Apple Inc. $AAPL Shares Sold by Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc.

Key Points

• Montrusco Bolton Investments reduced its Apple position by 6.4% in the third quarter, selling 29,206 shares and retaining 426,645 shares valued at approximately $142.1 million. Institutional investors collectively own 67.73% of Apple.
• Apple’s outlook is supported by reported strong demand for its upcoming foldable iPhone, expanded shipment targets, and its appeal as a cash-generating AI “safe haven.” However, the stock’s roughly 40 times earnings valuation has prompted caution, including Loop Capital’s downgrade to Hold.
• Analysts maintain a broadly positive view, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $340.12. Apple recently beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, while shares opened at $348.22 near their 52-week high.

Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. cut its position in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 6.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 426,645 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after selling 29,206 shares during the quarter. Apple makes up about 2.3% of Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 17th biggest position. Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc.'s holdings in Apple were worth $142,081,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sterling Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Apple by 0.3% in the second quarter. Sterling Wealth Management Inc. now owns 11,579 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $3,351,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Thor Investment Management Inc. OH ADV increased its holdings in Apple by 1.6% during the third quarter. Thor Investment Management Inc. OH ADV now owns 1,912 shares of the iPhone maker's stock worth $637,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Evansbrook LLC raised its position in Apple by 0.4% in the first quarter. Evansbrook LLC now owns 8,095 shares of the iPhone maker's stock worth $2,054,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares during the period. JMG Financial Group Ltd. boosted its stake in Apple by 0.7% in the first quarter. JMG Financial Group Ltd. now owns 5,102 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $1,295,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Advocate Investing Services LLC boosted its stake in Apple by 0.5% in the second quarter. Advocate Investing Services LLC now owns 7,847 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $2,271,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. 67.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Apple

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong iPhone Duo demand is the main catalyst. Preorders for the $1,999 foldable reportedly sold out quickly, with delivery dates extending into 2027. DigiTimes reported that Apple raised its 12-month shipment target by 44% to 14 million units, up from an initial 9.7 million. iPhone Duo preorder surge prompts Apple to raise shipment targets
• Positive Sentiment: The foldable launches Friday with supply constrained. Limited store inventory, combined with online backorders, could support near-term pricing power and signal meaningful demand for a new premium product category. Apple bets iPhone Duo can remake foldable market
• Positive Sentiment: Apple is increasingly viewed as an AI “safe haven.” Investors are favoring the company’s substantial cash generation and device-focused AI strategy over rivals committing enormous sums to centralized data centers. Berkshire Hathaway’s continued large Apple holding also reinforces the stock’s defensive appeal. Apple’s Cash Flow Machine Makes It Investors’ Favorite AI Hedge
• Positive Sentiment: Additional growth opportunities are emerging. Apple is expanding its smart-home ecosystem with Schneider Electric and has another product event scheduled for October 28, potentially providing further catalysts. Schneider Electric teams up with Apple on smart-home products
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation remains the key debate. Apple’s approximately 40 times earnings multiple and $5 trillion valuation leave investors dependent on strong holiday sales, expanding margins and sustained product growth. Analysts remain divided, with some projecting another major growth phase while others see limited upside.
• Negative Sentiment: Loop Capital downgraded AAPL to Hold over valuation and concerns about iPhone shipment prospects, creating a counterweight to the upbeat foldable-phone reports. Apple slips as Loop Capital downgrades on iPhone shipment concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and ETF outflows add modest pressure. SVP Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares worth about $815,000, while reports also cited net ETF selling and additional insider transactions. These trades are relatively small compared with Apple’s size but may reinforce valuation concerns.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on AAPL shares. Morgan Stanley reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Wednesday. Citic Securities raised their target price on Apple from $300.00 to $349.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Bank of America reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $370.00 target price on shares of Apple in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Barclays reiterated an "underweight" rating and issued a $245.00 target price (down from $253.00) on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $365.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have issued a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $340.12.

Apple Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ AAPL opened at $348.22 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $5.08 trillion, a PE ratio of 39.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.07. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $243.42 and a fifty-two week high of $348.36. 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 fifty day moving average of $328.91 and a 200-day moving average of $309.07.

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 (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $109.42 billion for 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%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.57 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Dividend Announcement

The business 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. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis 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%.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Deirdre O'brien sold 46,389 shares of the 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 sale, the senior vice president directly owned 136,810 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $45,615,190.20. This represents a 25.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, 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, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 59,567 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,832,236.98. The trade was 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. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 286,853 shares of company stock valued at $95,477,342. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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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