<div id="readability-page-1"><p>Almost everyone knows <strong>Apple</strong> <span>(AAPL<span> -2.41%</span>)</span>. Many millions of us have the company's devices in our pockets, handbags, or desktops, and many millions send Apple lots of money every year. Indeed, in Apple's last fiscal year, it raked in $391 billion in revenue. Better still, it kept fully 24% of that, more than $90 billion, as net income.</p> <div><p><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-b3A9cmVzaXplJnVybD1odHRwczovL2cuZm9vbGNkbi5jb20vZWRpdG9yaWFsL2ltYWdlcy84MDMzOTcvZ2V0dHktbG9va2luZy11cC10aGlua2luZy1kb3VidGluZy13b25kZXJpbmcuanBnJnc9NzAw?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" height="467" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-b3A9cmVzaXplJnVybD1odHRwczovL2cuZm9vbGNkbi5jb20vZWRpdG9yaWFsL2ltYWdlcy84MDMzOTcvZ2V0dHktbG9va2luZy11cC10aGlua2luZy1kb3VidGluZy13b25kZXJpbmcuanBnJnc9NzAw"/></p><p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> </div> <p>So it won't surprise you that Apple is among the largest companies in the world. It's actually <em>the </em>biggest company in the world, with a recent market value of $3.68 trillion, ahead of <strong>Nvidia</strong> ($3.54 trillion), <strong>Microsoft</strong> ($3.15 trillion), <strong>Alphabet</strong> ($2.36 trillion), and <strong>Amazon </strong>($2.36 trillion).</p> <p>Despite all that, investing in Apple is not a no-brainer move. It does require a little brain work, because there are both reasons to invest in it and reasons you might not want to.</p>  <h2>Why you might invest in Apple</h2> <p>Here are some solid reasons to consider investing in Apple stock:</p> <ul> <li>It has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI), which may pay off handsomely. Some expect that &#34;Apple Intelligence,&#34; which is already incorporated in many products, may drive a lot of upgrades. Some expect that, with more than 2 billion Apple devices in existence, Apple may become the biggest provider of AI to consumers.</li> <li>Apple is a dividend-paying stock. Its dividend yield was recently only 0.41%, but that payout has been growing -- by an average annual rate of about 6%. It's currently paying about $0.99 per share per year, up from $0.76 in 2019 and $0.51 in 2015.</li> <li>Apple has done a lot of repurchasing of its own shares, so that its total yield to shareholders, including both dividends and buybacks, per <strong>Morningstar</strong>, was recently 3%.</li> <li>Apple is financially healthy, and its lucrative business results in its having the means to invest heavily in its future growth, whether via research and development or acquisitions.</li> </ul> <h2>Why you might not want to invest in Apple</h2> <p>Despite all that, there's a good reason to think twice before investing in Apple: its valuation. Consider these recent metrics:</p> <div><table> <thead> <tr> <th> <p>Metric</p> </th> <th> <p>Recent</p> </th> <th> <p>Five-Year Average</p> </th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p>Price-to-sales ratio (PSR)</p> </td> <td> <p>9.5</p> </td> <td> <p>6.9</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio</p> </td> <td> <p>39.8</p> </td> <td> <p>28.4</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Forward-looking P/E ratio</p> </td> <td> <p>32.4</p> </td> <td> <p>26.8</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Price-to-cash flow ratio</p> </td> <td> <p>32.6</p> </td> <td> <p>23.3</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <p>Data source: Morningstar  as of Jan. 8, 2025.</p> <p>If you buy into Apple now and hold for many years or decades, you'll likely make money -- and potentially a lot of it. Nevertheless, it is not unlikely for an overvalued stock to fall back to a more reasonable level. And if you were to buy at a lower level, all your gains would be greater. Much depends on your risk tolerance.</p> <p>Meanwhile, those rich valuation numbers are a result of some terrific performances in recent years:</p> <div><table> <thead> <tr> <th> <p>Year</p> </th> <th> <p>Apple Gain (or Loss)</p> </th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p>2024</p> </td> <td> <p>30.1%</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>2023</p> </td> <td> <p>48.2%</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>2022</p> </td> <td> <p>(26.8%)</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>2021</p> </td> <td> <p>33.8%</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>2020</p> </td> <td> <p>80.8%</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>2019</p> </td> <td> <p>86.2%</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>2018</p> </td> <td> <p>(6.8%)</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>2017</p> </td> <td> <p>46.1%</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>2016</p> </td> <td> <p>10.0%</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <p>Data source: 1stock1.com  as of Jan. 8, 2025.</p> <p>Another reason to think twice about investing in Apple is that it hasn't introduced a revolutionary new product in a long time. Granted, few companies ever do, but Apple has done so multiple times, with offerings such as the iPod, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and more.</p> <h2>What should you do?</h2> <p>Whether you should buy, sell, or hold Apple depends a lot on <em>you</em>. Do you see the company continuing to introduce great new products in the years to come and having its value grow accordingly? Do you think its current price is reasonable, a bargain, or very overvalued?</p> <p>I think it's reasonable to expect Apple to not deliver 80% gains in any future years, though it could, of course, happen. Once a company is worth several trillion dollars, it can be harder to grow quickly, though it's still possible.</p> <p>If you're tempted but unsure, you might buy a small position in Apple, or establish a bigger position over time, buying shares incrementally. Or just add the stock to your watch list and wait and hope for a more attractive entry point.</p> <p>I am an Apple shareholder personally, and I'm planning to remain one for a long time. I have, however, shed some shares over the past year or two -- in part so that I don't have too many eggs in that one Apple basket, and in part because I see various other stocks as also promising and more undervalued.</p>                                                                                             </div>

AAPL

<p>Apple is the largest company globally, with a market value of $3.68 trillion and $391 billion in revenue last fiscal year. While it has strong reasons for investment, including AI advancements and a growing dividend, its high valuation metrics raise concerns. Investors should weigh the potential for future growth against the risk of overvaluation. The decision to invest should align with individual risk tolerance and market outlook, considering Apple's recent performance and product innovation track record.</p>

- Apple Inc. reported $391 billion in revenue and a net income of over $90 billion, making it the largest company globally with a market value of $3.68 trillion.  
- While investing in Apple has merits, such as its focus on AI and a growing dividend, concerns about its high valuation metrics and lack of recent revolutionary products warrant caution.  
- Investors should assess their risk tolerance and consider incremental buying or waiting for a more favorable entry point before deciding on Apple stock.

Motley Fool

Apple

Apple Is the Largest Company in the World. Here's Why Investors Should Be Wary of the Stock in 2025.