Introducing Valuation Models! 
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has seen its stock rebound in recent months, trading at around $214 per share with a market cap north of $3 trillion. It’s a cornerstone holding for countless investors, thanks to its iconic products, enormous cash flow, and entrenched ecosystem that drives customer loyalty.
The company’s steady innovation, margin resilience, and push into services like Apple TV+, iCloud, and Apple Pay have helped reignite bullish sentiment, keeping Apple front and center in conversations about dominant tech companies.
By digging into Apple’s ownership structure, we get a better sense of which institutional giants are backing the stock with conviction. Whether it’s passive giants like Vanguard and BlackRock or high-conviction capital allocators like Berkshire Hathaway, knowing who owns Apple and how much they’ve recently bought or sold gives individual investors insight into market sentiment and potential catalysts behind the scenes.
It also reflects how capital structures evolve over time. While Steve Jobs once held a significant stake in the company he helped build, today Apple’s ownership is widely distributed. The largest single holder, The Vanguard Group, owns just over 9% of outstanding shares, a reflection of Apple’s shift from a founder-driven startup into one of the most widely held public companies on the planet.
The Biggest Shareholders
Apple’s stock is mostly in the hands of giant institutional investors, especially passive asset managers. At the top of the list is Vanguard, which owns nearly $300 billion worth of Apple stock. That’s about 9.3% of the company. BlackRock is next, with a $157.7 billion stake, or just under 5% of shares outstanding. These firms run massive index funds and ETFs, so their positions mostly reflect Apple’s size in benchmarks like the S&P 500 rather than a specific bet on the stock.
State Street and Geode Capital are also major passive holders, with 4% and 2.3% of the company, respectively. Together, these four firms own over 20% of Apple, which is a huge portion even if most of it is tied to index flows.
Berkshire Hathaway is a different story. Warren Buffett’s firm owns 300 million shares worth over $63 billion. That’s about 2% of Apple, but it makes up nearly 24% of Berkshire’s entire portfolio today. Apple is a centerpiece holding for Buffett.
Other big holders include Fidelity, T. Rowe Price, and Norges Bank, which is Norway’s sovereign wealth fund. Some of these firms trimmed their stakes in recent quarters, while others like Geode and Norges added to their positions.
See the top shareholders for 50,000+ stocks and track the top holdings of 10,000+ hedge funds >>>
Recent Insider Transactions
Insider activity at Apple has been relatively quiet in recent months, with no notable buying from executives or directors. Most of the recent transactions have been sales, which is typical for Apple given the scale of its stock-based compensation program. These sales do not necessarily signal concern, as they happen pretty regularly and are sometimes executed through pre-scheduled trading plans.
CEO Tim Cook sold over 100,000 shares in early April 2025 at around $222 per share. The total value of the sales was in the tens of millions, but they represented only a small portion of his overall ownership. These types of transactions have been consistent with his past selling activity.
Other insiders, including Christopher Kondo and Kevan Parekh, also made smaller sales during April and May. Most of these involved a few thousand shares at prices near the same range. While insider buying tends to be viewed as a stronger signal, the recent activity appears routine for a company of Apple’s size and maturity.
See recent Insider Transactions for over 50,000 global stocks (It’s free) >>>
What the Ownership Tells Us
Apple’s shareholder base is dominated by some of the largest institutional investors in the world. Apple benefits from consistent index fund inflows, thanks to the high concentration of passive ownership from firms like Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street.
At the same time, Berkshire Hathaway’s $63 billion position highlights that Apple is also a high-conviction pick for long-term investors. When a firm like Berkshire makes Apple nearly one-quarter of its portfolio, it signals strong belief in the company’s fundamentals and long-term value.
Insiders have been selling the stock, but that doesn’t necessarily mean leadership is bearish. Apple is widely trusted, closely watched, and still viewed as a core holding by many of the world’s most influential investors.
Wall Street Analysts Are Bullish on These 5 Undervalued Compounders With Market-Beating Potential
TIKR just released a new free report on 5 compounders that appear undervalued, have beaten the market in the past, and could continue to outperform on a 1-5 year timeline based on analysts’ estimates.
Inside, you’ll get a breakdown of 5 high-quality businesses with:
- Strong revenue growth and durable competitive advantages
- Attractive valuations based on forward earnings and expected earnings growth
- Long-term upside potential backed by analyst forecasts and TIKR’s valuation models
These are the kinds of stocks that can deliver massive long-term returns, especially if you catch them while they’re still trading at a discount.
Whether you’re a long-term investor or just looking for great businesses trading below fair value, this report will help you zero in on high-upside opportunities.
Click here to sign up for TIKR and get our full report on 5 undervalued compounders completely free.
