucose, metabolism, skin temperature, oxygen levels and ECG data for real-time personalized insights.Despite ample opportunities to introduce new features in health and fitness wearables, these devices continue to face fundamental challenges. One of the primary concerns for users is the accuracy of health monitoring, along with battery life, particularly for all-day use.Manufacturers Focusing on Improving Battery Life & AccuracyTo counter these challenges, brands are now enhancing the accuracy of their sensors and software that track these vital signs. Wearable developers are now leveraging AI algorithms to filter out data inconsistencies by differentiating between genuine health risks and sensor errors to provide accurate insights. Algorithms are also being used to analyze historical health data to detect long-term trends, enabling early risk prediction for health conditions.As health trackers are now becoming less bulky and more stylish, with designs shrinking into patches and rings, manufacturers have started adopting thin-film batteries for better performance. Additionally, AI-driven battery optimization, along with solar, kinetic and body heat charging, as well as energy-efficient chips and sensors, are being utilized to extend battery life.Wearable manufacturers are also lowering the latency in their devices by making them 5G-compatible while looking out for opportunities in 6G connectivity as well. As consumers are growing eco-conscious, brands are manufacturing their products using recycled materials.As these advancements take shape, enthusiasm among athletes, fitness enthusiasts and the medical community continues to grow, driving widespread adoption. This expanding market presents investors with significant opportunities to maximize returns by investing in leading companies in the health and fitness wearables space.4 Health and Fitness Wearables Stocks to Watch in 2025Garmin's strategy of offering fitness wearables tailored to specific activities, such as swim, dive, multisport and golf watches, is driving its popularity among professionals looking for more precise performance metrics.In recent times, Garmin has deepened its health and fitness tracking portfolio with the launch of the HRM 200 heart rate monitor, Instinct 3 Watch Series with around-the-clock health monitoring and increased battery life enhanced with solar charging, Approach S44 and S50 for Golf training, and Descent G2 watch-style dive computer.The company has also made its ECG app available to the users of Australia and the European Union. This ECG App, categorized as a medical device in Australia and the European Union, provides data on heart rhythm and checks for signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib).The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this Zacks rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock's fiscal 2025 earnings is pegged at $8.25, indicating a year-over-year increase of 11.6%. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.Apple has elevated its wearables beyond consumer products by introducing clinical-grade features. The company recently claimed that its AirPods Pro earbuds could be used as a clinical-grade hearing aid. Apple Watch's AFib tool was also approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its use in clinical trials and for users aged 22 years and older.This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company has also enhanced its smartwatch with the latest features, including an ECG feature and an AI-based health and fitness coaching system. The FDA recently approved Apple's sleep apnea detection feature for the Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2, making these platforms more reliable health-tracking tools.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Apple's fiscal 2025 earnings is pegged at $7.26, indicating a year-over-year increase of 7.6%.Alphabet expanded its fitness wearables portfolio with the launch of Google Pixel Watch 3 in September 2024. Prior to that, Alphabet introduced Wear OS 5, which was focused on improving the battery life of Google's fitness wearables.In 2025, Alphabet went a step ahead with FDA clearance for its Loss of Pulse Detection feature that can detect the absence of a pulse due to cardiac arrest or other events and automatically notify emergency services. Google researchers are also experimenting with Personal Health Large Language Models to be able to provide personalized insights based on the recipient's heart rate, sleep pattern and activity level data.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this Zacks Rank #3 stock's fiscal 2025 earnings is pegged at $8.90, indicating a year-over-year increase of 10.7%.Meta's virtual reality (VR) headsets have gained immense popularity among fitness enthusiasts. To expand its reach among budget-conscious consumers, the company recently released the Meta Quest 3S, an entry-level variant of its flagship Quest 3 VR headset model.Currently, Meta is developing a surface electromyography (sEMG) wristband that interprets neural signals to control digital devices. In collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University, the company is experimenting with sEMG wearables to assist individuals with spinal cord injuries.Meta is poised to benefit from the Metaverse Health and Fitness market, which is projected to grow at a CAGR of 37.01% from 2025 to 2030, according to this report. In 2024, this Zacks Rank #3 company invested $19.88 billion in its Reality Labs division, which is responsible for virtual, augmented, and mixed-reality products.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Meta stock's fiscal 2025 earnings is pegged at $25.61, indicating a year-over-year increase of 7.3%.Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.See Stocks Free >>Media ContactZacks Investment Research800-767-3771 ext. 9339support@zacks.com                                      https://www.zacks.com                                                 Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor StockIt's only 1/9,000th the size of NVIDIA which skyrocketed more than +800% since we recommended it. NVIDIA is still strong, but our new top chip stock has much more room to boom.With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Apple Inc. (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report Garmin Ltd. (GRMN): Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL): Free Stock Analysis Report Meta Platforms, Inc. (META): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks