Nippon Life Global Investors Americas Inc. increased its holdings in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 3.8% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 352,920 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after buying an additional 12,860 shares during the quarter. Apple accounts for about 4.0% of Nippon Life Global Investors Americas Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest position. Nippon Life Global Investors Americas Inc.’s holdings in Apple were worth $95,945,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Apple during the 2nd quarter valued at about $38,942,255,000. Nuveen LLC bought a new stake in Apple during the 1st quarter valued at about $17,472,482,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Apple by 20,464.8% during the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 27,069,029 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $5,553,753,000 after purchasing an additional 26,937,401 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Apple by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,426,283,914 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $387,749,545,000 after purchasing an additional 26,856,752 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp increased its stake in Apple by 13.3% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 171,385,531 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $42,918,365,000 after purchasing an additional 20,079,472 shares in the last quarter. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Apple Stock Performance
Shares of NASDAQ AAPL opened at $310.85 on Thursday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $273.03 and its 200-day moving average price is $269.45. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. The company has a market cap of $4.57 trillion, a PE ratio of 37.59, a PEG ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.06. Apple Inc. has a 52-week low of $195.07 and a 52-week high of $313.26.
Apple Increases Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 14th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 11th were issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, May 11th. This is a boost from Apple’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. Apple’s payout ratio is 13.06%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research firms have weighed in on AAPL. Bank of America restated a “buy” rating and set a $380.00 price objective (up from $330.00) on shares of Apple in a research note on Tuesday. Wedbush restated an “outperform” rating and set a $400.00 price objective (up from $350.00) on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Robert W. Baird set a $310.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, May 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Apple from $315.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $335.00 price objective (up from $325.00) on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, May 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Apple presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $310.31.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on AAPL
Apple News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Bank of America raised its price target on Apple to $380, saying AI features and a redesigned Siri could drive substantial incremental revenue over the next few years. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Melius Research also boosted its outlook ahead of WWDC 2026, saying Apple could finally show “real AI sizzle,” which has helped fuel expectations for a stronger product cycle. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Multiple pieces highlight Apple’s recent stock strength, including new record highs and growing optimism that the company’s Services business and ecosystem remain resilient even as iPhone growth slows. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: News that Android smartphone makers may be hit harder than Apple by AI memory shortages could be relatively supportive for AAPL by comparison, but it is more of an industry backdrop than a direct catalyst. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: Several articles point to Apple trading near all-time highs and approaching a $5 trillion valuation, reinforcing bullish momentum, though these are mostly commentary rather than fresh company-specific developments. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: Some investors remain cautious because iPhone shipment momentum is softening and Apple’s next major growth driver still needs to be proven at WWDC, which leaves room for disappointment if AI announcements underwhelm. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: One Reuters item notes Apple and Google are pushing back against Canada’s online safety bill over encryption concerns, a regulatory issue that could create future headline risk. Article Title
Insider Activity at Apple
In related news, CEO Timothy D. Cook sold 64,949 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $254.23, for a total value of $16,511,984.27. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 3,280,418 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $833,980,668.14. This trade represents a 1.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, SVP Deirdre O’brien sold 30,002 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $255.35, for a total transaction of $7,661,010.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 136,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $34,934,433.50. The trade was a 17.99% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 97,759 shares of company stock worth $24,964,305. 0.06% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Apple Profile
Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) is a multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The company designs, develops and sells consumer electronics, software and services. Over its history Apple has evolved from personal computers to a broad portfolio that spans mobile devices, wearables, home entertainment and digital services.
Apple’s principal hardware products include the iPhone smartphone, iPad tablet, Mac personal computers, Apple Watch wearable devices and a range of accessories such as AirPods and HomePod.
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