Apple Inc. $AAPL Stock: 4WEALTH Advisors Inc. Decreases Position

Key Points

• 4WEALTH Advisors reduced its Apple position by 16.3% in the third quarter, selling 1,771 shares and retaining 9,114 shares valued at approximately $3.0 million. Apple represents 2.1% of the firm’s portfolio.
• Apple reported quarterly earnings of $2.02 per share on $109.42 billion in revenue, exceeding analyst estimates, while revenue increased 16.4% year over year.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a $340.12 price target, though the stock’s valuation near 40 times earnings and execution risks remain concerns.

4WEALTH Advisors Inc. lessened its position in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 16.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 9,114 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after selling 1,771 shares during the period. Apple comprises 2.1% of 4WEALTH Advisors Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest holding. 4WEALTH Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Apple were worth $3,002,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of Apple by 4.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 630,662,494 shares of the iPhone maker's stock worth $182,897,769,000 after purchasing an additional 28,321,085 shares in the last quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired a new stake in Apple in the second quarter valued at $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in Apple in the second quarter valued at $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in Apple in the second quarter valued at $30,443,242,000. Finally, Amundi lifted its holdings in Apple by 23.2% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 73,082,616 shares of the iPhone maker's stock worth $18,547,637,000 after buying an additional 13,780,080 shares during the last quarter. 67.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Apple Trading Down 0.1%

AAPL opened at $347.73 on Friday. 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 Inc. has a 52 week low of $243.42 and a 52 week high of $351.73. The business's 50 day moving average is $329.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $309.34. The firm has a market cap of $5.07 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 1.07.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL - Get Free Report) last posted 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. Apple had a return on equity of 135.46% and a net margin of 27.62%. The business had revenue of $109.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.04 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.57 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current year.

Apple Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were given a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. Apple's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 12.39%.

Apple News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong iPhone Duo demand is the primary catalyst. The foldable phone launched globally Friday amid long lines, limited store inventory and reports that preorders are backordered into 2027. Supply-chain reports indicate Apple raised its first-year shipment target by 44%, to roughly 14 million units. The premium product could expand Apple’s addressable market and support revenue growth. Apple fans react as iPhone Duo hits stores
• Positive Sentiment: The launch strengthens Apple’s broader hardware and services roadmap. Analysts are evaluating whether the Duo can drive accessory, software and services revenue, while potential touchscreen Macs, smart-home products and an Apple-Schneider Electric energy-management partnership provide additional growth opportunities. Will Apple take over the smart home
• Positive Sentiment: Apple briefly reclaimed the title of world’s most valuable public company. AAPL approached or surpassed Nvidia’s approximately $5 trillion valuation as Nvidia shares weakened during a broader AI-stock selloff. Investors are treating Apple’s substantial cash generation and lower AI infrastructure spending as a relative safe haven. Apple tops Nvidia in market value
• Neutral Sentiment: The next major test is earnings. Apple’s fiscal fourth-quarter results are expected November 2, with investors looking for evidence that iPhone Duo demand, holiday sales and margins justify a stock trading near 40 times earnings. Analysts remain broadly constructive, but the average price target is close to recent trading levels.
• Negative Sentiment: Execution and valuation risks remain significant. Some early users have reported cracked foldable screens, while reviews cite first-generation glitches, a $2,000 price and limitations involving the camera and apps. These issues could affect returns, customer satisfaction and adoption.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling adds a modest cautionary signal. Senior Vice President Jennifer Newstead sold approximately $815,000 of AAPL shares, following several similar sales. The transaction is small relative to Apple’s size but may reinforce concerns that the stock has become expensive.

Insider Buying and Selling at Apple

In related news, SVP Deirdre O'brien sold 46,389 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $333.42, for a total value of $15,467,020.38. Following the transaction, 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing 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, insider Timothy Cook sold 191,753 shares of Apple stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total transaction of $63,846,078.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 3,264,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. This trade represents a 5.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. 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. In the last three months, insiders have sold 286,853 shares of company stock valued at $95,477,342. Company insiders own 0.06% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AAPL has been the subject of several analyst reports. Bank of America reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $370.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $400.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Phillip Securities boosted their target price on Apple from $290.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Finally, Rosenblatt Securities restated a "neutral" rating and set a $303.00 target price on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have given a Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $340.12.

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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