Ninety One North America Inc. reduced its holdings in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 6.2% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 41,854 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 2,751 shares during the quarter. Ninety One North America Inc.’s holdings in Apple were worth $13,938,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp increased its stake in Apple by 4.7% during the 2nd 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 during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in Apple during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in Apple during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,443,242,000. Finally, Amundi lifted its stake in 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 buying an additional 13,780,080 shares in the last quarter. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Yorkville Ives initiated coverage on shares of Apple in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $400.00 price target for the company. DZ Bank downgraded shares of Apple from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $310.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. BTIG Research began coverage on shares of Apple in a report on Monday, August 17th. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Barclays restated an “underweight” rating and set a $245.00 price objective (down from $253.00) on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a “market perform” rating 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 given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $340.12.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on AAPL
Key Apple News
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
Apple Stock Performance
NASDAQ:AAPL opened at $347.10 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $5.07 trillion, a PE ratio of 39.81 and a beta of 1.07. Apple Inc. has a 52-week low of $243.42 and a 52-week high of $351.73. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $331.06 and a 200 day simple moving average of $295.09.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results 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 firm had revenue of $109.42 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $109.04 billion. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.57 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Apple Inc. will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Apple Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 10th were paid a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 12.39%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Apple
In other news, SVP Jennifer Newstead sold 2,399 shares of Apple stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $336.18, for a total value of $806,495.82. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 41,992 shares in the company, valued at $14,116,870.56. This trade represents a 5.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Timothy Cook sold 191,753 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.96, for a total transaction of $63,846,078.88. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 3,264,168 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. This represents a 5.55% 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. Insiders sold 286,853 shares of company stock valued at $95,477,342 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.
About Apple
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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