Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Apple beat earnings eight times in a row and the stock still fell after every single report. With the shares trading above Wall Street's consensus target and memory costs hitting once-in-a-century levels, something has to give heading into October 29.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction) trades at $336.64. The stock is pricing in a near-flawless year just as Apple heads into its fiscal fourth-quarter report.

Apple makes the iPhone, Mac, iPad and wearables for an installed base of more than 2.5 billion active devices, and it earns more from that base through Services. The iPhone 17 cycle, steady double-digit revenue growth and excitement over Siri AI have lifted the stock 24.17% year to date. Reports of iPhone 18 Pro component order cuts knocked it down 1.11% in the latest session.

Record Demand and Siri AI Fuel the Bull Case Fiscal third-quarter revenue rose 16.4% to $109.42 billion. EPS of $2.02 exceeded the $1.89 consensus. iPhone revenue grew 22% and Mac grew 29%. Demand ran ahead of supply, and management said “the iPhone and the Mac are both doing remarkably better than we thought they would do.”

Consensus calls for fiscal 2027 EPS of $9.5758, up from $8.8202. Possible drivers include Siri AI, paid iCloud Plus upgrades, the Apple Upgrade leasing program and a $100 billion buyback authorization.

Memory Costs and Supply Limits Threaten a Premium Multiple Apple’s trailing earnings multiple is 39, with a PEG ratio of 2.706, even as guidance calls for growth to slow to 9% to 11%. Tariff refunds added about two percentage points to the 50.1% gross margin and 11 cents to EPS. September-quarter guidance of 47% to 48% also leans on refunds, while management described memory pricing as a “100-year flood”.

Analysts made 14 downward revisions to fiscal fourth-quarter EPS over the past 30 days, against 7 upward ones. Management also expects supply constraints to increase significantly.

Strong Execution Meets a Fully Priced Stock Record installed-base and Services numbers bolster the bullish view. Margins that depend on one-time refunds and earnings estimates that keep getting cut support the bear case. Four signals would settle the question: December-quarter guidance against the $2.9059 EPS consensus, gross margin excluding refunds, supply commentary and Siri AI approvals in the EU and China.

Apple Has Outrun Both the S&P 500 and Its Price Targets Apple has gained 33.01% over the past year, against 16% for the S&P 500. Year to date, it is up 24.17%, compared with 14.17% for the index. The average price target of $328.09 implies about 2.5% downside. This target shows the stock has run ahead of Wall Street. Ratings from 44 analysts break down as follows:

Strong Buy: 6 Buy: 19 Hold: 13 Sell: 3 Strong Sell: 3 What Apple Must Prove in Its Fiscal Q4 Report At $336.64, Apple’s valuation leaves little room for error.

Beating estimates has failed to lift the stock. Apple beat in all of its last 8 reports, yet the stock moved an average of -1.53% on earnings day. Last quarter it fell 7.35% despite a 6.8% surprise. With the stock near its $345.34 52-week high, another solid quarter faces a high bar.

The outlook would improve if management guides for a strong holiday quarter and shows gross margin holding without refund support. It would weaken if memory costs push margins below guidance or the iPhone 18 Pro reports point to weaker demand.

The stock already sits above its consensus target. Apple remains an excellent business, and the next test is proof that margins can hold without one-time help.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

When big tech is mentioned, most of the time, the discussion is centered around four stocks: Apple (AAPL -1.11%), Alphabet (GOOG +0.87%) (GOOGL +0.97%), Microsoft (MSFT +2.38%), and Amazon (AMZN +3.29%). These four are the stalwarts that always seem to stick around, but that aren't so influenced by AI computing that they can be considered purely AI stocks, as a company like Nvidia may be.

These four stocks have gained reputations for being pricey, mainly due to their popularity and success. However, which is the cheapest? It's obviously not Apple, as it has a reputation (that it has earned) for being a very expensive stock. As of now, Microsoft is the cheapest stock of this cohort, and there's an interesting reason for that. 

Image source: Getty Images.

Microsoft has had a lackluster 2026 First, let's look at how relatively cheap Microsoft is. There are many ways to value stocks, but the most common way to value big tech players is by their price-to-earnings ratios. However, that isn't as useful a metric for Amazon and Alphabet right now because they have recently been enjoying huge gains on their investments in other companies. Even if they don't sell those shares and lock in those gains, they still have to report the price increases as profits. As a result, their earnings per share (EPS) metrics are out of whack.

To factor those non-business-related gains out of the calculation, investors can look at a line item a bit further up the financial statement: operating earnings.

From a price-to-operating-earnings standpoint, Microsoft is notably cheaper than Amazon or Alphabet. Apple is meaningfully more expensive than all three.

GOOG Operating PE Ratio data by YCharts.

Why does Microsoft trade at a discount to its peers? It all has to do with how each company is approaching AI.

The market has mixed opinions on AI Apple really hasn't done much with AI compared to its peers. That could wind up looking like a genius strategy in retrospect, or it could prove a costly mistake. Apple has made a habit of arriving late to the party when new technologies are being developed, but when it finally does show up, it frequently brings a nearly perfect product.

AI technology may not have reached the point where Apple wants to deploy it on a widespread basis, which could be why it's being patient. Regardless, Apple's lack of AI participation, and in particular its decision not to build a massive fleet of AI data centers, has made its stock a haven for those who are wary of the AI bubble, so it has become quite popular from that perspective.

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On the flip side, Alphabet and Amazon have gone all-in. They are spending every penny they can get their hands on to build more AI data centers for their cloud computing units. They see huge demand for cloud computing and are spending heavily to capture it. As a result, these two stocks have become attractive picks for investors who are bullish about AI.

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Left in the middle is Microsoft. Microsoft, too, is spending heavily on AI, but not to quite the same degree as Amazon or Alphabet. Microsoft has budgeted for around $175 billion in capital expenditures this year, while Alphabet's and Amazon's capex bills will each top $200 billion. The market views Microsoft as not being all-in on AI, so it's not as bullish on its prospects. Furthermore, Microsoft's flagship AI product, Copilot, consistently lags the competition in AI proficiency scores. If it invests billions into an inferior product that fails, it will be an investment bust as well.

So, Microsoft's cheaper valuation stems from it not being as committed to AI as its peers. The market wants to see an all-in or all-out approach, and with Microsoft taking a more middle-ground approach, it's not as popular an investment.

RFG Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 17.2% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 241,545 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 35,403 shares during the period. Apple accounts for about 1.1% of RFG Advisory LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 10th largest holding. RFG Advisory LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $69,893,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Berkshire Hathaway Inc bought a new position in shares of Apple during the second quarter valued at approximately $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in Apple in the second quarter worth $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in Apple in the second quarter valued at $30,443,242,000. Deutsche Bank AG bought a new stake in Apple in the second quarter valued at $13,658,359,000. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Apple in the second quarter valued at $10,588,946,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.73% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Apple In other news, insider Timothy D. Cook sold 191,753 shares of Apple stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total transaction of $63,846,078.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 3,264,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. This trade represents a 5.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total value of $8,460,671.28. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 59,567 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,832,236.98. This represents a 29.90% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders have sold a total of 279,383 shares of company stock worth $92,912,517 in the last ninety days. 0.06% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Apple Stock Down 1.1% NASDAQ:AAPL opened at $336.64 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $322.61 and its 200-day moving average price is $302.99. The company has a market capitalization of $4.91 trillion, a PE ratio of 38.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.93. Apple Inc. has a 1-year low of $243.42 and a 1-year high of $345.34. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.13. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. The company had revenue of $109.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.04 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.57 EPS. Apple’s quarterly revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Apple Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were issued a $0.27 dividend. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s dividend payout ratio is 12.39%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have issued reports on AAPL. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and set a $370.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Seaport Research Partners cut shares of Apple from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, August 17th. Daiwa Securities Group lifted their target price on shares of Apple from $325.00 to $335.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Phillip Securities lifted their target price on shares of Apple from $290.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Finally, Citic Securities boosted their price target on shares of Apple from $300.00 to $349.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $340.02.

