Apple Inc. $AAPL Holdings Lifted by ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc.

Key Points

• ZWJ Investment Counsel increased its Apple stake by 0.7% in the third quarter to 263,457 shares valued at approximately $87.7 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 67.73% of Apple.
• Wall Street’s consensus view remains positive, with Apple holding a “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $340.12, supported by multiple Buy and Outperform recommendations.
• Apple faces mixed near-term considerations: strong demand for its foldable iPhone and continued AI expansion contrast with reported hinge-screen defects, premium valuation concerns and investor focus on upcoming fiscal fourth-quarter results.

ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc. raised its position in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 263,457 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after purchasing an additional 1,886 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises approximately 2.5% of ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest holding. ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc.'s holdings in Apple were worth $87,736,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in AAPL. William Allan Corp grew its holdings in Apple by 20.7% in the 3rd quarter. William Allan Corp now owns 44,012 shares of the iPhone maker's stock worth $14,202,000 after buying an additional 7,545 shares in the last quarter. West Wealth Group LLC increased its position in Apple by 90.4% in the 3rd quarter. West Wealth Group LLC now owns 108,820 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $36,239,000 after acquiring an additional 51,654 shares during the period. Ironwood Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Apple in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Summit Financial Strategies Inc. raised its stake in Apple by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Summit Financial Strategies Inc. now owns 69,651 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $23,195,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fortune 45 LLC raised its stake in Apple by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. Fortune 45 LLC now owns 14,032 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $4,673,000 after acquiring an additional 585 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AAPL has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on Apple in a research report on Monday, August 17th. They set a "buy" rating for the company. Citigroup reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. CICC Research raised their price target on Apple from $310.00 to $340.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. 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 research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Phillip Securities lifted their price objective 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. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have given a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $340.12.

Insider Buying and Selling at Apple

In other news, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of Apple stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total value of $8,460,671.28. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 59,567 shares of the company's stock, valued at $19,832,236.98. The trade was a 29.90% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 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 stock was 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 in the company, valued at $45,615,190.20. The trade was a 25.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 286,853 shares of company stock worth $95,477,342. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Apple News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Demand for Apple’s first foldable iPhone Duo appears exceptionally strong, with delivery estimates extending into January. Apple has reportedly asked suppliers to increase production by 30%, suggesting robust consumer interest and potential for a sizable upgrade cycle. Apple’s iPhone Duo Buyers Face a Wait That Could Stretch Into January
• Positive Sentiment: Apple introduced a redesigned iPad mini beginning at $699, featuring an OLED display, A20 Pro chip, improved AI performance, water resistance and Wi-Fi 7. The launch broadens Apple’s higher-end hardware lineup ahead of the holiday season. Apple Unveils $699 OLED iPad Mini
• Positive Sentiment: Apple expanded Siri’s AI language support, including Japanese, indicating continued progress in its artificial-intelligence rollout and global product integration. Apple Expands Siri AI Languages
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Apple’s fiscal fourth-quarter results expected November 2. Analysts anticipate continued iPhone, Mac and Services growth, but the stock’s premium valuation leaves limited room for an earnings or outlook disappointment. Why Buying Apple Stock Before Q4 Earnings Could Be Risky
• Negative Sentiment: Users have reported cracks and bright lines near the hinge on some $1,999 iPhone Duo units. Apple acknowledged the issue and said affected devices would be replaced under AppleCare, but the defect creates reputational, warranty-cost and execution risks for an important new product. Apple Responds to Reports of Broken iPhone Duo Screens
• Negative Sentiment: The new iPad mini’s higher starting price may limit demand, while broader concerns about leadership succession, AI execution and rising component costs are adding to investor caution ahead of earnings. Apple Earnings Expected to Grow

Apple Trading Down 1.1%

Shares of AAPL stock opened at $343.91 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $329.47 and a 200 day simple moving average of $294.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.02 trillion, a P/E ratio of 39.44, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 1.07. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $243.42 and a fifty-two week high of $351.73. 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 issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 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 firm 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 business earned $1.57 earnings per share. Apple's revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Apple Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed 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 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Apple's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 12.39%.

Apple Company Profile

Apple Inc designs, develops and sells 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 applications that support its hardware ecosystem.

Apple's services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, iCloud, Apple Pay and other subscription, payment and digital-content offerings.

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