Apple Stock Price – AAPL Price Chart, History and Prediction
Apple is the largest consumer technology company in the world and is currently valued at a market cap of $2.4 trillion. It is also the largest publicly traded stock. In this article, we take a look at the trends of Apple stock price and underlying factors impacting the tech heavyweight. Let’s see what has impacted the price of Apple stock in the past and how it is likely to perform in the future.
Apple Stock Price Chart Today
Apple Stock Price History
Apple was founded by its visionary CEO Steve Jobs in 1977. With its headquarters in Cupertino, California, Apple stock (AAPL) went public in October 1981. On a split-adjusted basis, the stock price of Apple was around $0.04 per share on October 23, 1981, which was also the stock’s all-time low price. Apple stock price history recorded an all-time high of $156.69 in 2021, but has since lost 8% in value.
Apple share prices have been extremely volatile in the last four decades. In its first year of trading, the stock lost 35.17% in market value, before rising 35% in 1982. AAPL stock price then more than doubled in 1987, and just before the dot-com bubble it rose by 212% in 1998 and by 151% in 1999. It then lost significant value in 2000 when Apple stock pulled back by 71%.
In the last 18 years, the stock price for Apple has experienced an upward trend. Shares more than tripled in 2004, and rose by a stellar 123% in 2005 as well. These gains were offset during the 2008 financial crash, where Apple stock price declined by 56.91%. Since 2008, Apple stock has experienced negative gains in just two years, 2015 and 2018.
Since its IPO, Apple has derived 362,000% to investors in dividend-adjusted gains. It means $100 dollars invested just after Apple’s IPO would be worth a staggering $362,000 today!
Apple Stock Price Splits
Investors should also note that Apple’s stock has split five times in the past. Its first Apple stock price split on a 2-for-1-basis in June 1987, and in the same ratio in June 2000, and in February 2005. It split again, on a 7-for-1 basis in June 2014, and on a 4-for-1 basis in August 2020.
Apple’s stock has gained significant momentum in the years’ shares were split back in 1987, 2000, and 2005. In 2014, shares rose by 38% while in 2020, they gained by 80.75%. The splits has been viewed as a positive development by Wall Street and this trend is likely to continue in the future as the corporate action boosts liquidity significantly.
Apple Stock Price Prediction
Analysts on Wall Street remain optimistic about the Apple stock price future. According to Yahoo Finance, 38 analysts track AAPL stock. Out of these 40 analysts, 32 recommend a “buy” on the stock and six recommend a “hold”. We note that there are no sell recommendations.
What’s more, the 12-month average analyst price target estimates stand at $168, offering investors an upside potential of around 17% from current prices.
Finally, in the very long term, AAPL forecasts look optimistic too. According to Coin Price Forecast, the Apple stock price prediction 2025 is of $261 mid-year, and by 2030 the AAPL share price could even reach over $400.
How Can I Buy Apple Stock Today?
In order to invest in Apple shares, you need to first create an online trading account with a regulated broker. This is where ZFX come into play. ZFX is a secure and efficient broker which allows you to trade top stocks, commodities, indexes and forex. It provides other benefits, including a free demo account, educational tools, competitive fees and more.
A major benefit of using the ZFX platform is that you can trade Apple stock by leveraging your position without having to assume ownership.
Investing in AAPL Shares: Tutorial
In order to buy Apple stock, the user will be using ZFX’s MT4 platform which supports a wide variety of order types allowing you to trade from charts. The ZFX MT4 provides advanced analytical tools & indicators as well as comprehensive statements and reporting in addition to a live news feed feature.
It easily integrates with the existing trading infrastructure where users can attach additional programs due to API protocols. You can also back-test your strategies before investing real capital into the stock market. Here’s how you can buy the stock on the ZFX platform.
Step 1: Register with ZFX
In order to trade AAPL on the ZFX platform, you need to first open a trading account. Simply visit the broker’s website and select ‘Open an account’. A registration will appear, which you need to complete with your name, contact details and a password. Once you have filled everything in, click on ‘Next’.
ZFX will then display your MT4 account details, as seen in the image above. Take note of this information, as you will need it in order to start trading.
Step 2: Make your First Deposit
Depositing funds into your account is the next step. You can begin your trading journey for as low as $50, depending on the type of account you open. To deposit funds, just select “Make a deposit” on the screen displayed immediately after registration. You will then be asked to choose a payment method: credit card or bank transfer.