Read Our Latest Research Report on AAPL

Trending Headlines about Apple Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: Potential AI upside: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by monetizing its more than 2.5 billion active devices and Services ecosystem. He estimates AI could add approximately $75 per share to the company’s value. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple’s planned October 13 “Welcome Home” event could introduce products such as a smart lock, thermostat and doorbell. The initiative may expand Apple’s hardware and Services opportunities and strengthen its position against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Neutral Sentiment: Possible seasonal order adjustment: Bespoke Investment Group noted that Apple’s autumn iPhone order reductions have occurred in prior years and have sometimes been followed by a stock recovery. Investors will look for evidence that the latest cuts reflect normal supply-chain management rather than lasting demand weakness. Apple’s iPhone Order Cut and Stock Rebound Negative Sentiment: iPhone demand concerns: Nikkei Asia reported that Apple asked suppliers to cut iPhone 18 Pro component production, raising concerns that premium pricing is discouraging consumers. The reports are particularly important because Apple is preparing to pursue an even higher-priced product strategy, including a rumored $1,999 foldable iPhone. Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders Due to Soft Demand Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks: Apple’s elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, while higher memory costs could pressure margins. A recent senior vice president stock sale was relatively small but adds to near-term caution. Apple Senior Vice President Stock Sale Apple Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Apple 3 Unique ETFs With Strong Momentum for the End of the Year 3 Beaten-Down Biotech Stocks With Triple-Digit Upside and Big Catalysts Ahead Schneider Just Paid Up for PTC—Is the SaaSpocalypse Overdone? Delta Air Lines Faces a Fuel Crisis—But There’s a Silver Lining Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AAPL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report).

Receive News & Ratings for Apple Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apple and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Pinnacle Wealth Management Advisory Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 1.9% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 221,397 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after buying an additional 4,042 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises approximately 3.8% of Pinnacle Wealth Management Advisory Group LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 2nd biggest holding. Pinnacle Wealth Management Advisory Group LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $64,063,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired a new position in shares of Apple in the second quarter valued at about $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in shares of Apple in the second quarter worth about $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new position in shares of Apple in the second quarter worth about $30,443,242,000. Amundi lifted its holdings in shares of Apple by 23.2% during the first quarter. Amundi now owns 73,082,616 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $18,547,637,000 after purchasing an additional 13,780,080 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in shares of Apple by 1.7% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 58,554,032 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $14,858,200,000 after purchasing an additional 979,832 shares during the period. 67.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Apple In related news, SVP Deirdre O’brien sold 46,389 shares of Apple stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $333.42, for a total value of $15,467,020.38. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 136,810 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $45,615,190.20. This trade represents a 25.32% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Timothy Cook sold 191,753 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total transaction of $63,846,078.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 3,264,168 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. The trade was a 5.55% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders sold a total of 279,383 shares of company stock worth $92,912,517 over the last 90 days. 0.06% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Apple Stock Performance Shares of AAPL stock opened at $336.64 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. Apple Inc. has a 12-month low of $243.42 and a 12-month high of $345.34. The business’s 50 day moving average is $322.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $302.99. The company has a market capitalization of $4.91 trillion, a P/E ratio of 38.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.07. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $109.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $109.04 billion. Apple had a return on equity of 135.46% and a net margin of 27.62%. The business’s revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.57 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Apple Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 10th were given a dividend of $0.27 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 12.39%.

Key Apple News Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: Potential AI upside: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by monetizing its more than 2.5 billion active devices and Services ecosystem. He estimates AI could add approximately $75 per share to the company’s value. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple’s planned October 13 “Welcome Home” event could introduce products such as a smart lock, thermostat and doorbell. The initiative may expand Apple’s hardware and Services opportunities and strengthen its position against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Neutral Sentiment: Possible seasonal order adjustment: Bespoke Investment Group noted that Apple’s autumn iPhone order reductions have occurred in prior years and have sometimes been followed by a stock recovery. Investors will look for evidence that the latest cuts reflect normal supply-chain management rather than lasting demand weakness. Apple’s iPhone Order Cut and Stock Rebound Negative Sentiment: iPhone demand concerns: Nikkei Asia reported that Apple asked suppliers to cut iPhone 18 Pro component production, raising concerns that premium pricing is discouraging consumers. The reports are particularly important because Apple is preparing to pursue an even higher-priced product strategy, including a rumored $1,999 foldable iPhone. Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders Due to Soft Demand Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks: Apple’s elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, while higher memory costs could pressure margins. A recent senior vice president stock sale was relatively small but adds to near-term caution. Apple Senior Vice President Stock Sale Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Oppenheimer reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. BTIG Research initiated coverage on shares of Apple in a research report on Monday, August 17th. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Apple from $310.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Raymond James Financial restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Finally, HSBC restated a “buy” rating and set a $366.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have issued a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $340.02.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Apple

Apple Company Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Read More Five stocks we like better than Apple 3 Unique ETFs With Strong Momentum for the End of the Year 3 Beaten-Down Biotech Stocks With Triple-Digit Upside and Big Catalysts Ahead Schneider Just Paid Up for PTC—Is the SaaSpocalypse Overdone? Delta Air Lines Faces a Fuel Crisis—But There’s a Silver Lining Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AAPL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report).

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In Brief

Posted:

Image Credits:Brian Heater / TechCrunch Apple will announce a new smart home hub on Tuesday called the HomeView, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen There have been multiple reports that Apple was working on a new smart home product, but now it seems the product has a name and a launch date. Gurman described the HomeView as a Siri-powered device with a display and an A18 chip, allowing customers to control their other smart home devices.

The HomeView will reportedly be available in two models — one designed for countertops and the other to be mounted on walls. 

This would be Apple’s most serious bet on the smart home to date, after it failed to get much traction for its HomeKit software framework or its HomePod smart speaker. 

Gurman reports that on Tuesday, Apple will also be unveiling updated versions of two other home devices, namely the Apple TV set-top box and the HomePod mini. Earlier this week, he said that Apple plans to announce a partnership with LG to create a smart lock, a thermostat, and a doorbell.

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Arizona State Retirement System lifted its position in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 1.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,073,733 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 46,759 shares during the quarter. Apple accounts for 5.9% of Arizona State Retirement System’s portfolio, making the stock its 2nd largest position. Arizona State Retirement System’s holdings in Apple were worth $1,178,775,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Berkshire Hathaway Inc bought a new position in shares of Apple in the second quarter valued at $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in Apple during the second quarter worth $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in Apple in the second quarter valued at $30,443,242,000. Amundi grew its position in shares of Apple by 23.2% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 73,082,616 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $18,547,637,000 after acquiring an additional 13,780,080 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Apple by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 58,554,032 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $14,858,200,000 after acquiring an additional 979,832 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total transaction of $8,460,671.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 59,567 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $19,832,236.98. This represents a 29.90% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Timothy Cook sold 191,753 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total value of $63,846,078.88. Following the transaction, the insider owned 3,264,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. This trade represents a 5.55% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 279,383 shares of company stock valued at $92,912,517. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Apple News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week: Positive Sentiment: Potential AI upside: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by monetizing its more than 2.5 billion active devices and Services ecosystem. He estimates AI could add approximately $75 per share to the company’s value. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple’s planned October 13 “Welcome Home” event could introduce products such as a smart lock, thermostat and doorbell. The initiative may expand Apple’s hardware and Services opportunities and strengthen its position against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Neutral Sentiment: Possible seasonal order adjustment: Bespoke Investment Group noted that Apple’s autumn iPhone order reductions have occurred in prior years and have sometimes been followed by a stock recovery. Investors will look for evidence that the latest cuts reflect normal supply-chain management rather than lasting demand weakness. Apple’s iPhone Order Cut and Stock Rebound Negative Sentiment: iPhone demand concerns: Nikkei Asia reported that Apple asked suppliers to cut iPhone 18 Pro component production, raising concerns that premium pricing is discouraging consumers. The reports are particularly important because Apple is preparing to pursue an even higher-priced product strategy, including a rumored $1,999 foldable iPhone. Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders Due to Soft Demand Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks: Apple’s elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, while higher memory costs could pressure margins. A recent senior vice president stock sale was relatively small but adds to near-term caution. Apple Senior Vice President Stock Sale Apple Stock Performance AAPL opened at $336.64 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $322.61 and a 200 day simple moving average of $302.99. Apple Inc. has a 1 year low of $243.42 and a 1 year high of $345.34. The company has a market capitalization of $4.91 trillion, a PE ratio of 38.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.07.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.13. Apple had a return on equity of 135.46% and a net margin of 27.62%. The company had revenue of $109.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.04 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.57 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current year.

