Simmons Bank Increases Stake in Apple Inc. $AAPL

Simmons Bank raised its position in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) by 4.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 136,153 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,659 shares during the quarter. Apple makes up 2.2% of Simmons Bank’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest position. Simmons Bank’s holdings in Apple were worth $39,397,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of AAPL. Rainier Family Wealth Inc. boosted its position in Apple by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. Rainier Family Wealth Inc. now owns 24,386 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $6,189,000 after acquiring an additional 3,014 shares in the last quarter. Eaton Cambridge Inc. grew its stake in Apple by 21.3% in the first quarter. Eaton Cambridge Inc. now owns 13,968 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $3,545,000 after purchasing an additional 2,450 shares during the period. Torren Management LLC bought a new position in Apple in the fourth quarter worth $1,178,000. Summit Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in Apple by 108.3% during the first quarter. Summit Wealth Partners LLC now owns 34,989 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $8,880,000 after buying an additional 18,188 shares during the period. Finally, Davis R M Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Davis R M Inc. now owns 1,151,352 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $292,202,000 after buying an additional 23,162 shares in the last quarter. 67.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Apple Stock Performance

Shares of AAPL stock opened at $315.34 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $317.37 and a 200-day moving average price of $291.73. Apple Inc. has a 52 week low of $225.95 and a 52 week high of $344.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.60 trillion, a PE ratio of 36.16, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 1.08.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $109.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $109.04 billion. Apple had a net margin of 27.62% and a return on equity of 135.46%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.57 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Apple Inc. will post 8.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were issued a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Apple’s dividend payout ratio is currently 12.39%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently commented on AAPL shares. Jefferies Financial Group reissued an “underperform” rating on shares of Apple in a research note on Wednesday. TD Cowen upped their price target on Apple from $350.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $365.00 price objective (up from $315.00) on shares of Apple in a research report on Monday, July 13th. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $270.00 target price on shares of Apple in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Finally, DZ Bank cut Apple from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $310.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, August 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 four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $331.53.

Insider Activity

In other Apple news, insider Ben Borders sold 116 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $295.14, for a total transaction of $34,236.24. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 38,713 shares in the company, valued at $11,425,754.82. The trade was a 0.30% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, SVP Jennifer Newstead sold 1,439 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $317.01, for a total transaction of $456,177.39. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 35,790 shares in the company, valued at $11,345,787.90. This trade represents a 3.87% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 5,872 shares of company stock worth $1,823,201 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.

More Apple News

Here are the key news stories impacting Apple this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Apple introduced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, starting at $1,999. The device features a 7.6-inch unfolded display, a 5.4-inch outer screen and a redesigned hinge, creating a potential new high-margin product category and growth opportunity. Apple unveils iPhone Duo
• Positive Sentiment: The iPhone 18 Pro lineup adds a 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, camera improvements, longer battery life and upgraded Siri AI features. These upgrades could support premium pricing and strengthen Apple’s artificial-intelligence strategy. Apple iPhone 18 Pro launched
• Positive Sentiment: Apple also launched AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4, adding improved noise cancellation, health tracking and Apple Intelligence features. The broad hardware release may support ecosystem engagement and services revenue. Apple introduces AirPods 5
• Neutral Sentiment: New CEO John Ternus used his first keynote to emphasize that the iPhone remains Apple’s core platform, signaling continuity with the company’s established strategy while adding foldable hardware and AI capabilities. Apple’s new CEO is reviving a Steve Jobs strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Early reviews of the iPhone Duo were generally intrigued, but demand, production capacity and customer acceptance remain unproven. Analysts estimate the foldable could generate substantial revenue if Apple can avoid supply constraints. iPhone Duo first impressions review
• Negative Sentiment: Apple raised iPhone 18 Pro pricing by $100 and increased prices on older iPhone models. While higher prices could protect revenue and margins, they may limit unit demand, particularly as consumers face elevated component and memory costs. Apple raises prices on older iPhones
• Negative Sentiment: Huawei launched its Mate XT2 tri-fold smartphone ahead of Apple’s event, highlighting intense competition in foldables. Investors must also monitor manufacturing complexity, elevated inventory and the risk that the highly anticipated launch becomes a sell-the-news event. Huawei launches Mate XT2

Apple Company Profile

Apple Inc is a technology company that designs, develops and markets consumer electronics, software and digital services. Its principal products include the iPhone, Mac computers, iPad tablets, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories. The company also develops operating systems and applications that support its hardware products.

Apple’s services business includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, Apple Pay and iCloud. These services provide digital content, payments, cloud storage and subscription offerings across the company’s ecosystem of devices.

Founded in 1976, Apple is headquartered in Cupertino, California, and serves consumers, businesses, educational institutions and government customers worldwide.