Last updated: August 4th, 2026
Apple is an undisputed pioneer in the technology sector, and a mega-cap stock — renowned for becoming the world’s first trillion-dollar company.
A consumer technology manufacturer, Apple is known for its innovation and design, from its trendy Macintosh desktop computers to the revolutionary iPod and iPhone.
Its market capitalisation reached US$1 trillion in 2018, and it made history again in mid-2023 by being the first public company to surpass US$3 trillion.
In October 2025, it reached a US$4 trillion market cap for the first time (Nvidia and Microsoft beat Apple to this milestone).
But its journey since that peak has been rocky.
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Interested in owning a piece of Apple?
Let’s look at the facts surrounding the stock’s performance and show you how to buy Apple shares from Australia.
Above: Apple underperformed the S&P 500 and the ASX500 in the 12 months to October 2025, but has generally outperformed the index since 2019. Zoom out for better long-term context.
How Has Apple Stock Performed?
As of Augst 2026, Apple is valued at over US$4.4 trillion and is the second-biggest company in the world by market capitalisation.
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Throughout 2023, its share price surged 45% – despite overall revenue remaining flat — reflecting a broader bullish sentiment around US tech stocks.
AAPL was valued around US$190 per share at the close of 2023, and ended 2024 at around US$240.
The release of iPhone 17 last September 2025 helped reinvigorate investor interest after a lacklustre start to 2025.
Analysts began to speculate that Apple is no longer a growth stock. Their evidence? The company’s failure to produce another iPhone-level success story.
Did You Know?
I made the mistake of taking their opinions seriously, and selling my Apple positions (about 20% of my portfolio at the time). Whoops. The stock recovered a week after I sold it – and has been going gangbusters since.
And even though Apple has since surged to deliver a 49% return in 12 months, it failed to silence the critics. To them, recent revenue growth is a result of yet another hardware upgrade gimmick – not sustainable innovation.
(Related: How To Buy Nvidia Shares In Australia.)
Investors are also worried about the impact of Trump’s tariff volatility, and what it means for manufacturing goods in China.
Did You Know?
Apple is one of the famous five FAANG stocks, an acronym used to describe the most prominent tech companies (Facebook [now Meta], Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google [now Alphabet]). Dominant big tech stocks are now known as ‘The Magnificent Seven’ and include Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla.
Trump applied pressure on then-CEO Tim Cook to onshore parts of Apple’s supply chain.
Cook responded by announcing that some chips, server components, and specialised glass will be increasingly manufactured using US labour, but emphasised that final assembly will continue to take place overseas.
Trump, who likes to view himself as a dealmaker, announced that Apple’s phones, computers, and chips would be temporarily exempt from certain tariffs.
- In September 2025, Apple hit a new Q4 revenue record of US$102.5 billion (up 8% from Q4 2024). That included a September quarter revenue record for iPhone sales following the release of iPhone 17.
- This win failed to excite investors – and Apple’s shares remained in a glut between January and April 2026.
- Controversially, Apple announced a massive $100b share buyback program at the end of April 2026. The move successfully broke the stock out of its early-year plateau. The company has exhibited strong financials since, peaking at $338 per share in late July.
Important!
Share buybacks keep experts sharply divided. Some view it as a legitimate fiscal instrument that gives an executive team strategic options. Others see it as a myopic tactic that artificially inflates the price of the stock – and obscures the fact that the company is failing to innovate.
What Do Apple’s Performance Metrics Say?
Here are the key facts about Apple as of 30th October, 2025:
| P/E Ratio | 35.93 |
| PEGY Ratio | 2.41 |
| Return On Equity (ttm) | 141.81% |
| Shares Outstanding | 14.64B |
| 3-Month Average Volume | 54.77M |
Did You Know?
While the Android operating system is more popular globally, Apple’s iOS smartphones accounts for more than 58% of market share in the US and more than 52% in Oceania — two significant populations.
Frequently Asked Questions About AAPL Stock.
Learn these facts before buying Apple stock.
Has Apple Ever Had A Stock Split?
Yes. The company’s stock has split five times since Apple went public on December 12, 1980. On a split-adjusted basis, the IPO price was $10.
How Much Money Do I Need To Buy Apple Stock?
On 30 October 2025, one Apple share was worth US$269.70, which is around AU$450. However, some share trading platforms make investing in smaller sums via fractional shares possible.
What ETFs Hold A Lot Of Apple Stock?
As one of the top stocks in the S&P500, AAPL features prominently in a number of large-cap, technology-oriented ETFs. Investors can get exposure to Apple via ETFs like:
- Betashares NASDAQ 100 ETF ($NDQ)
- iShares Global Tech ETF (IXN)
- Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (MGK)
Important!
Holding ETFs instead of individual stocks may reduce the complexity of managing your investments while offering diversification benefits, as you’ll have exposure to multiple stocks (and possibly regions or sectors) instead of Apple, Inc. directly.
Does AAPL Pay Dividends?
Yes. Apple has paid out dividends, usually every quarter, since 2012.
