Company Update: Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) – Apple Takes the Encryption Fight to the Next Level (AAPL, FB)

[at Investopedia] – With Apple’s recent hiring of a renowned encryption expert, the fight between privacy and security will continue. Read more on this. Apple Inc. (AAPL) , with a current value of $546.75B, opened this morning at $99.44. Looking at today’s trading action, the company’s one day range from $99.25 to $100.47 with the price of the stock fluctuating between $89.47 to $132.97 over the last 52 weeks. AAPL shares are currently priced at 12.13x this year’s forecasted earnings, which makes them relatively expensive compared to the industry’s 11.19x earnings multiple for the same period. And for income investors, the company pays shareholders $2.28 per share annually in dividends, yielding 2.33%. In a review of the consensus earnings estimate this quarter, 36 sell-side analysts are looking at $1.39 per share, which would be $0.46 worse than the year-ago quarter and a $0.38 sequential decrease. Investors should also note that the full-year EPS estimate of $8.28 is a $0.94 setback when compared to the previous year’s annual results. The quarterly earnings estimate is based on a consensus revenue forecast of the current quarter of $42.14 Billion. If realized, that would be a 15.04% decrease over the year-ago quarter. Recently, Needham Initiated AAPL at Strong Buy (Apr 6, 2016). Previously, Cowen upgraded AAPL from Market Perform to Outperform. The average price target for AAPL shares is $125.42, which is 26.13% above where the stock opened this morning. See more in (NASDAQ:AAPL) Similar Articles: Stock Update: Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) – AT&T supports Apple in U.S. iPhone encryption dispute Company Update (NASDAQ:AAPL): HOLD -Apple encryption stand highlights mobile operators’ dilemma Stock Update (NASDAQ:AAPL): Apple urges US to form encryption panel