Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) Shares Up 0.4% – Still a Buy?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s stock price was up 0.4% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $223.39 and last traded at $222.93. Approximately 11,738,984 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 78% from the average daily volume of 52,251,535 shares. The stock had previously closed at $222.13.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on AAPL shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Apple from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. KeyCorp reaffirmed an “underweight” rating and set a $200.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a report on Friday, January 31st. Monness Crespi & Hardt boosted their target price on shares of Apple to $245.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Oppenheimer cut shares of Apple from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Apple from $275.00 to $252.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, March 12th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating, twenty-one have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Apple currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $245.52.

Apple Trading Up 0.4 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 0.92. The company has a market capitalization of $3.35 trillion, a P/E ratio of 35.40, a PEG ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 1.18. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $230.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $233.42.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The iPhone maker reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.36 by $0.04. Apple had a net margin of 24.30% and a return on equity of 160.83%. Research analysts predict that Apple Inc. will post 7.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Apple Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 13th. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.45%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 15.87%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Apple

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Drystone LLC acquired a new stake in Apple in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Bull Oak Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Apple by 252.3% in the 3rd quarter. Bull Oak Capital LLC now owns 155 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Life Planning Partners Inc purchased a new position in Apple during the 4th quarter worth $47,000. Conquis Financial LLC acquired a new position in Apple during the 4th quarter valued at about $63,000. Finally, LSV Asset Management purchased a new stake in Apple in the fourth quarter valued at about $65,000. 67.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Apple Company Profile

Apple Inc designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, and accessories worldwide. The company offers iPhone, a line of smartphones; Mac, a line of personal computers; iPad, a line of multi-purpose tablets; and wearables, home, and accessories comprising AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, and HomePod.