Apple Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 10th were given a $0.27 dividend. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s payout ratio is presently 12.39%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Apple in a report on Monday, August 17th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded Apple from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, KGI Securities downgraded Apple from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $315.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $340.02.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on Apple

Apple Company Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Apple 3 Unique ETFs With Strong Momentum for the End of the Year 3 Beaten-Down Biotech Stocks With Triple-Digit Upside and Big Catalysts Ahead Schneider Just Paid Up for PTC—Is the SaaSpocalypse Overdone? Delta Air Lines Faces a Fuel Crisis—But There’s a Silver Lining

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Arcus Capital Partners LLC lessened its holdings in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 53.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 6,983 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 7,908 shares during the period. Apple makes up about 0.9% of Arcus Capital Partners LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. Arcus Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $2,020,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of AAPL. Sterling Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Apple by 0.3% during the second quarter. Sterling Wealth Management Inc. now owns 11,579 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $3,351,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Evansbrook LLC raised its position in Apple by 0.4% during the first quarter. Evansbrook LLC now owns 8,095 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $2,054,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the period. JMG Financial Group Ltd. raised its position in Apple by 0.7% during the first quarter. JMG Financial Group Ltd. now owns 5,102 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $1,295,000 after purchasing an additional 35 shares during the period. Advocate Investing Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of Apple by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Advocate Investing Services LLC now owns 7,847 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $2,271,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Apple by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC now owns 2,029 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $515,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 67.73% of the company’s stock.

Apple Price Performance Shares of AAPL opened at $336.64 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.93. Apple Inc. has a 1-year low of $243.42 and a 1-year high of $345.34. The stock has a market cap of $4.91 trillion, a PE ratio of 38.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.07. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $322.61 and a 200 day moving average price of $302.99.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.13. Apple had a return on equity of 135.46% and a net margin of 27.62%. The company had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.04 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.57 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current year. Apple Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Investors of record on Monday, August 10th were given a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Apple’s dividend payout ratio is 12.39%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, July 31st. Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of Apple in a report on Thursday, October 1st. Bank of America restated a “buy” rating and set a $370.00 price target on shares of Apple in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Rosenblatt Securities restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $303.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Evercore set a $380.00 price target on Apple and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, September 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Apple presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $340.02.

View Our Latest Report on Apple

Apple News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: Potential AI upside: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by monetizing its more than 2.5 billion active devices and Services ecosystem. He estimates AI could add approximately $75 per share to the company’s value. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple’s planned October 13 “Welcome Home” event could introduce products such as a smart lock, thermostat and doorbell. The initiative may expand Apple’s hardware and Services opportunities and strengthen its position against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Neutral Sentiment: Possible seasonal order adjustment: Bespoke Investment Group noted that Apple’s autumn iPhone order reductions have occurred in prior years and have sometimes been followed by a stock recovery. Investors will look for evidence that the latest cuts reflect normal supply-chain management rather than lasting demand weakness. Apple’s iPhone Order Cut and Stock Rebound Negative Sentiment: iPhone demand concerns: Nikkei Asia reported that Apple asked suppliers to cut iPhone 18 Pro component production, raising concerns that premium pricing is discouraging consumers. The reports are particularly important because Apple is preparing to pursue an even higher-priced product strategy, including a rumored $1,999 foldable iPhone. Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders Due to Soft Demand Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks: Apple’s elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, while higher memory costs could pressure margins. A recent senior vice president stock sale was relatively small but adds to near-term caution. Apple Senior Vice President Stock Sale Insider Transactions at Apple In related news, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total transaction of $8,460,671.28. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 59,567 shares in the company, valued at $19,832,236.98. This trade represents a 29.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Timothy Cook sold 191,753 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total value of $63,846,078.88. Following the transaction, the insider owned 3,264,168 shares in the company, valued at $1,086,837,377.28. This represents a 5.55% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders sold 279,383 shares of company stock valued at $92,912,517 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.

Apple Company Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Apple 3 Unique ETFs With Strong Momentum for the End of the Year 3 Beaten-Down Biotech Stocks With Triple-Digit Upside and Big Catalysts Ahead Schneider Just Paid Up for PTC—Is the SaaSpocalypse Overdone? Delta Air Lines Faces a Fuel Crisis—But There’s a Silver Lining

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Apple revealed in a regulatory filing that it has reached an agreement to bring on team members and technology from personalized audio startup Huxe, in what’s commonly known as a reverse acqui-hire deal.

As first reported in MacRumors, Apple disclosed to the European Commission that it has agreed to make employment offers to “certain employees of Huxe AI,” and to “receive a non-exclusive license to Huxe’s intellectual property rights.”

Reverse acqui-hires emerged in recent years as a way for larger companies to hire key team members and license technology from startups without acquiring the startups outright — presumably allowing them to build up AI talent and tech without drawing as much antitrust scrutiny. (Confusingly, these deals have both been referred to as “reverse acqui-hires” and as plain old “acqui-hires.”)

In the case of Huxe, the startup was founded by developers who’d previously worked on the AI-generated podcast features in NotebookLM (recently renamed Gemini Notebook). But Huxe announced on May 21 that it was shutting down, with the team posting on the Huxe website that the company would be removing its app from the Apple and Google stores, halting service, and deleting user data.

“The team is moving on to new things, and we won’t be continuing development of the product,” the company said. It also thanked its users, saying, “The fact that you used it, told friends about it, sent us your suggestions and your ideas, made it feel like we built it together.”

On June 9, shortly after Huxe’s announcement, Apple notified the European Commission of its deal.

The filing does not say who received employment offers or if they accepted. Nor does it disclose anything about Apple’s plans.

Possibly related: Huxe’s shutdown announcement came just a day after Spotify unveiled AI-powered podcast generation features of its own, so Apple could be hoping to add similar functionality to its Podcasts app. Tech executives seem enamored with the idea that personalized audio can replace regular podcasts (and maybe even parent-child interaction?), though it’s not clear how many normal listeners agree.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Anthony Ha is TechCrunch’s weekend editor. Previously, he worked as a tech reporter at Adweek, a senior editor at VentureBeat, a local government reporter at the Hollister Free Lance, and vice president of content at a VC firm. He lives in New York City.

You can contact or verify outreach from Anthony by emailing [email protected].

