Apple Inc. $AAPL Position Reduced by MPS Loria Financial Planners LLC

Key Points

• MPS Loria Financial Planners reduced its Apple stake by 1.4% in the third quarter, selling 3,896 shares and retaining 272,901 shares worth approximately $90.9 million. Apple remains the firm’s second-largest holding and represents 17.1% of its portfolio.
• Apple has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating from analysts, with an average price target of $340.12; ratings include 25 Buys, 15 Holds, two Sells and one Strong Buy.
• Apple’s stock faces a mix of catalysts and risks: strong reported demand for its foldable iPhone and continued AI expansion contrast with reported hinge-screen defects, valuation concerns and investor focus on upcoming fiscal fourth-quarter results.

MPS Loria Financial Planners LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 1.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 272,901 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after selling 3,896 shares during the period. Apple comprises 17.1% of MPS Loria Financial Planners LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 2nd biggest holding. MPS Loria Financial Planners LLC's holdings in Apple were worth $90,881,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Prospect Hill Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Apple in the 2nd quarter valued at $146,370,000. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Apple during the 2nd quarter worth about $168,646,000. Wealthfront Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Apple during the 2nd quarter worth about $482,388,000. Satovsky Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Apple during the 2nd quarter valued at about $16,064,000. Finally, Gouws Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Apple by 136.9% during the 3rd quarter. Gouws Capital LLC now owns 37,504 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $12,490,000 after purchasing an additional 21,676 shares during the last quarter. 67.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on AAPL shares. Seaport Research Partners lowered shares of Apple from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, August 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Apple from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, August 17th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Apple in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $400.00 target price on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Piper Sandler initiated coverage on Apple in a report on Monday, August 17th. They issued an "overweight" rating on the stock. 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 stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Apple presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $340.12.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Ben Borders sold 1,280 shares of Apple stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $345.40, for a total transaction of $442,112.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 38,288 shares in the company, valued at $13,224,675.20. The trade was a 3.23% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CFO Kevan Parekh sold 1,392 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $345.05, for a total transaction of $480,309.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 17,539 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,051,831.95. This trade represents a 7.35% decrease in their position. 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. In the last quarter, insiders sold 286,853 shares of company stock valued at $95,477,342. 0.06% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

More Apple News

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 Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:AAPL opened at $343.91 on Tuesday. 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 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. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $329.47 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $294.25. Apple Inc. has a 1-year low of $243.42 and a 1-year high of $351.73.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.57 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Investors 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 dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 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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