Before that, dividend payouts were on hold, as Apple believed reinvesting profits into new projects would make more commercial sense.
Did You Know?
Apple’s competitors in the technology space, Google and Meta, also changed their tune on dividends — issuing their first ever payouts in 2024. Amazon is the only Mag7 tech giant that has never paid out dividends.
How To Buy Apple Stock In 4 Steps.
Australians can invest in Apple by using online share trading apps that provide access to international stock exchanges, including Apple’s NASDAQ exchange.
Here’s a four-step guide to getting started.
1. Set Reasonable Expectations.
Buying and selling shares involves risk. Only risk capital you’re prepared to lose.
Important!
Remember that Apple’s past results do not guarantee future performance. Don’t rely on guides like this one to influence your decision to buy or sell Apple stock.
Before you trade AAPL stocks, create an investment strategy with the help of a professional, ASIC-licensed financial advisor or planner.
2. Understand The Differences In Owning US Stock.
Buying Apple shares in Australia requires exchanging Australian dollars for US dollars, so an unfavourable AUD/USD exchange rate can make your investment more expensive.
Expert Tip.
You will also have to pay foreign exchange fees ranging between 0.5% and 1.5%.
Of course, selling your Apple shares when the US dollar is stronger than the Aussie could increase your realised profits.
Ownership of US stocks like AAPL is handled differently from how many Australians prefer to hold their ASX-listed stocks.
- In Australia, it’s possible to buy shares outright through a CHESS-sponsored broker. Your broker facilitates the trade, but you become the legal owner of the shares. This is recorded by the ASX, which issues you with a holder identification number (HIN). No matter what happens to the brokerage firm/app, your shares are connected to you personally.
- US stocks are sold via a custodial model, where the broker holds the shares on your behalf. You have the same beneficial rights as any other shareholder, receiving capital gains and returns, and can trade the shares as you see fit. A custodial model often enables brokers to offer lower fees and also supports fractional investing — where you can buy a fractional amount of one Apple share.
The third factor is how trading Apple stocks might impact your taxes. You’ll need to:
- Pay a 15% US withholding tax on any dividends you receive from your Apple shares.
- Pay tax to the ATO based on income received (dividends) and capital gains from AAPL stock.
You may be able to offset the foreign tax paid on your Australian tax return — check with your accountant if you’re not sure.
3. Choose A Broker And Sign Up.
US stocks like AAPL are bought and sold through share trading platforms and online brokerages.
If you already have a brokerage account for purchasing ASX-listed shares, check if they also offer access to US markets and, specifically, the NASDAQ, where Apple is listed.
If not, you’ll need to find a broker that does.
Above: Buying AAPL via the easy-to-use desktop interface of eToro.
Here are a few must-haves to look for in a brokerage:
- Registered with ASIC (the Australian Securities and Investments Commission), with an Australian Financial Licence (check the fine print on the app’s website).
- Transparent fees. You must know how much of your capital will get eaten away by brokerage fees. Remember, fees lower your returns.
- Usability and its feature set. Most platforms and apps aim to be user-friendly but have different strengths. What appeals to you will depend on your experience.
How Do Trading Platforms Differ?
You might prefer a platform with a demo account, social/copy trading, or more advanced trading tools. Market orders and limit orders may not be available on all trading platforms, either.
Signing up for a trading account is usually straightforward, but be prepared to satisfy the broker’s KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements by providing:
- Your personal details, including your name, contact details and date of birth.
- Your tax file number (TFN).
- A form of ID to verify your details.
- Your bank account number for depositing and withdrawing funds.
- A completed W-8BEN form will be required by the U.S. authorities.
Important!
Completing a W-8BEN form not only ensures compliance with US tax laws, it reduces the amount of tax you’ll pay on dividends from your Apple shares from 30% to 15%. The process for completing and submitting this form varies between apps.
4. Add Funds And Place Your Order.
Next, most brokerage accounts will ask you to:
- Transfer money to cover your purchase into your brokerage account.
- Find ‘AAPL’ or the ticker symbol of the ETF/fund you want to purchase via the app’s search function.
- Check that the current Apple share price is in line with your expectations.
- Enter the number of shares or the amount you want to spend, and select the order type (e.g., you can buy immediately at market rates or set limit or stop-loss orders to trigger the buy at specific price points).
- Hit ‘buy’ to execute the trade. You may have to wait around two days for the transaction to be settled.
It’s Easy to Buy Apple (AAPL) Shares In Australia.
But that doesn’t mean you should.
Apple is a gigantic, valuable company with a strong stock performance history.
But it’s a mistake to invest in any stock expecting guaranteed returns, or without gaining clarity about how the investment potentially supports your financial goals.
Disclaimer.
The information presented here is general in nature and does not endorse any investment product, market, provider, or service. It is not intended as financial advice or a recommendation to trade – or not to trade. Trading futures, shares, ETFs, options, CFDs, and forex involves a high level of risk and may result in significant losses, particularly when leverage is used. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Before trading, consider whether the product is appropriate for your circumstances and seek independent professional advice. Refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) on the provider’s website.
Jody
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