Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has seen triple insider trading activity during a challenging period for its stock, hit by the tariff-driven market sell-offs.
The trade involving the technology giant’s top executives netted approximately $40 million. These insider trades, disclosed in SEC filings, were executed under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans designed to prevent insider trading allegations.
At the top of the list, Apple CEO Tim Cook sold roughly $24.18 million worth of stock on April 2, 2025, at prices between $221.77 and $224.76 per share. A day earlier, he received 218,568 shares through the vesting of restricted stock units (RSUs). Following the transactions, Cook directly holds 3,280,295 shares in the company.
COO Jeff Williams also sold part of his stake on April 2, offloading 35,493 shares for around $7.95 million at prices between $223.48 and $225.03. On April 1, he liquidated an additional 39,042 shares at $223.19 per share to cover taxes from RSU vesting, generating approximately $8.71 million.
Lastly, General Counsel and Secretary Katherine Adams reported similar activity. On April 1, she acquired 74,535 shares through RSU vesting and sold 35,713 shares, worth about $7.97 million, for tax obligations. On April 2, she sold another 38,822 shares in open market trades, bringing in roughly $8.68 million at prices between $221.68 and $224.62.
Apple stock struggles
These sales emerged just hours before Apple stock experienced one of its worst sell-offs, aligning with the broader market trend.
At the close of the last trading session, AAPL was valued at $188.38, dropping over 7% for the day. On the weekly chart, the stock plunged 13%.
Apple is among the companies that have suffered a massive hit from the tariffs. The firm lost over $315 billion in market cap within a single day, one of the largest losses in history.
To this end, analysts like Wedbush Securities’ Dan Ives, who views the tariffs as an “economic Armageddon,” warned that they could raise Apple product costs, disrupt the AI boom, and upend the global, cost-efficient tech supply chain.
However, all may not be lost for Apple, as there is a 30% chance the company could secure a tariff exemption, as it did in 2018.
Wall Street’s take on AAPL stock
On the other hand, a section of Wall Street remains largely bullish on Apple’s stock prospects. For instance, on April 3, Raymond James reiterated an ‘Outperform’ rating on the tech giant, maintaining a $250 price target. However, the firm warned that if proposed tariffs on Apple’s hardware are implemented, earnings per share could be slashed by as much as 25% next year.
Meanwhile, on the same date, Jefferies maintained its ‘Underperform’ rating and set a price target of $202, forecasting a potential 14% decline in net profit for fiscal year 2025 due to tariff risks.
In contrast, Tigress Financial Partners struck a bullish tone, boosting its price target to $300. The firm highlighted Apple’s expanding services segment, continued innovation, and robust capital returns as key long-term growth drivers.
In general, a consensus of 33 Wall Street analysts at TipRanks is projecting that AAPL will likely trade at an average price of $248.75, an upside of about 32% in the next 12 months.
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