Wesbanco Bank Inc. grew its stake in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Free Report) by 1.3% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 832,689 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after buying an additional 10,493 shares during the period. Apple makes up 5.8% of Wesbanco Bank Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its largest position. Wesbanco Bank Inc.’s holdings in Apple were worth $211,328,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Isthmus Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Apple by 6.4% in the third quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC now owns 97,177 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 5,808 shares during the period. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in Apple during the fourth quarter valued at $41,000. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC lifted its position in Apple by 1,800.0% during the first quarter. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC now owns 190 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 180 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management purchased a new stake in Apple in the fourth quarter valued at $65,000. Finally, Timmons Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Apple in the fourth quarter valued at $69,000. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Apple Price Performance
AAPL opened at $308.63 on Friday. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $201.50 and a fifty-two week high of $317.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.07. The company has a fifty day moving average of $295.25 and a two-hundred day moving average of $273.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.53 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.32, a PEG ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.10.
Apple Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 11th were given a $0.27 dividend. This is an increase from Apple’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.26. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 11th. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 13.06%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Monness Crespi & Hardt lifted their price objective on Apple from $315.00 to $335.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $310.00 price objective (up from $300.00) on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, May 1st. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Maxim Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $350.00 target price (up from $310.00) on shares of Apple in a report on Tuesday, June 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, June 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $314.85.
Get Our Latest Report on Apple
Insider Buying and Selling at Apple
In related news, insider Ben Borders sold 1,274 shares of Apple stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $290.00, for a total value of $369,460.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 38,713 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,226,770. This trade represents a 3.19% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO Kevan Parekh sold 1,534 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $275.00, for a total value of $421,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 13,366 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,675,650. The trade was a 10.30% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 2,924 shares of company stock worth $825,546. Corporate insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.
Key Apple News
Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Reports that Apple plans at least five new iPhone models through early 2027, including a stronger foldable iPhone push, have reinforced expectations for a fresh product cycle and a longer growth runway. Apple plans five new iPhones through 2027, eyes Chinese-made chips amid foldable push, reports say
- Positive Sentiment: Apple also appears to be benefiting from investor optimism that it can navigate the memory-chip shortage and secure supply, including possible deals with lower-cost Chinese chipmakers, which could help protect future production. Apple negotiates with blacklisted Chinese chipmakers amid AI-driven memory crunch
- Positive Sentiment: Several market commentary pieces said Apple is holding up better than the broader tech sector, with traders viewing recent weakness as a buying opportunity and analysts still pointing to solid upside potential. Apple’s Aggressive Price Hikes Raise Eyebrows As Wall Street Links AI Chip Shortages To Inflation Pressure
- Neutral Sentiment: Apple’s recent price hikes on Macs and iPads are being interpreted two ways: as a sign of inflationary component costs, but also as a margin-protection move that may not hurt demand as much as feared. Jim Cramer’s Latest Thought on Apple Inc. (AAPL)
- Neutral Sentiment: Apple’s insider-selling activity and mixed institutional positioning are adding caution, but they are not the main driver of the stock today. Apple Stock (AAPL) Opinions on Recent Price Hikes and Analyst Views
- Negative Sentiment: Some coverage continues to flag pressure on Apple’s margins and demand if higher component costs force more price increases, which could weigh on sentiment over time. Is Apple stock in trouble? Rising costs threaten margins, demand
Apple Company 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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