Apple Inc. $AAPL Holdings Lowered by SkyView Investment Advisors LLC

Key Points

• SkyView Investment Advisors cut its Apple position by 80.9% in the second quarter, selling 8,488 shares and retaining 2,000 shares worth approximately $579,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 67.73% of Apple.
• Apple reported quarterly results above expectations, with EPS of $2.02 and revenue of $109.42 billion; revenue increased 16.4% year over year. The company also pays a quarterly dividend of $0.27 per share.
• Analyst sentiment remains generally positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a $340.39 price target, though concerns include potential Starlink competition, supplier order reductions, rising memory costs and insider stock sales.

SkyView Investment Advisors LLC decreased its position in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 80.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,000 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after selling 8,488 shares during the period. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC's holdings in Apple were worth $579,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Avenir Tech Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Apple during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC acquired a new position in Apple during the second quarter worth $30,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in Apple during the fourth quarter worth $41,000. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Apple by 822.7% in the second quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 292,493 shares of the iPhone maker's stock worth $85,000 after acquiring an additional 260,792 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Basso Capital Management L.P. purchased a new position in Apple in the fourth quarter worth $88,000. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Apple News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its Apple price target from $340 to $360 and maintained an “Overweight” rating, citing improved iPhone 18 Pro demand. Bank of America reiterated its Buy rating and kept a $370 target, viewing potential Starlink competition as manageable. Apple Stock Climbs as JPMorgan Lifts Target, BofA Reiterates Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Apple reportedly reached a 22% share of the global smartphone market in the third quarter, supported by premium iPhone 18 Pro demand despite an overall industry shipment decline. Reports of strong orders for a new foldable iPhone also provided an additional growth narrative. Apple Stock Nears Record High as iPhone Market Share Hits 22%
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are anticipating Apple’s expanded smart-home strategy, including a rumored HomeView hub and updated Apple TV and HomePod mini. A successful launch could strengthen Apple’s ecosystem and open a new product category. Will the HomeView Be Apple’s First Smart Home Success?
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO succession is proceeding with John Ternus replacing Tim Cook, while Cook becomes executive chairman. Apple also met with Chinese officials, underscoring the importance of maintaining stable business and trade relations in its largest overseas market. Tim Cook Meets China’s Vice Premier
• Negative Sentiment: SpaceX’s planned Starlink mobile service could pressure wireless-carrier subsidies that support iPhone sales and eventually create a competing smartphone ecosystem. SpaceX’s Starlink Could Pose Risks to Apple
• Negative Sentiment: Reported supplier order reductions and rising memory costs are renewing concerns about iPhone 18 demand and margins. Google’s integration of wearable data with more than 160 lab tests also increases competition for Apple’s health-platform advantage. iPhone 18 Demand and Supplier Order Cuts

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on AAPL. Loop Capital set a $380.00 target price on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, September 18th. DZ Bank downgraded shares of Apple from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $310.00 price target for the company. in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Oppenheimer reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. DA Davidson reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $270.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research note on Wednesday, September 2nd. Finally, Bank of America reissued a "buy" rating and set a $370.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have given a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $340.39.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Timothy 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 value of $63,846,078.88. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 3,264,168 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,086,837,377.28. This trade represents a 5.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing 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, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of Apple 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 completion of the transaction, 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. 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 three months, insiders have sold 279,383 shares of company stock valued at $92,912,517. Corporate insiders own 0.06% of the company's stock.

Apple Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:AAPL opened at $340.97 on Tuesday. Apple Inc. has a one year low of $243.42 and a one year high of $345.34. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $323.36 and a 200-day moving average of $303.99. The company has a market capitalization of $4.98 trillion, a PE ratio of 39.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.07. 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 released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share 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 analyst estimates of $109.04 billion. Apple had a return on equity of 135.46% and a net margin of 27.62%. Apple's revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.57 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Apple Announces Dividend

The company 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. 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 currently 12.39%.

Apple Profile

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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