Anchor Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 7.6% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 31,079 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,184 shares during the quarter. Anchor Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $9,072,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AAPL. Berkshire Hathaway Inc bought a new position in Apple in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new position in Apple in the 2nd quarter valued at $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in Apple in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,443,242,000. Nuveen LLC increased its stake in shares of Apple by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Nuveen LLC now owns 75,000,920 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $20,389,750,000 after buying an additional 2,725,121 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi raised its position in shares of Apple by 23.2% during the first quarter. Amundi now owns 73,082,616 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $18,547,637,000 after acquiring an additional 13,780,080 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity In other news, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total transaction of $8,460,671.28. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 59,567 shares in the company, valued at $19,832,236.98. The trade was a 29.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, SVP Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $336.18, for a total transaction of $806,495.82. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 41,992 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,116,870.56. The trade was a 5.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 279,383 shares of company stock worth $92,912,517. Insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Apple Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week: Positive Sentiment: Potential AI upside: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by monetizing its more than 2.5 billion active devices and Services ecosystem. He estimates AI could add approximately $75 per share to the company’s value. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple’s planned October 13 “Welcome Home” event could introduce products such as a smart lock, thermostat and doorbell. The initiative may expand Apple’s hardware and Services opportunities and strengthen its position against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Neutral Sentiment: Possible seasonal order adjustment: Bespoke Investment Group noted that Apple’s autumn iPhone order reductions have occurred in prior years and have sometimes been followed by a stock recovery. Investors will look for evidence that the latest cuts reflect normal supply-chain management rather than lasting demand weakness. Apple’s iPhone Order Cut and Stock Rebound Negative Sentiment: iPhone demand concerns: Nikkei Asia reported that Apple asked suppliers to cut iPhone 18 Pro component production, raising concerns that premium pricing is discouraging consumers. The reports are particularly important because Apple is preparing to pursue an even higher-priced product strategy, including a rumored $1,999 foldable iPhone. Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders Due to Soft Demand Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks: Apple’s elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, while higher memory costs could pressure margins. A recent senior vice president stock sale was relatively small but adds to near-term caution. Apple Senior Vice President Stock Sale Apple Stock Performance AAPL opened at $336.64 on Friday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $322.61 and its 200 day simple moving average is $302.99. Apple Inc. has a 52-week low of $243.42 and a 52-week high of $345.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.91 trillion, a PE ratio of 38.61, a PEG ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 1.07.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.13. Apple had a return on equity of 135.46% and a net margin of 27.62%. The firm had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.04 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.57 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Apple Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Investors of record on Monday, August 10th were issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s payout ratio is presently 12.39%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms recently issued reports on AAPL. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, July 31st. Phillip Securities lifted their price target on shares of Apple from $290.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, September 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Monday, September 21st. Seaport Research Partners lowered shares of Apple from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, August 17th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $400.00 price objective on shares of Apple and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have issued a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $340.02.

Read Our Latest Report on Apple

Apple Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Apple Alphabet Introduces Gemini Agent—Can It Trigger a Breakout? Palantir’s Rally Puts Wall Street in Catch-Up Mode Ahead of November Earnings Tilray Finds a Path to Growth Without Waiting on U.S. Cannabis Reform Arista Networks Plugs Into All-Time Highs Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AAPL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report).

Receive News & Ratings for Apple Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apple and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Advus Financial Partners LLC lowered its stake in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 15.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 24,746 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 4,625 shares during the period. Apple makes up approximately 1.6% of Advus Financial Partners LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest position. Advus Financial Partners LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $7,160,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in AAPL. Kirkwood Financial Services purchased a new stake in shares of Apple during the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,311,000. Groupe la Francaise grew its position in Apple by 10.1% during the second quarter. Groupe la Francaise now owns 1,239,745 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $357,457,000 after buying an additional 113,744 shares during the period. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al bought a new stake in Apple during the second quarter valued at approximately $939,041,000. Carlson Financial Inc. increased its holdings in Apple by 0.7% during the second quarter. Carlson Financial Inc. now owns 13,386 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $3,875,000 after buying an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vancity Investment Management Ltd increased its holdings in Apple by 8.2% during the second quarter. Vancity Investment Management Ltd now owns 138,312 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $40,022,000 after buying an additional 10,525 shares during the last quarter. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Apple Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ:AAPL opened at $336.64 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $4.91 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 1.07. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $322.61 and a 200 day moving average price of $302.99. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $243.42 and a fifty-two week high of $345.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.00.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.13. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. The company had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.04 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.57 EPS. Apple’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Apple Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 12.39%.

Insider Transactions at Apple In related news, insider Timothy Cook sold 191,753 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total value of $63,846,078.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 3,264,168 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. This trade represents a 5.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, SVP Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.01, for a total transaction of $796,491.99. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 39,593 shares in the company, valued at $13,145,271.93. This represents a 5.71% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 279,383 shares of company stock valued at $92,912,517 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Apple Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: Potential AI upside: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by monetizing its more than 2.5 billion active devices and Services ecosystem. He estimates AI could add approximately $75 per share to the company’s value. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple’s planned October 13 “Welcome Home” event could introduce products such as a smart lock, thermostat and doorbell. The initiative may expand Apple’s hardware and Services opportunities and strengthen its position against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Neutral Sentiment: Possible seasonal order adjustment: Bespoke Investment Group noted that Apple’s autumn iPhone order reductions have occurred in prior years and have sometimes been followed by a stock recovery. Investors will look for evidence that the latest cuts reflect normal supply-chain management rather than lasting demand weakness. Apple’s iPhone Order Cut and Stock Rebound Negative Sentiment: iPhone demand concerns: Nikkei Asia reported that Apple asked suppliers to cut iPhone 18 Pro component production, raising concerns that premium pricing is discouraging consumers. The reports are particularly important because Apple is preparing to pursue an even higher-priced product strategy, including a rumored $1,999 foldable iPhone. Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders Due to Soft Demand Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks: Apple’s elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, while higher memory costs could pressure margins. A recent senior vice president stock sale was relatively small but adds to near-term caution. Apple Senior Vice President Stock Sale Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently weighed in on AAPL. DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $270.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research note on Wednesday, September 2nd. HSBC restated a “buy” rating and issued a $366.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on Apple from $310.00 to $330.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Tuesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Apple presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $340.02.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on AAPL

About Apple (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Read More Five stocks we like better than Apple Alphabet Introduces Gemini Agent—Can It Trigger a Breakout? Palantir’s Rally Puts Wall Street in Catch-Up Mode Ahead of November Earnings Tilray Finds a Path to Growth Without Waiting on U.S. Cannabis Reform Arista Networks Plugs Into All-Time Highs Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AAPL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report).

Receive News & Ratings for Apple Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apple and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) could help accelerate the shift toward OLED laptop screens as demand for premium AI-powered PCs grows, according to a Friday report from Counterpoint Research.

Analysts expect OLED notebook display shipments to surge 50% in 2026 and another 24% in 2027, driven by Apple’s anticipated adoption of OLED technology in its next-generation MacBook Pro models.

The growth comes despite weakness in the broader notebook display market, where shipments are expected to decline 3% in 2026 due to rising memory costs and higher manufacturing expenses.

OLED Gains Ground As MiniLED Demand WeakensCounterpoint Research forecasts an 11% increase in advanced notebook display shipments in 2026, reflecting growing demand for premium screen technologies.

OLED is expected to account for 75% of advanced notebook display shipments in 2026, up from 56% in 2025.

Meanwhile, MiniLED notebook display shipments are projected to fall 38% in 2026 and another 60% in 2027.

Analysts attribute the shift to OLED’s thinner design, better image quality and improving cost competitiveness.

Analysts See Strong Growth Through 2030Counterpoint Research projects OLED notebook panel shipments will grow at a compound annual rate of 26% between 2024 and 2030. Revenue is expected to grow even faster, at 35% annually.

The stronger revenue outlook suggests rising average panel values alongside higher shipment volumes.

Counterpoint Research Associate Director David Naranjo expects Apple’s anticipated adoption of OLED displays and growing demand for premium AI PCs to accelerate the transition.

However, Naranjo said sustained growth will depend on manufacturers delivering better display performance at competitive prices.

Advances in tandem OLED technology, which improves brightness, power efficiency and panel lifespan, could strengthen adoption.

Meanwhile, improvements in manufacturing processes and production scale are expected to reduce costs and support broader OLED adoption through 2030.

The outlook suggests premium displays could remain a key growth opportunity for manufacturers even as the broader notebook market faces demand pressures.

