Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) Price Target Raised to $325.00 at Bank of America

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) had its target price lifted by Bank of America from $320.00 to $325.00 in a research report released on Tuesday morning, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have a buy rating on the iPhone maker’s stock.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on AAPL. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Maxim Group raised Apple from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Moffett Nathanson boosted their target price on Apple from $241.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Apple from $315.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Finally, DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $270.00 target price on shares of Apple in a research note on Friday, January 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $301.37.

Apple Stock Performance

Shares of AAPL stock opened at $258.75 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 0.97. Apple has a fifty-two week low of $189.81 and a fifty-two week high of $288.62. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $260.32 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $263.92. The company has a market capitalization of $3.80 trillion, a P/E ratio of 32.71, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 1.11.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The iPhone maker reported $2.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.67 by $0.17. Apple had a return on equity of 159.94% and a net margin of 27.04%.The firm had revenue of $143.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $138.25 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.40 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 15.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Apple will post 7.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 12th. Investors of record on Monday, February 9th were paid a $0.26 dividend. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 9th. Apple’s dividend payout ratio is presently 13.15%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Apple

In related news, SVP Deirdre O’brien sold 30,002 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $255.35, for a total value of $7,661,010.70. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 136,810 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $34,934,433.50. This represents a 17.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Timothy D. Cook sold 64,949 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $254.23, for a total value of $16,511,984.27. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 3,280,418 shares in the company, valued at approximately $833,980,668.14. The trade was a 1.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.06% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Apple

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. J. Derek Lewis & Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in Apple in the fourth quarter worth $18,936,000. Up Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Apple in the fourth quarter worth $1,583,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. purchased a new stake in Apple in the fourth quarter worth $41,605,000. Painted Porch Advisors LLC grew its stake in Apple by 3.5% in the fourth quarter. Painted Porch Advisors LLC now owns 55,696 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $15,141,000 after purchasing an additional 1,899 shares during the period. Finally, Carter Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Apple in the fourth quarter worth $1,577,000. 67.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Apple News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America raised its price target to $325 and kept a “buy” rating, citing strong iPhone momentum, Services growth and favorable FX — a bullish catalyst ahead of Apple’s earnings. Apple price target raised ahead of earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Amazon’s $11.6B acquisition of Globalstar redraws the satellite connectivity landscape Apple relies on for iPhone/Watch emergency features; Apple has secured continuity for service but faces strategic exposure to a competitor-controlled network. Amazon Buys Globalstar
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports say iPhone Fold production was pushed back but the launch remains on track for fall 2026 — a delay risk for supply/timing but still keeps the new product narrative intact. iPhone Fold Production Pushed Back
• Negative Sentiment: A fake Ledger Live app on the App Store was tied to roughly $9.5M in crypto thefts — raises fresh questions about App Store review controls and potential regulatory scrutiny. Fake Ledger Live app drained $9.5M
• Negative Sentiment: Apple will close three retail stores — including its first unionized location — prompting union-busting claims and potential PR/regulatory headlines. Apple closing 3 stores
• Negative Sentiment: Apple’s head of AI is reportedly leaving the company, which adds pressure as investors watch Apple’s ability to execute on generative-AI features and products. Apple head of AI is leaving

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.