Apple's Quarterly Figures: Exciting Expectations and Dividend Opportunities

The technological heavyweights of Apple are once again in the spotlight of investors, as the company will announce its financial results for the fourth quarter after the market close on Thursday, October 31. Wall Street analysts are forecasting an increase in earnings to $1.60 per share, compared to $1.36 in the prior-year period. Revenue expectations are also set high, with forecasts of $94.58 billion. Impressively, Apple has exceeded analyst revenue expectations in the last six quarters—and nine of the last ten in total—which further fuels expectations for the company. Some investors may see potential in Apple's quarterly figures for dividend yields. Currently, Apple offers an annual dividend yield of 0.43%, which corresponds to a quarterly payout of 25 cents per share. To achieve a monthly dividend income of $500, an investor would need to hold approximately 6,000 Apple shares with a total value of around $1,380,600. For a more modest target of $100 per month, 1,200 shares valued at $276,120 would be required. However, the dividend yield is flexible and subject to fluctuations in dividend payment and stock price. For example, an annual dividend of $2 on a stock price of $50 would result in a yield of 4%. If the price increases to $60, the yield drops to 3.33%, while at a price of $40, it would rise to 5%. Changes in dividend amounts can also affect the yield. Increasing dividends boost the yield even with a constant stock price, while reduced dividends decrease the yield.