Discover Who the Biggest Apple Shareholders Are?

October 13, 2022January 18, 2024 Nathaniel Mansfield

Apple is one of the most sought-after stocks on the market, so it’s no surprise that its top executives are the biggest Apple shareholders. Through the introduction of the MacBook and iPhone, this company has completely transformed how people use technology. These key introductions allowed this daring company to move out of Steve Jobs’ childhood home and become one of the biggest corporations in the world. In 2018, Apple was the first company to attain a $1 trillion market valuation. This achievement was groundbreaking and cemented Apple’s place as one of the most influential companies of the 21st century.

Despite shedding $130 billion in 2019 due to slowing iPhone sales, Apple is stronger than ever. This multinational technology giant operates across the globe and has over 500 stores and 132,000 employees. They are currently building a $1 billion headquarters in Austin, Texas. This 133-acre campus will employ 15,000 people and make Apple the largest private employer in Austin. Apple is currently considered one of the Big Four tech companies alongside Amazon, Google & Facebook.

The performance of their stocks is just as impressive since they have made hundreds of people millionaires. On the first day, Apple went public as AAPL in 1980, they sold 4.6 million shares at $22 per share. This generated over $100 million, which was the most capital of any IPO since Ford Motor Company in 1956. By the end of the day, the stock soared to $29 per share, which made 300 of their shareholders millionaires. Within 24 hours of going public Apple’s market cap was $1.778 billion, and this sensational growth can still be seen today.

Their current share price is $266.29, which is an epic jump from their $22 starting price. Due to the quality of its products, Apple is one of the most revered stocks available. Everyone from college students to seasoned traders has jumped at the chance to invest in this massive company. Out of these contributors, none are more heavily invested in Apple than the top executives of the company.

The passing of Steve Jobs stole the spotlight, and Apple shareholders normally fly under the radar. To showcase who really runs the company, we compiled a list of the biggest Apple shareholders in 2019. These tenacious technicians own huge chunks of one of the biggest companies in the world, so examine their bios to see what they did right!

Apple Shareholders

Here are some of the major shareholders or institutional investors who held significant stakes in Apple at that time:

Vanguard Group:
- Vanguard Group is one of the largest investment management companies globally. It holds a substantial number of Apple shares through various funds.
BlackRock:
- BlackRock is another major investment management firm with significant holdings in Apple. Like Vanguard, BlackRock manages various funds that own Apple stock.
Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett):
- Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has been a notable long-term investor in Apple. Berkshire Hathaway is known for its value-oriented investment approach.
State Street Corporation:
- State Street is a financial services and investment management company that holds a considerable number of Apple shares through its various funds.
The Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund:
- This specific Vanguard fund, among others, holds a large number of Apple shares. Index funds like these often mirror the overall stock market and thus include substantial holdings in major companies like Apple.
Fidelity Investments:
- Fidelity is a prominent financial services company that manages various investment funds, some of which hold significant positions in Apple.

It’s important to note that individual shareholders may change their positions, and new institutional investors may emerge over time.

Biggest Apple Shareholders

Shareholder #3: Craig Federighi, Senior VP of Software Engineering (412,517 shares) – This visionary engineer has been an essential part of Apple since 1996. Federighi’s first claim to fame was working with Steve Jobs at NeXT where they developed the Enterprise Objects Framework. When Apple bought out NeXT in 1996, Federighi joined Apple and led the engineers in charge of creating the company’s software. Today Federighi and his team oversee the development of OS X, iOS and Apple’s common operating system. He is the third-largest shareholder of the company and a major innovator for the brand.

Shareholder #2: Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer (878,425 shares) – Like the previous entry, Cook has been on board the Apple bandwagon for over 20 years. After working as Vice President for Corporate Materials at the computer distributor Compaq, he was hired by Apple in 1998. For over a decade Cook served as Apple’s chief operating officer where he led the company’s international sales and operations. His talent at turning Apple into a multinational brand didn’t go unnoticed, since he was named CEO in 2011 after Steve Jobs resigned. Today he is the second-biggest shareholder and leads one of the most powerful brands in the world.

Shareholder #1: Arthur Levinson, Chairman of the Board (1.1 million shares) – Even though most consumers have never heard of him, this is the most powerful man at Apple. Levinson has been sitting on Apple’s board of directors since 2000 and is currently the CEO of Calico. Ironically, this innovative company was launched by Google’s parent company Alphabet in 2013. Calico’s main focus is combating ageing and related illnesses, which is a fascinating field to be pioneering. Levinson also serves on the board of the Broad Institute, which is a biomedical research centre that’s affiliated with Harvard and MIT. His impact on electronics can’t be negated, and we can only hope that Levinson is equally successful at revolutionizing our health.