Price ActionAAPL Stock Price Activity: Apple shares are trading lower by 1.76% at $334.43 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Photo via Shutterstock

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© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL, XETRA:APC) faces growing iPhone 18 Pro demand concerns as delivery waits shorten, with UBS retaining a ‘neutral’ rating and $296 price target.

UBS Evidence Lab data covering more than 30 geographies showed average iPhone 18 Pro wait times shortened by about six days over the week.

The broker said falling waits against stable supply were increasingly concerning, particularly after price rises heightened the risk that customers would become more sensitive to cost.

However, Pro Max wait times remained relatively steady over the week, averaging about 24 days, down from 25 days for the previous model a year earlier.

These mixed signals precede the start of preorders for the $1,999 iPhone Duo on 16 October 2026, with availability following on 23 October.

UBS expects the Duo to draw demand from high-end Pro Max devices, leaving Pro Max waits flat to slightly lower the following week versus the previous model a year earlier.

Despite its concerns, UBS left iPhone estimates unchanged, forecasting September 2026 quarter revenue of $55.9 billion, up 14.0%, against management guidance for mid-teens growth.

Its forecast of 55.0 million iPhones for the quarter, up 2.8%, remains below consensus of 57.8 million units.

For the 2026 financial year, UBS expects iPhone revenue of $252.4 billion, up 20.4%, compared with consensus of $252.2 billion.

The broker’s valuation balances solid iPhone demand against mounting gross-margin pressure and supply-chain challenges.

Echo45 Advisors LLC lowered its position in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 21.0% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 9,211 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 2,449 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises 1.4% of Echo45 Advisors LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 23rd biggest position. Echo45 Advisors LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $2,665,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Apple by 1.2% during the second quarter. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC now owns 26,213 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $7,585,000 after purchasing an additional 314 shares during the period. Operose Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Apple by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Operose Advisors LLC now owns 18,605 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $5,384,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the period. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Apple by 34.4% in the 2nd quarter. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. now owns 4,321 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $1,250,000 after buying an additional 1,107 shares in the last quarter. Northeast Planning Associates INC. NH boosted its position in shares of Apple by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter. Northeast Planning Associates INC. NH now owns 2,905 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $841,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Saudi Central Bank increased its stake in Apple by 89.4% in the second quarter. Saudi Central Bank now owns 1,027,683 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $297,370,000 after acquiring an additional 485,166 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 67.73% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Apple Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: AI monetization opportunity: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by leveraging more than 2.5 billion active devices and its Services ecosystem. He sees the opportunity adding as much as $75 per share to Apple’s valuation. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple is expected to unveil new connected-home products, potentially including a doorbell, thermostat, lock and other accessories developed with LG Electronics, at its October 13 “Welcome Home” event. The initiative could broaden Apple’s hardware and Services opportunity while strengthening HomeKit against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Positive Sentiment: M&A leadership change: Apple appointed veteran insider Steve Smith as head of mergers and acquisitions, replacing Adrian Perica, who is moving to the Services division. Investors may view the change as support for a more active acquisition strategy and tighter alignment between dealmaking and Services growth. Apple Names Steve Smith New M&A Chief Positive Sentiment: Tokenized-stock exposure: Securitize launched tokenized versions of Apple and 11 other major U.S. stocks on Solana. The offering could increase visibility for Apple’s shares and reflects broader demand for digital access to large-cap equities, although the direct financial effect on Apple is limited. Securitize Launches Tokenized U.S. Equities Neutral Sentiment: Management is pursuing faster execution: CEO John Ternus is reportedly considering more frequent product releases and fewer management layers. The changes could improve innovation, but commentary also highlights that Siri and Apple’s AI execution remain areas where investors want faster progress. Apple Is Speeding Up, Siri Isn’t Negative Sentiment: Valuation and margin risks: Apple trades at a premium earnings multiple after a strong year-to-date advance. Morgan Stanley lowered its price target to $355 despite raising revenue estimates, citing softer iPhone pricing and higher memory-chip costs. Bank of America also warned that Meta’s AI developments could challenge Apple’s Services ecosystem. Morgan Stanley Is Bullish on Apple With a Catch Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and concentration concerns: Senior Vice President Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares, a relatively small transaction that may nevertheless add to investor caution. Separately, Apple’s huge weighting in the S&P 500 leaves index investors vulnerable if the stock or other mega-cap technology shares retreat. Apple Insider Transaction Filing Insider Buying and Selling In other Apple news, SVP Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.01, for a total value of $796,491.99. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 39,593 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,145,271.93. The trade was a 5.71% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Timothy D. Cook sold 191,753 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total value of $63,846,078.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 3,264,168 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. The trade was a 5.55% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 279,383 shares of company stock valued at $92,912,517. Company insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Piper Sandler assumed coverage on shares of Apple in a research report on Monday, August 17th. They set an “overweight” rating for the company. Morgan Stanley set a $355.00 target price on Apple and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. CICC Research increased their target price on shares of Apple from $310.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Moffett Nathanson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $304.00 price target (up from $270.00) on shares of Apple in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. Finally, Oppenheimer reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of Apple in a report on Thursday, September 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have issued a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Apple has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $340.02.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Apple

Apple Trading Up 1.1% AAPL opened at $340.42 on Friday. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $243.42 and a fifty-two week high of $345.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.97 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.04, a PEG ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.07. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $322.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $302.76.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $109.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $109.04 billion. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. The company’s revenue was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.57 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Investors of record on Monday, August 10th were issued a $0.27 dividend. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s dividend payout ratio is presently 12.39%.

Apple Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Apple Want Private-Market Access to Kalshi and Polymarket? Try This ETF Levi’s Stock Dip Reveals Value Opportunity Despite Q3 Headwinds PepsiCo Stock Looks Poised to Bottom With High Yield, Deep Value Alphabet’s $1.8 Billion Black Hills Deal Powers AI Data Center Push

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It's looking like a good day for artificial-intelligence stocks, which often means Apple—something of an anti-AI play—gets left behind. But there's more to it.

