Apple Inc. $AAPL Stock Holdings Boosted by ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc.

ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) by 0.7% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 263,457 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,886 shares during the quarter. Apple makes up approximately 2.5% of ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest holding. ZWJ Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in Apple were worth $87,736,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of AAPL. Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired a new stake in Apple during the 2nd quarter worth about $65,950,297,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in Apple during the second quarter valued at about $36,986,090,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in Apple during the second quarter valued at about $30,443,242,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in shares of Apple in the second quarter worth about $13,658,359,000. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Apple in the second quarter worth about $10,588,946,000. 67.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Apple Trading Down 1.1%

NASDAQ:AAPL opened at $343.91 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.93. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $243.42 and a fifty-two week high of $351.73. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $329.47 and its two-hundred day moving average is $294.25. The stock has a market cap of $5.02 trillion, a PE ratio of 39.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 1.07.

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

Apple Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Investors 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Apple’s payout ratio is presently 12.39%.

Insider Activity at Apple

In other Apple news, CEO John Ternus sold 25,412 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.94, for a total value of $8,460,671.28. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 59,567 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,832,236.98. This represents a 29.90% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through 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 the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 owned 3,264,168 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,086,837,377.28. The trade was a 5.55% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 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 valued at $95,477,342. Company insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Apple

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Demand for Apple’s first foldable iPhone Duo appears exceptionally strong, with delivery estimates extending into January. Apple has reportedly asked suppliers to increase production by 30%, suggesting robust consumer interest and potential for a sizable upgrade cycle. Apple’s iPhone Duo Buyers Face a Wait That Could Stretch Into January
• Positive Sentiment: Apple introduced a redesigned iPad mini beginning at $699, featuring an OLED display, A20 Pro chip, improved AI performance, water resistance and Wi-Fi 7. The launch broadens Apple’s higher-end hardware lineup ahead of the holiday season. Apple Unveils $699 OLED iPad Mini
• Positive Sentiment: Apple expanded Siri’s AI language support, including Japanese, indicating continued progress in its artificial-intelligence rollout and global product integration. Apple Expands Siri AI Languages
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Apple’s fiscal fourth-quarter results expected November 2. Analysts anticipate continued iPhone, Mac and Services growth, but the stock’s premium valuation leaves limited room for an earnings or outlook disappointment. Why Buying Apple Stock Before Q4 Earnings Could Be Risky
• Negative Sentiment: Users have reported cracks and bright lines near the hinge on some $1,999 iPhone Duo units. Apple acknowledged the issue and said affected devices would be replaced under AppleCare, but the defect creates reputational, warranty-cost and execution risks for an important new product. Apple Responds to Reports of Broken iPhone Duo Screens
• Negative Sentiment: The new iPad mini’s higher starting price may limit demand, while broader concerns about leadership succession, AI execution and rising component costs are adding to investor caution ahead of earnings. Apple Earnings Expected to Grow

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Tuesday, October 6th. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of Apple from $310.00 to $330.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Bank of America reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $370.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Apple from $340.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $350.00 price objective (up from $310.00) 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 issued a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $340.12.

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.