Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO John Ternus Sells 25,412 Shares of Company Stock

Key Points

• Apple CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares at an average price of $332.94, generating approximately $8.46 million. The SEC-disclosed transaction was made to cover tax-withholding obligations tied to vested equity awards, leaving him with 59,567 shares.
• Apple shares were down 0.2% at $332.89, near their 52-week high, while the company carries a $4.86 trillion market capitalization and trades at a P/E ratio of 38.18.
• Apple recently exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, reporting $2.02 in EPS and $109.42 billion in revenue. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $340.02.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Get Free Report) CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on 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 owned 59,567 shares of the company's stock, valued at $19,832,236.98. This represents a 29.90% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Apple Stock Down 0.2%

Apple stock traded down $0.80 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $332.89. 34,340,915 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 49,072,559. Apple Inc. has a 1-year low of $243.42 and a 1-year high of $345.34. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $322.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $300.35. 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 cap of $4.86 trillion, a P/E ratio of 38.18, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 1.07.

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

Apple Dividend Announcement

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

Key Apple News

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Apple’s planned Siri overhaul could help restore confidence in its artificial-intelligence strategy. Strong fiscal third-quarter results—including $109.4 billion in revenue, 16% year-over-year growth and 29% EPS growth—provide a solid financial foundation while investors await evidence that AI features can accelerate device upgrades and Services revenue. Will Siri Overhaul Help Apple Restore Its AI Credibility?
• Positive Sentiment: Counterpoint Research expects roughly 6 million units of Apple’s premium iPhone Duo to be sold during the late-October launch window. At a reported starting price of $1,999, the device could represent a meaningful incremental hardware opportunity, although the sales forecast is not large enough by itself to materially change the investment case. Analyst Sees 6 Million iPhone Duo Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Apple continues to be positioned in expanding markets such as human-computer interaction, context-aware computing and visual computing, including AI, spatial computing and augmented reality. These reports highlight long-term ecosystem opportunities, though they do not represent new company guidance or near-term revenue estimates. Human-Computer Interaction Market Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Apple is tightening Mac permissions so users receive clearer warnings when AI agents request access to device data. The move reinforces Apple’s privacy advantage and could support consumer trust, but stricter controls may also make it harder for third-party AI agents to deliver advanced functionality. Apple Makes It Tougher for AI Agents to Access Macs
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary questioning Apple’s ability to monetize AI highlights a key investor concern: the company is spending heavily on AI, while rivals are more visibly turning the technology into revenue. That concern is especially relevant because AAPL trades at a premium valuation and needs continued earnings growth to justify it. Who’s Worse at AI Monetization, Tesla or Apple?
• Negative Sentiment: A forecast that Microsoft could become more valuable than Apple by the end of 2027 reflects investor doubts about Apple’s long-term growth leadership, particularly relative to Microsoft’s artificial-intelligence opportunity. Microsoft Could Be More Valuable Than Apple

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Apple

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Avenir Tech Ltd bought a new position in Apple in the second quarter worth $29,000. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC bought a new stake in Apple in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in shares of Apple in the 4th quarter valued at $41,000. ABS Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Apple during the 2nd quarter worth about $376,168,000. Finally, Basso Capital Management L.P. bought a new position in shares of Apple during the 4th quarter worth about $88,000. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently commented on AAPL. Piper Sandler started coverage on shares of Apple in a research report on Monday, August 17th. They issued an "overweight" rating on the stock. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $270.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $350.00 target price (up from $310.00) on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, July 31st. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $303.00 target price on shares of Apple in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Loop Capital set a $380.00 price target on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, September 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-six have given a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $340.02.

About Apple

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets 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 software platforms, including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and visionOS.

Apple's services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud.

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