Apple Inc. $AAPL Stock Acquired by Clark & Stuart Inc

Key Points

• Clark & Stuart Inc. increased its Apple stake by 147.1% in the third quarter, purchasing 14,011 additional shares for a total of 23,534 shares valued at approximately $7.84 million. Apple now represents 4.6% of the firm’s portfolio.
• Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of Apple’s outstanding shares, while several other funds also initiated or expanded positions during the recent quarters.
• Apple shares opened at $347.73, near their 12-month high, with a market capitalization of about $5.07 trillion and a P/E ratio of 39.88. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus, though valuation, execution risks surrounding the foldable iPhone Duo, and upcoming earnings remain key considerations.

Clark & Stuart Inc boosted its stake in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 147.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 23,534 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after purchasing an additional 14,011 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises about 4.6% of Clark & Stuart Inc's investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest holding. Clark & Stuart Inc's holdings in Apple were worth $7,837,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AAPL. Avenir Tech Ltd bought a new position in Apple during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC acquired a new stake in Apple in the second quarter worth $30,000. ABS Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Apple in the second quarter worth $376,168,000. Bamco Inc. NY bought a new position in shares of Apple during the second quarter worth $118,000. Finally, Bard Associates Inc. bought a new position in shares of Apple during the second quarter worth $161,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of the company's stock.

Apple Price Performance

Shares of 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 twelve month low of $243.42 and a twelve month high of $351.73. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.07 trillion, a P/E ratio of 39.88, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a 50 day moving average of $329.75 and a 200-day moving average of $309.34.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.13. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. The business had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.04 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.57 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Apple Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. Apple's payout ratio is 12.39%.

More Apple News

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 Activity

In other news, CFO Kevan Parekh sold 1,392 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 directly owned 17,539 shares in the company, valued at $6,051,831.95. This represents a 7.35% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a 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 Ben Borders sold 1,280 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $345.40, for a total value of $442,112.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 38,288 shares of the company's stock, valued at $13,224,675.20. The trade was a 3.23% decrease in their position. 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. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 286,853 shares of company stock worth $95,477,342. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently commented on AAPL. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $400.00 price objective on Apple and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Citic Securities increased their price target on Apple from $300.00 to $349.00 in a report on Thursday, August 6th. KeyCorp restated an "underweight" rating on shares of Apple in a report on Thursday, October 15th. UBS Group reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Apple in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Finally, Barclays reiterated an "underweight" rating and issued a $245.00 price objective (down from $253.00) on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, July 31st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have assigned a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price 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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AAPL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.