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Apple CEO John Ternus Holds Shares Worth $20.2 Million

A recent SEC filing reveals current stock holdings for Apple CEO John Ternus following his October share sales.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Public Companies

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Apple CEO John Ternus retains $20.2 million in company stock following an October sale of shares reported in recent regulatory filings. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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As of October 5, 2026, Apple CEO John Ternus maintains ownership of 59,567 shares of the company, valued at over $20.2 million in mid-October. This disclosure follows his early October sale of 74,446 shares for nearly $25 million.

Why it matters

The disclosures provide insight into the equity stakes held by Apple leadership as the company navigates its latest corporate transition. These figures reflect the compensation structures and stock ownership levels for top executives overseeing the tech giant.

Institutional investors currently hold a 76.6% stake in Apple, with major positions held by The Vanguard Group at 9.8%, BlackRock at 8%, and Vanguard Capital Management at 6.6%. Meanwhile, John Ternus holds approximately 250,000 unvested restricted stock units.

The players

John Ternus

He is the current CEO of Apple who previously led the company's product design team.

Tim Cook

He is a prominent executive at Apple who holds 3.2 million shares of the company.

Arthur D. Levinson

He is a significant stakeholder in Apple who held 3.7 million shares as of May 2026.

The details

John Ternus accumulated his shares through promotional programs and stock awards since joining the product design team in 2001. Other key leaders also maintain significant stakes, with Tim Cook holding 3.2 million shares and Arthur D. Levinson owning 3.7 million shares.

Timeline

  1. John Ternus joined Apple's product design team in 2001.

  2. John Ternus assumed the role of CEO on September 1, 2026.

  3. A total of 99,878 restricted stock units vested for John Ternus on October 1, 2026.

  4. John Ternus's share ownership was formally disclosed in an SEC filing on October 5, 2026.

  5. Additional restricted stock units are scheduled to vest for John Ternus in 2027.

Market Landscape

This disclosure follows the standard reporting patterns established by the SEC's Form 4 requirements for executive insider trading. The data underscores the dominance of institutional holdings in Apple, which account for over three-quarters of the total shares outstanding.

These disclosures offer transparency for retail investors tracking the alignment of executive interests with company performance. Customers and investors should note that such stock movements are part of regular executive compensation cycles.

The takeaway

Executive stock ownership disclosures are a routine part of corporate life for large public companies. Investors typically look to these filings to understand how leadership's financial interests correlate with the firm's long-term strategy.

Further reading

For more information on corporate governance, visit the Public Companies section.

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Do you believe significant stock holdings for CEOs make them more accountable to shareholders?