Washington Trust Advisors Inc. reduced its position in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 5.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 266,099 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 14,715 shares during the period. Apple accounts for about 5.7% of Washington Trust Advisors Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest holding. Washington Trust Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Apple were worth $76,998,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in AAPL. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of Apple by 41.8% in the second quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 430,305 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $124,513,000 after acquiring an additional 126,894 shares during the last quarter. Trevian Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Apple by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Trevian Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,782 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $2,252,000 after purchasing an additional 249 shares during the last quarter. Henrickson Nauta Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Apple by 35.5% in the 2nd quarter. Henrickson Nauta Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 7,267 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $2,103,000 after purchasing an additional 1,905 shares during the last quarter. Wedmont Private Capital lifted its holdings in Apple by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 301,877 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $95,188,000 after purchasing an additional 16,505 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kintra Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in Apple by 30.4% in the 2nd quarter. Kintra Wealth LLC now owns 133,385 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $40,717,000 after purchasing an additional 31,081 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.73% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Apple Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: AI monetization opportunity: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by leveraging more than 2.5 billion active devices and its Services ecosystem. He sees the opportunity adding as much as $75 per share to Apple’s valuation. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple is expected to unveil new connected-home products, potentially including a doorbell, thermostat, lock and other accessories developed with LG Electronics, at its October 13 “Welcome Home” event. The initiative could broaden Apple’s hardware and Services opportunity while strengthening HomeKit against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Positive Sentiment: M&A leadership change: Apple appointed veteran insider Steve Smith as head of mergers and acquisitions, replacing Adrian Perica, who is moving to the Services division. Investors may view the change as support for a more active acquisition strategy and tighter alignment between dealmaking and Services growth. Apple Names Steve Smith New M&A Chief Positive Sentiment: Tokenized-stock exposure: Securitize launched tokenized versions of Apple and 11 other major U.S. stocks on Solana. The offering could increase visibility for Apple’s shares and reflects broader demand for digital access to large-cap equities, although the direct financial effect on Apple is limited. Securitize Launches Tokenized U.S. Equities Neutral Sentiment: Management is pursuing faster execution: CEO John Ternus is reportedly considering more frequent product releases and fewer management layers. The changes could improve innovation, but commentary also highlights that Siri and Apple’s AI execution remain areas where investors want faster progress. Apple Is Speeding Up, Siri Isn’t Negative Sentiment: Valuation and margin risks: Apple trades at a premium earnings multiple after a strong year-to-date advance. Morgan Stanley lowered its price target to $355 despite raising revenue estimates, citing softer iPhone pricing and higher memory-chip costs. Bank of America also warned that Meta’s AI developments could challenge Apple’s Services ecosystem. Morgan Stanley Is Bullish on Apple With a Catch Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and concentration concerns: Senior Vice President Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares, a relatively small transaction that may nevertheless add to investor caution. Separately, Apple’s huge weighting in the S&P 500 leaves index investors vulnerable if the stock or other mega-cap technology shares retreat. Apple Insider Transaction Filing Insider Activity at Apple In related news, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total transaction of $8,460,671.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 59,567 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $19,832,236.98. This trade represents a 29.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, SVP Deirdre O’brien sold 46,389 shares of Apple stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $333.42, for a total transaction of $15,467,020.38. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 136,810 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $45,615,190.20. This trade represents a 25.32% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 279,383 shares of company stock valued at $92,912,517. 0.06% of the stock is owned by insiders. Apple Trading Up 1.1% Shares of Apple stock opened at $340.42 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.97 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.04, a PEG ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.07. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $243.42 and a fifty-two week high of $345.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.00. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $322.06 and a 200 day moving average of $302.76.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.13. Apple had a return on equity of 135.46% and a net margin of 27.62%.The company had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.04 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.57 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were given a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Apple’s dividend payout ratio is presently 12.39%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on AAPL shares. Moffett Nathanson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $304.00 target price (up from $270.00) on shares of Apple in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. HSBC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $366.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $303.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Apple in a report on Monday, August 17th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Finally, Raymond James Financial reissued a “market perform” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, July 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have issued a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $340.02.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Apple

Apple Company Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Apple Want Private-Market Access to Kalshi and Polymarket? Try This ETF Levi’s Stock Dip Reveals Value Opportunity Despite Q3 Headwinds PepsiCo Stock Looks Poised to Bottom With High Yield, Deep Value Alphabet’s $1.8 Billion Black Hills Deal Powers AI Data Center Push

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Wedmont Private Capital lifted its position in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 5.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 301,877 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 16,505 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises approximately 2.6% of Wedmont Private Capital’s holdings, making the stock its 10th largest holding. Wedmont Private Capital’s holdings in Apple were worth $95,188,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Berkshire Hathaway Inc purchased a new stake in Apple during the second quarter worth approximately $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new position in shares of Apple during the 2nd quarter valued at $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in Apple during the 2nd quarter worth $30,443,242,000. Nuveen LLC boosted its position in Apple by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. Nuveen LLC now owns 75,000,920 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $20,389,750,000 after purchasing an additional 2,725,121 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi increased its holdings in Apple by 23.2% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 73,082,616 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $18,547,637,000 after purchasing an additional 13,780,080 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of the company’s stock.

Key Apple News Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: AI monetization opportunity: Analyst Dan Ives said Apple could become a “toll collector” for consumer AI by leveraging more than 2.5 billion active devices and its Services ecosystem. He sees the opportunity adding as much as $75 per share to Apple’s valuation. Apple Could Be the Toll Collector of Consumer AI Positive Sentiment: Smart-home expansion: Apple is expected to unveil new connected-home products, potentially including a doorbell, thermostat, lock and other accessories developed with LG Electronics, at its October 13 “Welcome Home” event. The initiative could broaden Apple’s hardware and Services opportunity while strengthening HomeKit against Amazon and Google. Apple Smart Home Push Positive Sentiment: M&A leadership change: Apple appointed veteran insider Steve Smith as head of mergers and acquisitions, replacing Adrian Perica, who is moving to the Services division. Investors may view the change as support for a more active acquisition strategy and tighter alignment between dealmaking and Services growth. Apple Names Steve Smith New M&A Chief Positive Sentiment: Tokenized-stock exposure: Securitize launched tokenized versions of Apple and 11 other major U.S. stocks on Solana. The offering could increase visibility for Apple’s shares and reflects broader demand for digital access to large-cap equities, although the direct financial effect on Apple is limited. Securitize Launches Tokenized U.S. Equities Neutral Sentiment: Management is pursuing faster execution: CEO John Ternus is reportedly considering more frequent product releases and fewer management layers. The changes could improve innovation, but commentary also highlights that Siri and Apple’s AI execution remain areas where investors want faster progress. Apple Is Speeding Up, Siri Isn’t Negative Sentiment: Valuation and margin risks: Apple trades at a premium earnings multiple after a strong year-to-date advance. Morgan Stanley lowered its price target to $355 despite raising revenue estimates, citing softer iPhone pricing and higher memory-chip costs. Bank of America also warned that Meta’s AI developments could challenge Apple’s Services ecosystem. Morgan Stanley Is Bullish on Apple With a Catch Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and concentration concerns: Senior Vice President Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares, a relatively small transaction that may nevertheless add to investor caution. Separately, Apple’s huge weighting in the S&P 500 leaves index investors vulnerable if the stock or other mega-cap technology shares retreat. Apple Insider Transaction Filing Insider Activity at Apple In other news, SVP Deirdre O’brien sold 46,389 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $333.42, for a total value of $15,467,020.38. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 136,810 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $45,615,190.20. The trade was a 25.32% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Timothy Cook sold 191,753 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total transaction of $63,846,078.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 3,264,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. This trade represents a 5.55% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders sold 279,383 shares of company stock valued at $92,912,517 in the last 90 days. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have commented on the company. China Renaissance lowered Apple from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $329.00 to $280.00 in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on Apple in a research report on Monday, August 17th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Maxim Group increased their target price on Apple from $350.00 to $380.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $350.00 target price (up from $310.00) on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $400.00 target price on shares of Apple and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have given a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $340.02.

Check Out Our Latest Report on AAPL

Apple Stock Performance Apple stock opened at $340.42 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $4.97 trillion, a P/E ratio of 39.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $322.06 and a 200-day moving average of $302.76. Apple Inc. has a 52 week low of $243.42 and a 52 week high of $345.34.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $109.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.04 billion. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.57 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Apple Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 12.39%.

Apple Company Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Apple Want Private-Market Access to Kalshi and Polymarket? Try This ETF Levi’s Stock Dip Reveals Value Opportunity Despite Q3 Headwinds PepsiCo Stock Looks Poised to Bottom With High Yield, Deep Value Alphabet’s $1.8 Billion Black Hills Deal Powers AI Data Center Push

Receive News & Ratings for Apple Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apple and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

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Buy memory suppliers (MU/Samsung exposure)

Buy Micron (NASDAQ: MU) as a rebound trade on the same driver. If Apple is cutting orders due to memory cost pressure, it also implies memory pricing is near a peak and could stabilize or fall—supporting margins and demand for other buyers. MU tends to benefit when pricing stops worsening and inventory clears.

Key Risk: memory prices keep rising and stay tight, forcing more customers to cut orders and compressing MU’s volume/margins.

Sell AAPL

Sell Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). Supplier order cuts of 15–20% for iPhone 18 Pro models signal demand is weaker than expected right before earnings. The $100 Pro price hike plus higher memory costs likely mean Apple can’t fully pass costs without hurting volume, so near-term estimates get marked down.

Key Risk: iPhone 18 Pro demand re-accelerates quickly (or Apple guides to stable/strong shipments) and the supplier cuts prove temporary or supply-led, not demand-led.

