6,854 Apple Inc. $AAPL Shares Bought by IPG Investment Advisors LLC

Key Points

• IPG Investment Advisors increased its Apple stake by 9.6%: The firm bought 6,854 additional shares, bringing its holdings to 78,040 shares valued at approximately $22.6 million. Apple represents about 3.3% of IPG’s portfolio.
• Apple exceeded quarterly expectations: The company reported earnings of $2.02 per share versus the $1.89 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 16.4% year over year to $109.42 billion.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive but insiders have sold shares: Apple carries a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $340.02, while insiders sold approximately $92.9 million of stock over the prior 90 days, primarily to cover tax obligations on vested equity awards.

IPG Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 9.6% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 78,040 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after purchasing an additional 6,854 shares during the period. Apple makes up about 3.3% of IPG Investment Advisors LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest position. IPG Investment Advisors LLC's holdings in Apple were worth $22,582,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Avenir Tech Ltd acquired a new position in Apple during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC bought a new position in Apple in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new stake in shares of Apple in the 4th quarter valued at $41,000. ABS Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Apple in the 2nd quarter valued at $376,168,000. Finally, Basso Capital Management L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Apple during the fourth quarter worth $88,000. 67.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Apple Stock Performance

Shares of AAPL stock opened at $336.64 on Monday. 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 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 stock has a 50-day moving average of $322.61 and a 200-day moving average of $303.36. Apple Inc. has a one year low of $243.42 and a one year high of $345.34.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data 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. The business had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.04 billion. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. Apple's quarterly revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.57 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced 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. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. Apple's payout ratio is currently 12.39%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 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 the business's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 136,810 shares in the company, valued at $45,615,190.20. The trade was 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. Insiders have sold a total of 279,383 shares of company stock valued at $92,912,517 over the last 90 days. 0.06% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on AAPL shares. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $350.00 price objective (up from $310.00) on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $365.00 price objective on Apple in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Maxim Group boosted their price objective on Apple from $350.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Bank of America restated a "buy" rating and set a $370.00 target price on shares of Apple in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. One 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 issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Apple currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $340.02.

Apple News Summary

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

About Apple

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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