Apple Inc. $AAPL Position Reduced by World Equity Group Inc.

World Equity Group Inc. trimmed its stake in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) by 27.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 80,059 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 29,874 shares during the period. Apple comprises 6.1% of World Equity Group Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its biggest holding. World Equity Group Inc.’s holdings in Apple were worth $21,765,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of AAPL. Isthmus Partners LLC increased its holdings in Apple by 6.4% during the 3rd quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC now owns 97,177 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 5,808 shares during the period. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Apple by 110.9% during the 3rd quarter. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC now owns 135 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC grew its position in shares of Apple by 1,800.0% during the 1st quarter. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC now owns 190 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 180 shares in the last quarter. LSV Asset Management purchased a new position in shares of Apple during the fourth quarter valued at $65,000. Finally, 49 Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Apple by 15.7% in the third quarter. 49 Wealth Management LLC now owns 298,920 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $76,000 after acquiring an additional 40,543 shares in the last quarter. 67.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Apple News

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reaffirmed a Buy rating and high price target, citing accelerating services growth and on‑device AI upside that support Apple’s premium valuation. Apple: Accelerating Services Growth and On‑Device AI Upside Support Premium Valuation and Buy Rating
• Positive Sentiment: Apple’s pivot on AI (more openness around assistants/Siri) and commentary calling the strategic change “great news” suggests management is addressing investor concerns about AI competitiveness. That narrative supports the case for re-rating longer term. Apple’s AI Strategy Is Pivoting. Here’s Why That Could Be Great News for the Stock.
• Positive Sentiment: Apple is expanding its U.S. manufacturing program with a $400M investment through 2030, which reduces supply-chain risk, supports on‑shore production of critical components, and is viewed favorably by policymakers and some investors. Apple Inc. (AAPL) expands US manufacturing program with $400M investment
• Positive Sentiment: Mainstream buy-the-dip commentary and analyst profiles continue to list Apple as a core long-term holding, reinforcing demand from income and growth investors (also noted in several Fool pieces). Brilliant Buys for Uncertain Times: 2 Growth Stocks to Own for the Long Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Apple’s 50th anniversary sparks retrospectives and debate about succession and long-term direction — useful for narrative but mixed for immediate price action. Apple At 50 Weighs AI Partnerships Satellite Ties And Succession
• Neutral Sentiment: Personal‑finance moves such as the Apple Savings account expand the company’s services footprint; positive for recurring revenue over time but limited immediate EPS impact. Everything you need to know about the Apple Savings account
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that Amazon is in talks to buy satellite provider Globalstar introduce competitive risk to Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite arrangement and could raise costs or functionality risks for iPhone satellite features. Amazon Lines Up Deal to Rival SpaceX’s Starlink: Report. Why Apple Could Be a Problem.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns and the broader Magnificent Seven pullback are cited as reasons for Apple’s recent weakness; trailing and forward P/Es remain elevated versus recent growth, which can pressure the stock if growth disappoints. Is Apple Stock Overvalued Or Undervalued?
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical headlines (threats from Iran targeting U.S. tech firms) and a reported trimming by hedge fund D. E. Shaw add short-term risk and volatility to sentiment around AAPL. AAPL Stock on Watch: Iran Threatens Retaliatory Strikes Could Hit Apple Next

Apple Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of Apple stock opened at $255.92 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. The company has a market cap of $3.76 trillion, a P/E ratio of 32.35, a PEG ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 1.11. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $260.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $263.08. Apple Inc. has a 52-week low of $169.21 and a 52-week high of $288.62.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The iPhone maker reported $2.84 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.67 by $0.17. The company had revenue of $143.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $138.25 billion. Apple had a net margin of 27.04% and a return on equity of 159.94%. Apple’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.40 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Apple Inc. will post 7.28 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Apple Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 12th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 9th were given a $0.26 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 9th. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 13.15%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Monness Crespi & Hardt upped their price objective on shares of Apple from $300.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $270.00 price target on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, January 30th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Apple from $239.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Moffett Nathanson lifted their price objective on shares of Apple from $241.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, January 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $297.58.

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.