Apple shares NASDAQ:AAPL fell around 2% in premarket trading Friday after a report said the company had asked some component suppliers to reduce orders for its latest iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models, raising concerns about demand.

According to a report by Nikkei Asia, Apple has instructed some suppliers to cut component orders for October by at least 15%. People cited in the report estimated that the reductions could range between 15% and 20%.

The reported cuts come as Apple faces higher memory costs and as concerns grow that price increases on its latest premium iPhones may be weighing more heavily on consumers than the company anticipated.

The softer-than-expected demand could be linked to rising memory prices, which have increased amid the artificial intelligence boom and contributed to chip shortages.

The higher costs are beginning to affect the smartphone and personal computer markets. Apple has passed on price increases to customers, potentially making its latest devices less attractive to some buyers.

Apple launched the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max last month, raising prices for its Pro models by $100 globally when compared with the previous generation.

The reported production adjustments could signal that demand has not matched the company's expectations following the launch, although the full extent of the slowdown remains unclear.

Concerns about iPhone 18 Pro demand also raise questions about the reception of Apple’s first foldable, the $1,999 iPhone Duo, ahead of its retail launch later this month.

An earlier report said initial production of Apple's long-awaited foldable iPhone remained limited, with the company targeting production of 8 million to 10 million units this year.

Apple could fall short of that target if production does not accelerate, according to the report.

Citi remains bullish on AppleApple shares had risen for three consecutive sessions before the premarket decline and were approaching their all-time high of $345.

Earlier, Citi reiterated its Buy rating on Apple ahead of the company's earnings, expected in early November.

Investors are also looking ahead to Apple's plans to expand its presence in the smart home market. The company is set to unveil a new range of devices at an event in New York City next week.

The expansion comes as Apple seeks to revive its HomeKit smart home platform and use its Siri AI assistant to strengthen its broader ecosystem. The new devices are part of a broader effort to reboot Apple's smart home strategy.

The reported iPhone production cuts introduce a new uncertainty for investors ahead of Apple's upcoming earnings report.

The reduction in component orders could prompt investors to reassess sales expectations and Apple's outlook for its premium smartphone business ahead of the November earnings announcement.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock fell nearly 2% in pre-market trading on Friday, October 9, following a report that the company reduced production of components for its newly launched iPhone 18 models. 

Namely, rising memory chip costs and higher retail prices appear to have weighed on consumer demand, which has led to Apple adopting a more cautious approach to shipments last month, as reported by Nikkei Asia.

As a result, the company cut October component orders by at least 15% compared with its original requests. However, as of press time, Apple is yet to make an official statement.

At the time of writing, AAPL shares were sitting at $333.8 in pre-market.

Apple stock price one-day chart. Source: Google Finance Is low consumer demand putting pressure on Apple stock? According to the reports, the production adjustments come as Apple competes for advanced semiconductors and memory chips to power artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The highly competitive market has, however, contributed to supply shortages and higher prices, putting pressure on the personal computer and smartphone markets.

Indeed, Apple has already raised prices for some iPad and MacBook models in June, acknowledging that it could no longer fully absorb the rising costs of memory and storage components driven by investment in AI infrastructure.

In addition, consumer demand for devices has reportedly weakened from late August through October. However, Nikkei noted that Apple’s changes to the iPhone launch schedule could also be contributing to the issue, which makes it difficult to attribute the slowdown to pricing alone.

Be that as it may, rising memory costs are becoming an increasingly important factor for Apple as it incorporates more AI-powered features into its devices. After all, such features require greater computing and memory resources, which increases reliance on high-performance chips.

Ultimately, the iPhone order cut reports further highlight a growing challenge for the technology industry, as the major players attempt to balance rising component costs and increasingly expensive devices against consumer demand.

Featured image via Shutterstock

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Apple (AAPL - Free Report) closed at $340.43 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.12% move from the prior day. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.47%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 1.25%.

The maker of iPhones, iPads and other products's stock has climbed by 6.76% in the past month, exceeding the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 6.08% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.15%.

The upcoming earnings release of Apple will be of great interest to investors. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $1.99, showcasing a 7.57% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $113.01 billion, up 10.29% from the year-ago period.

For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $8.86 per share and a revenue of $477.45 billion, signifying shifts of +18.77% and +14.73%, respectively, from the last year.

Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Apple. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.2% lower. As of now, Apple holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Apple is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 35.29. This signifies a premium in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 22.19 for its industry.

It's also important to note that AAPL currently trades at a PEG ratio of 2.68. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The Computer - Micro Computers industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.68 as trading concluded yesterday.

The Computer - Micro Computers industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 14, placing it within the top 6% of over 250 industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.

Apple's installed base may become its biggest AI advantage. Summary

Dan Ives says Apple’s AI strategy could add about $75 per share.

Apple AAPL could gain roughly $75 per share in valuation from its artificial intelligence strategy, according to veteran tech analyst Dan Ives, who argues that AI could become the next major catalyst for both device upgrades and higher Services revenue.

"Apple is moving into a new stage of its ecosystem story, one in which AI ties hardware, software, and services together and becomes the trigger for both device upgrades and higher monetization per user and drives the next leg of the Cupertino growth thesis," Ives said.

The thesis rests on Apple using AI less as a standalone product and more as a feature woven across the iPhone, software and Services ecosystem.

Ives believes that approach could be particularly powerful given Apple's enormous installed base. He estimates AI-related revenue could eventually account for more than 15% of the company's Services business as Apple expands AI into areas including health, fitness, finance and gaming.

Privacy and on-device processing could also become an important differentiator as consumers become more sensitive to how AI systems use personal data.

Hardware remains another major piece of the call.

Ives expects the iPhone 18 cycle to support Apple over the next several quarters, estimating roughly 375 million iPhones have not been upgraded in more than four years. That represents a potentially significant pool of customers for a stronger AI-driven replacement cycle.

He also expects Apple's foldable iPhone Duo to contribute incremental demand, forecasting roughly 10 million unit sales over the next several quarters.

Ives maintains an Outperform rating on Apple with a $400 price target.

Investor takeawayThe most important part of Ives's thesis is not simply whether Apple develops competitive AI features. It is whether those features materially change consumer behavior.

Investors should watch iPhone upgrade rates, Services growth, AI-linked subscription revenue and adoption of new AI features across Apple's installed base.

If AI accelerates both device replacement and recurring spending per user, Apple could unlock two growth engines simultaneously.

The main risk is execution. If consumers view Apple's AI features as incremental rather than essential, the expected upgrade cycle and valuation expansion could prove much harder to achieve.

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

Click for the complete disclosure

An Apple logo appears in this illustration taken August 25, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesOct 8 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab appointed insider Steve Smith as head of mergers and acquisitions, while ​moving Adrian Perica to its services division, ‌according to a memo seen by Reuters on Thursday.

Perica, a more than 17-year veteran of Apple's M&A ​and corporate development function, also took ​oversight of iCloud, Fitness+ and News, among ⁠other businesses, in 2023, the memo written ​by services chief Eddy Cue said.

Sign up here.

Here are some ​details:

Perica will now dedicate his efforts entirely to the services leadership team and report to Cue, the memo ​said

Apple did not immediately respond to a ​Reuters request for comment on the move, which marks ‌one ⁠of the latest management shifts under new CEO John Ternus

"We have big plans for services and I'm thrilled to be getting more of ​Adrian's time," ​Cue wrote ⁠in the memo

Smith will report to Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh, ​the memo said

The company is also ​promoting ⁠Carson Oliver to vice president of the App Store, according to Bloomberg News, which first ⁠reported ​the development earlier in the ​day

Shares of Apple were up about 1.4% on Thursday

Adds shares

Reporting by ​Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

The maintained target offers about 8% upside while fourth-quarter results must validate the iPhone 18 cycle. Summary

A bullish rating did not meaningfully reset expectations.

