Gene Munster, a research analyst with Piper Jaffray, maintained an “outperform” rating and a US$80 price target on Apple, and included the stock in his top picks for calendar 2006, along with Adobe and Avid Technology, reports Forbes. “Investors believe the easy money has been made, but we see more upside potential in Apple’s business, and sentiment suggesting that growth has peaked leads us to believe that Apple shares will respond positively to any outperformance,” wrote the analyst in a recent research note. “While 2005 was a year of iPod innovation, Munster believes 2006 will be a significant year for Macs, with the incorporation of technology from Intel and introduction of new form factors leading to the launch of several new PC products,” notes the story.