You will need to enter the amount to be deposited and then select “Confirm Deposit” on this screen. Then, just enter your credit card information before the final payment validation.
Step 3: Account Verification
After depositing the requisite funds, your ZFX account will be set up. Submit the required documents on the ZFX platform (identification document and a banking certification document) and your account will be live.
Step 4: Invest in Apple Stock at the Current Price
After opening the ZFX account in just a few minutes, you can now begin trading Apple stock CFD with ease. To do so, log into your MT4 account using your account information you were given during step 1. Then, you will be able to access your Dashboard and look up all the assets you wish to trade. You will find Apple shares under its symbol AAPL. Select it, and then simply set up your investment in the way you prefer.
To Buy or Not to Buy Apple Stock
As stated earlier, Apple is the largest publicly traded stock in the world in terms of market cap. The tech behemoth is also among the most popular brands in the world that result in repeat purchases of its products.
In fiscal 2020 that ended in September, Apple reported sales of $274.5 billion, up from $265.6 billion in fiscal 2018. The iPhone remains a key revenue driver for Apple and generated the majority of company sales last year. In the quarter ended in June, the iPhone accounted for 48% of total sales.
1. Apple is a diversified business
But, Apple has successfully expanded its product portfolio over the years, allowing it to diversify its revenue base in the process. Its other products include the Mac and the iPad as well as devices such as the Apple Watch, Apple TV, AirPods, and the Homepods.
As consumers shift towards a mobile-first world, Apple’s Services business continues to gain massive traction. This includes ad services from third-party licensing arrangements primarily from the highly lucrative App Store as well as its own ad platforms. The business also includes revenue from AppleCare which is a fee-based service that supports products under the AppleCare brand.
Apple’s cloud services store and keep customer’s content up-to-date and the company also provides several subscription-based services such as Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple News +, and Apple TV+. While its path-breaking products remain popular with customers due to the company’s investment in research and development (it spent $20 billion in R&D in fiscal 2021), its brand value will extend into future products across verticals such as digital health, autonomous vehicles, and AR/VR.
2. 5G provides an opportunity for the company
Apple is a company that stands to benefit from the worldwide transition towards 5G technology. It recently launched the iPhone 13 and is well poised to generate demand from its flagship device in the upcoming quarters. At the start of 2021, Apple in fact had an installed base of 1.65 billion devices. Further, its 5G enabled iPhone 12 smartphone was a key driver of top-line growth in the last year and this trend is likely to continue in the future as well.
In the first three quarters of fiscal 2021, iPhone sales rose by 37.5% year over year and the latest device can attract customers who did not upgrade their device in the last cycle. The iPhone can be considered a flywheel product for Apple and strong sales in this business generally spills over to other products and services which in turn expands the company’s ecosystem.
3. Apple stocks provides dividends and share buybacks
In addition to capital gains, Apple has also increased shareholder wealth via dividends and buybacks. Between fiscal 2012 and fiscal 2017, Apple returned $233.9 billion to shareholders in dividends ($67.9 billion) and buybacks ($166 billion). This capital return is expected to $370 billion between fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2021.
Apple ended the June quarter with $194 billion in cash and $122 billion in debt, giving it enough flexibility to grow via acquisitions as well as entering new markets over the next few years.
Things to Know About Apple Stock Price Before You Invest
While Apple stock has crushed market returns since its IPO, you should know that investing in the company carries certain risks. For example, Apple remains vulnerable to macro-economic issues surrounding the manufacturing sector. For example, global shortage in semiconductor chips is expected to weigh heavily on Apple’s product shipments in the next two quarters. This is one of the most important reasons why the stock is trailing the S&P 500 in 2021.
But Apple remains a fundamentally strong stock that should stage a rebound soon. Investors should also understand that past returns should not be used to predict future price performance and it will be difficult for Apple stock price to replicate historical returns.
Bottom Line: What Can We Expect from Apple Stock Price?
We have seen the Apple ecosystem continues to expand and its strong brand name ensures repeat purchases of products. The company is also expanding into other growth verticals and this trend should continue in the future driving revenue higher in the process.
Given these factors and the analyst optimism surrounding Apple stock, it makes perfect sense to buy and hold shares of the world’s largest company right now. And if you wish to invest today, you can do so easily and quickly through the broker ZFX. This is a secure and efficient platform, which offers many extra benefits as we have explained throughout this guide.