Apple AAPL, the consumer-device and services giant, stay flat at $336.61 as of approximately 10:39 a.m. ET on October 8. Citi reiterated its Buy rating and $365 price target ahead of fiscal fourth-quarter earnings, according to StreetInsider. That leaves roughly 8.4% upside. A vote of confidence, but no higher target to lift the bar.

The earnings test comes down to how much growth Apple can sustain. The company reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $109.4 billion, a 16% increase from a year earlier. Gross margin reached 50.1%, with tariff refunds adding about two percentage points. Strip out that benefit, and the margin was approximately 48.1%. Investors need to separate repeatable operating strength from a temporary boost.

The valuation picture shows shares trading 16.87% above the $288.02 GF Value estimate, leaving less room for earnings disappointment. Apple also trades near 39 times trailing earnings, a demanding multiple even for this business. Citi's unchanged target supports the bullish case. Now iPhone demand, Services growth and margins must deliver the numbers to back it up.

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

Click for the complete disclosure

Ron Johnson, Creator of the Apple Store and author of the new book "Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple's Genius" takes a look at the strategy behind the iconic Apple Store and how Apple has transformed over more than 50 years. He begins by reflecting on the long-running debate over whether the internet would kill retail, suggesting that concern was overstated.

NI Acquisitions Company LLC purchased a new position in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 12,631 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock, valued at approximately $3,655,000. Apple makes up about 1.4% of NI Acquisitions Company LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest holding.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AlphaGrep UK Ltd purchased a new stake in Apple during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,680,000. Gainline Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Apple in the second quarter worth $979,000. Shah Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Apple during the second quarter worth $5,719,000. William John Sempolinski bought a new position in shares of Apple during the second quarter worth $22,151,000. Finally, Arbor Wealth Management LLC AZ purchased a new position in Apple during the second quarter valued at $231,000. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling In other Apple news, insider Timothy Cook sold 191,753 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total transaction of $63,846,078.88. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 3,264,168 shares in the company, valued at $1,086,837,377.28. This represents a 5.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, SVP Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $336.18, for a total value of $806,495.82. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 41,992 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,116,870.56. The trade was a 5.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 276,984 shares of company stock valued at $92,116,025. Insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.

Apple Price Performance AAPL stock opened at $336.67 on Thursday. Apple Inc. has a 52 week low of $243.42 and a 52 week high of $345.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.91 trillion, a P/E ratio of 38.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $321.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $302.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.04 billion. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.57 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Apple Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were paid a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s payout ratio is presently 12.39%.

Apple News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: Apple is reportedly partnering with LG Electronics to develop a smart-home lineup including a doorbell, smart lock, thermostat and other accessories tied to a new Apple home hub. The initiative could expand the HomeKit ecosystem, create new hardware and services revenue, and intensify competition with Amazon’s Ring and Google’s Nest. Apple partners with LG on smart-home devices Positive Sentiment: Apple’s App Store revenue growth reportedly rebounded to 5% in September after a weaker August. Continued Services momentum supports the company’s recurring-revenue profile, though investors are watching whether the improvement proves durable. Apple App Store growth rebounds Neutral Sentiment: CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares worth about $8.5 million to cover tax withholding tied to equity vesting. Because the transaction was tax-related rather than described as discretionary selling, it is unlikely to materially change the investment case, though it may create short-term headline pressure. Apple CEO stock sale Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley lowered its Apple price target to $355 despite raising revenue forecasts, citing softer iPhone pricing and higher memory-chip costs that could compress gross margins. The target is only modestly above recent trading levels, limiting perceived upside. Morgan Stanley cuts Apple price target Negative Sentiment: Several valuation comparisons highlight that investors pay substantially more for each dollar of Apple’s earnings than for Nvidia’s, despite Nvidia’s stronger recent profitability. With AAPL trading at an elevated earnings multiple, the stock may require sustained iPhone, Services and AI growth to justify its premium. Nvidia versus Apple valuation comparison Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have issued reports on AAPL. Piper Sandler started coverage on shares of Apple in a report on Monday, August 17th. They issued an “overweight” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company restated an “overweight” rating and set a $350.00 price objective (up from $310.00) on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Apple in a report on Thursday, October 1st. KGI Securities downgraded Apple from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $315.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have given a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $340.02.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Apple

Apple Company Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

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Receive News & Ratings for Apple Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apple and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Shah Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 19,764 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock, valued at approximately $5,719,000. Apple makes up approximately 1.3% of Shah Wealth Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest position.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AAPL. William John Sempolinski acquired a new stake in Apple in the second quarter worth $22,151,000. Arbor Wealth Management LLC AZ bought a new position in shares of Apple during the 2nd quarter worth about $231,000. Succession Financial Inc. acquired a new position in Apple during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $930,000. MW Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Apple during the second quarter worth approximately $7,914,000. Finally, Maloon Powers Pitre Higgins & Dennehy LLC bought a new position in shares of Apple in the 2nd quarter worth $36,844,000. 67.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Apple News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

Positive Sentiment: Apple is reportedly partnering with LG Electronics to develop a smart-home lineup including a doorbell, smart lock, thermostat and other accessories tied to a new Apple home hub. The initiative could expand the HomeKit ecosystem, create new hardware and services revenue, and intensify competition with Amazon’s Ring and Google’s Nest. Apple partners with LG on smart-home devices Positive Sentiment: Apple’s App Store revenue growth reportedly rebounded to 5% in September after a weaker August. Continued Services momentum supports the company’s recurring-revenue profile, though investors are watching whether the improvement proves durable. Apple App Store growth rebounds Neutral Sentiment: CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares worth about $8.5 million to cover tax withholding tied to equity vesting. Because the transaction was tax-related rather than described as discretionary selling, it is unlikely to materially change the investment case, though it may create short-term headline pressure. Apple CEO stock sale Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley lowered its Apple price target to $355 despite raising revenue forecasts, citing softer iPhone pricing and higher memory-chip costs that could compress gross margins. The target is only modestly above recent trading levels, limiting perceived upside. Morgan Stanley cuts Apple price target Negative Sentiment: Several valuation comparisons highlight that investors pay substantially more for each dollar of Apple’s earnings than for Nvidia’s, despite Nvidia’s stronger recent profitability. With AAPL trading at an elevated earnings multiple, the stock may require sustained iPhone, Services and AI growth to justify its premium. Nvidia versus Apple valuation comparison Apple Stock Performance Shares of AAPL stock opened at $336.67 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $321.92 and a 200-day moving average of $302.11. Apple Inc. has a one year low of $243.42 and a one year high of $345.34. The company has a market cap of $4.91 trillion, a P/E ratio of 38.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 1.07. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.13. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. The business had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $109.04 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.57 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Apple Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 10th were paid a $0.27 dividend. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s payout ratio is presently 12.39%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades AAPL has been the topic of several research reports. Bank of America restated a “buy” rating and set a $370.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on shares of Apple from $310.00 to $330.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, July 24th. Oppenheimer reissued a “market perform” rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and issued a $400.00 target price on shares of Apple in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Seaport Research Partners lowered Apple from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, August 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Apple currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $340.02.

Read Our Latest Report on AAPL

Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of Apple stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total transaction of $8,460,671.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 59,567 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,832,236.98. This trade represents a 29.90% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Timothy D. Cook sold 191,753 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total value of $63,846,078.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 3,264,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. This represents a 5.55% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders have sold 276,984 shares of company stock worth $92,116,025 over the last 90 days. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Apple Company Profile (Free Report)

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its best-known products include the iPhone smartphone, Mac personal computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Apple Skydance Just Became a Media Giant—With an $80 Billion Debt Load Could Velo3D Be the Next Defense Buyout Target? Penguin Solutions Is Soaring as AI Memory Demand Explodes Alphabet’s Chart Is Coiling—and the Fundamentals May Be Ready to Back It Up Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AAPL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report).

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