Apple Inc. $AAPL Shares Sold by First Heartland Consultants Inc.

First Heartland Consultants Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) by 5.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 53,836 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 2,856 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises approximately 1.1% of First Heartland Consultants Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position. First Heartland Consultants Inc.’s holdings in Apple were worth $14,636,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Apple by 110.9% during the third quarter. Sellwood Investment Partners LLC now owns 135 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Apple by 1,800.0% in the 1st quarter. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC now owns 190 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares during the last quarter. LSV Asset Management acquired a new position in shares of Apple in the 4th quarter worth approximately $65,000. HFM Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Apple during the 1st quarter worth approximately $99,000. Finally, Miller Global Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Apple during the 4th quarter worth approximately $127,000. 67.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Apple Price Performance

Apple stock opened at $246.63 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. Apple Inc. has a 52-week low of $169.21 and a 52-week high of $288.62. The firm has a market cap of $3.62 trillion, a PE ratio of 31.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 1.10. The company’s 50 day moving average is $260.06 and its two-hundred day moving average is $263.04.

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

Apple Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 12th. Investors of record on Monday, February 9th were paid a dividend of $0.26 per share. 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 payout ratio is presently 13.15%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have issued reports on the company. Moffett Nathanson boosted their target price on Apple from $241.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Scotiabank set a $330.00 price target on Apple in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Apple in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $330.00 price objective on Apple in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. 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 given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $297.58.

Apple News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: iPhone demand in China remains robust, with Apple taking share as some Android rivals face pricing and inventory pressure — a direct revenue/cycle tailwind for AAPL. iPhone Demand Holds Strong in China
• Positive Sentiment: Wedbush and other outlets see WWDC/June events as potential catalysts; Wedbush reiterated Outperform ratings that support the view of near-term upside if new software/hardware impress. Wedbush: This June Will Be a Huge Month for Apple
• Positive Sentiment: Apple is staffing up for AI and plans a more capable Siri/standalone app and App Store–centric AI approach — moves that could bolster services revenue and device differentiation over time. Hiring of Google’s Lilian Rincon to lead AI marketing signals commitment. Apple Recruits Google Shopping Exec to Lead AI Marketing
• Neutral Sentiment: Apple’s 50th-anniversary events and retrospective coverage boost brand momentum and PR but are unlikely to move fundamentals immediately. Apple Celebrates 50 Years
• Neutral Sentiment: Options and derivatives flows show traders positioning for a near-term inflection — volatility is elevated and could amplify moves in either direction. Apple Stock at a Crossroads: Options Traders
• Negative Sentiment: Tech sector weakness/market-wide selloff is pressuring AAPL along with peers — broader risk-off is the dominant near-term driver of today’s decline. Sector Update: Tech Stocks Fall
• Negative Sentiment: A UK fine was levied on an Apple subsidiary for breaching Russian sanctions — a modest financial hit but a reminder of geographies/regulatory risk. Apple subsidiary fined for breaching Russian sanctions
• Negative Sentiment: Negative takes and forecasts (including pieces predicting Apple underperformance vs. other mega-caps) are contributing to headline risk and investor caution. Prediction: Apple Will Be the Worst “Magnificent Seven” Stock

About Apple

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.