Apple Inc. $AAPL Stock Sold by WealthPLAN Partners LLC

Key Points

• WealthPLAN Partners reduced its Apple stake by 2.2% in the third quarter, selling 3,027 shares, but Apple remains the firm’s largest holding at 8.1% of its portfolio and was valued at $44.7 million.
• Apple reported quarterly earnings of $2.02 per share, exceeding estimates, while revenue rose 16.4% year over year to $109.42 billion. The company also maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.27 per share, producing a 0.3% yield.
• Apple shares opened at $347.10, near their 52-week high, with analysts assigning a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and a $340.12 target price. However, concerns include insider selling, potential iPhone shipment reductions, rising memory costs and the company’s elevated valuation near 40 times earnings.

WealthPLAN Partners LLC lowered its stake in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 134,222 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after selling 3,027 shares during the quarter. Apple accounts for 8.1% of WealthPLAN Partners LLC's portfolio, making the stock its biggest position. WealthPLAN Partners LLC's holdings in Apple were worth $44,698,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Apple by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 630,662,494 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $182,897,769,000 after buying an additional 28,321,085 shares during the last quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc purchased a new stake in Apple during the 2nd quarter valued at $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in Apple in the 2nd quarter worth $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in Apple in the 2nd quarter worth $30,443,242,000. Finally, Amundi increased its position in shares of Apple by 23.2% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 73,082,616 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $18,547,637,000 after acquiring an additional 13,780,080 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.73% of the company's stock.

Apple Stock Up 0.9%

Shares of Apple stock opened at $347.10 on Wednesday. The business has a 50 day moving average of $331.06 and a 200 day moving average of $295.09. Apple Inc. has a 52 week low of $243.42 and a 52 week high of $351.73. The company has a market cap of $5.07 trillion, a PE ratio of 39.81 and a beta of 1.07.

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 the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $109.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.04 billion. The business's revenue was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.57 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were issued a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. Apple's dividend payout ratio is 12.39%.

Insider Transactions at Apple

In other news, insider Ben Borders sold 1,280 shares of Apple stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $345.40, for a total transaction of $442,112.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 38,288 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $13,224,675.20. The trade was a 3.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 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 dated Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total transaction of $8,460,671.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 59,567 shares in the company, valued at $19,832,236.98. The trade was a 29.90% 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. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 286,853 shares of company stock worth $95,477,342. 0.06% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Apple News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Demand for Apple’s first foldable iPhone Duo has substantially exceeded supply. The $1,999 device reportedly sold out within minutes, delivery estimates extend into January, and Apple is said to be seeking as much as 30% more production capacity. This supports hopes for a new high-margin growth category and a broader iPhone upgrade cycle. Apple's Foldable iPhone Sold Out in Minutes, But Wall Street Has Questions
• Positive Sentiment: Initial global sales of the iPhone 18 Pro were 3.1% above the prior-generation Pro models, including a 29% increase in China. Strong premium-phone demand could help Apple’s revenue and services ecosystem. Initial global sales of Apple iPhone 18 Pro higher than 17 series
• Positive Sentiment: Apple launched an M6-powered 24-inch iMac and 14-inch MacBook Pro, promoting faster performance and on-device AI capabilities. The refresh could lift Mac sales and support Apple’s longer-term AI hardware strategy. Apple introduces the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6
• Neutral Sentiment: Apple also released iOS 27.2 with expanded Siri AI language support, security improvements and new features for the iPhone Duo. These updates may strengthen the ecosystem, but their near-term financial impact is uncertain. Apple rolls out iOS 27.2 with new Siri AI languages and security fixes
• Negative Sentiment: Some iPhone Duo owners report cracks and bright lines near the hinge. Apple acknowledged the display issue and is offering replacements, while teardown reports point to a possible hinge-related design problem. Potential warranty costs and reputational damage threaten the new product’s momentum. Some iPhone Duo owners say Apple's foldable cracked within hours
• Negative Sentiment: Loop Capital downgraded Apple to Hold and cut its price target to $330, citing possible iPhone shipment reductions and rising memory costs. At nearly 40 times earnings, investors may require strong December-quarter guidance to justify the valuation. Loop Capital Lowers Apple Stock Price Target on iPhone Shipment Concerns

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $303.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Daiwa Securities Group increased their target price on shares of Apple from $325.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Weiss Ratings raised Apple from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company restated an "overweight" rating and set a $350.00 price target (up from $310.00) on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, July 31st. 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 given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Apple presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $340.12.

Apple 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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