Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Should You Brace for Mag-7 ETFs Before It's Too Late?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Key Takeaways

  • Mag-7 stocks are in the deep correction zone now and valuation has fallen to the pre-ChatGPT level.
  • Investors awaiting a potential rebound may see Q1 earnings rhetorics as a guiding light.
  • Despite cheaper group value, analysts say that single stock picking within the Mag-7 is now the smarter play.

The group of tech giants — Apple (AAPL - Free Report) , Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) , Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) , NVIDIA (NVDA - Free Report) , Tesla (TSLA - Free Report) , Alphabet (GOOGL - Free Report) and Meta META — known as the "Magnificent Seven" has been battered during the ongoing tariff turmoil. Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS - Free Report) has lost 5.9% past month (as of April 14, 2025).

However, the group may see a turnaround once the first-quarter earnings season concludes, according to a note from Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Graham, as quoted on CNBC.

The cluster of tech giants is slowly regaining investor attention. Following two years of explosive growth driven by the AI boom, these giants have cooled significantly, with valuations now falling to levels last seen before ChatGPT launched in late 2022.

Cautious Outlook Despite Improved Trade Sentiment

While the recent pause in retaliatory tariffs on electronics offers some relief, Graham believes the companies will still strike a cautious tone in their guidance. He noted that many of these firms are still vulnerable to potential regulatory retaliation.

After all, the trade environment, though improved over the past week, is still volatile. However, the risk level for investors should significantly fall post Q1 earnings season as, by that time, we would have the companies’ rhetorics.

Mag-7 Valuations Reset to Pre-AI Boom Levels

Stock prices have come down considerably. Amazon’s trailing 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, for example, is now at 32—down sharply from 86 on the day ChatGPT debuted. NVIDIA, long considered the top AI play, has also seen its P/E fall to 36 from the mid-50s.

Other mega-cap tech names show similar trends. Apple trades at a 29 P/E, nearly back to its pre-AI rally level of 25. Alphabet is at 18, in line with late 2022, and Microsoft sits at 29, slightly above its previous 26.

Only exceptions are Tesla and Meta. Tesla’s P/E ratio has surged to 119, well above its 2022 level of 70, while Meta Platforms trades at 23 compared to just 10 pre-AI. However, most of the Magnificent Seven remain deep in correction territory or the bear market.

Recent Rally Suggests a Turning Point

Last week saw a wave of bargain-hunting amid market volatility. The latest announcement of some kind of tariff exemptions to electronics imports may act as a major tailwind. While many are now interested in individual stock picking in the Mag-7 group (based on each company's individual strength and weakness), the group's core strengths remain intact: solid balance sheets, and enduring competitive advantages, per analysts.

Bottom Line

No one underrates the opportunities in the -Mag-7 group. But the era of group-wide rallies appears to be over, replaced by more scrutinized stock selection and measured optimism. Despite more attractive valuations, investors are no longer treating the group as the pillar of Wall Street.

The “Magnificent Seven” have probably fallen from grace. Stock performances within the group have diverged, due to factors such as new cheaper-cost AI entrants (e.g., DeepSeek) and individual companies’ ability to handle broader macro uncertainty (read: Will the Rise of DeepSeek Usher in a New AI Era? ETFs in Focus).

.

ETF Picks

Microsoft and Alphabet shares have been less beaten down over the tumultuous past month. MSFT-heavy exchange-traded funds (ETFs) like iShares Global Tech ETF (IXN - Free Report) and Alphabet-heavy ETFs like Fidelity MSCI Communication Services Index ETF (FCOM - Free Report) can be played. However, these ETFs also house other Mag-7 constituents. Due to the incessant chip demand, NVIDIA deserves a mention, and so does NVDA-heavy ETF Strive U.S. Semiconductor ETF SHOC.

And if you want to go for group-wide picks, you have options like MAGS, Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (MGK - Free Report) , Invesco S&P 500 Top 50 ETF (XLG - Free Report) and iShares S&P 100 ETF (OEF - Free Report) to play on.


 

Published in