Form 4: Apple CEO Tim Cook Trades Shares and RSUs

Apple CEO Timothy D. Cook reported transactions involving the acquisition of common stock and the settlement of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) on April 1-2, 2026.

Summary

• Timothy D. Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., reported several transactions on April 1st and 2nd, 2026.
• On April 1, 2026, 131,576 shares of common stock were acquired, bringing the total beneficial ownership to 3,411,994 shares.
• Also on April 1, 2026, 66,627 shares were disposed of at an average price of $255.63, leaving 3,345,367 shares.
• Between April 2nd and April 2nd, 2026, multiple disposals of common stock occurred, totaling 5,087 shares at $251.25, 9,147 shares at $252.11, 1,878 shares at $253.13, 16,083 shares at $254.37, 28,188 shares at $255.17, and 4,566 shares at $256.
• These disposals resulted in a decrease in beneficial ownership to 3,280,418 shares by the end of April 2nd, 2026.
• Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) also settled on April 1, 2026: 85,080 RSUs from an award granted September 26, 2021, 22,159 RSUs from an award granted September 25, 2022, and 24,337 RSUs from an award granted October 1, 2023.
• Some of these RSUs were withheld by Apple to satisfy tax withholding requirements.
• A portion of the stock disposals were made under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on May 24, 2024.

Sentiment

Score: 5

Explanation: StockSavvy.ai views this as a neutral filing, as it primarily reports routine stock transactions by the CEO under a pre-established plan, with no significant new financial information or strategic shifts indicated.

Positives

• Acquisition of 131,576 shares of common stock on April 1, 2026.
• Settlement of multiple Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) on April 1, 2026, indicating vesting of previously awarded compensation.
• A portion of the transactions were conducted under a pre-established Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, suggesting planned and orderly management of holdings.

Negatives

• Disposal of a significant number of shares (totaling 85,080 shares across multiple transactions) between April 1st and April 2nd, 2026.
• The weighted average sale price for some transactions was lower than the acquisition price of some RSUs.

Risks

• Potential for negative market perception if large share disposals by key executives are interpreted as a lack of confidence, despite being part of a pre-planned trading strategy.
• Tax withholding requirements on RSU settlements could lead to automatic share sales to cover obligations.

Future Outlook

The filing details past transactions and does not contain forward-looking statements or guidance regarding future financial performance or stock transactions.

Management Comments

• The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide full information regarding the number of shares and prices at which the transactions were effected upon request to the SEC staff, Apple, or a security holder of Apple.

Industry Context

StockSavvy.ai notes that Form 4 filings by C-suite executives are routine disclosures of stock transactions. The use of a Rule 10b5-1 plan by Apple's CEO, Timothy D. Cook, is a common practice among executives to pre-arrange stock sales, mitigating concerns about insider trading and providing a structured approach to managing personal equity.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The disposal of shares by the CEO, even under a 10b5-1 plan, may be closely watched by investors. The acquisition of shares and settlement of RSUs are part of executive compensation and do not directly impact shareholder value in the short term.
• Employees: The settlement of RSUs reflects the company's compensation structure for its executives and potentially other employees, aligning their interests with the company's performance.
• Creditors: No direct impact on creditors is indicated by this filing.

Next Steps

• The reporting person has undertaken to provide further information upon request regarding transaction details.
• Future RSU settlements are scheduled for April 1, 2027, and April 1, 2028, for awards granted in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Key Dates

Keywords

Apple Inc., AAPL, Form 4, Insider Trading, Timothy D. Cook, CEO, Stock Options, RSU Settlement, Rule 10b5-1, Share Disposal, Beneficial Ownership