64% of Benzinga viewers have owned Apple stock; 23% hold it now
Benzinga poll data reveals that 64% of its viewers have owned Apple Inc stock, with 23% currently holding shares. A comparable poll showed 73% ownership for Tesla Inc. Apple CEO Tim Cook steps down on Sept. 1, succeeded by John Ternus, as the stock rises 12.6% YTD in 2026.
*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.
Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) remains a staple for retail investors, with a recent poll indicating that 64% of Benzinga viewers have owned the stock at some point. Of those surveyed, 23% currently hold shares, while 41% have traded the stock in the past but no longer own it. The remaining 36% stated they have never owned Apple stock outside of ETFs or mutual funds.
The data comes from a poll conducted during the Aug. 13 episode of "PreMarket Playbook," hosted by Ryan Faloona. The survey included responses from 218 viewers.
Comparing with Tesla Stock
When compared to Tesla Inc, Apple shows lower historical ownership among this specific viewer group. In a separate poll of 214 viewers regarding Tesla:
- 53% traded Tesla before but do not own it.
- 20% currently own Tesla stock.
- 27% have never owned Tesla stock outside of funds.
This indicates that 73% of respondents polled for the Tesla question have owned the stock at some point, compared to 64% for Apple, despite Apple being publicly traded since December 1980 and Tesla having a shorter public history.
| Metric: | Apple Poll | Tesla Poll |
|---|---|---|
| Total Respondents: | 218 | 214 |
| Currently Own: | 23% | 20% |
| Previously Owned: | 41% | 53% |
| Never Owned: | 36% | 27% |
| Total Ever Owned: | 64% | 73% |
Leadership Transition
Apple is approaching a significant leadership change. Tim Cook will step down as CEO on Sept. 1, ending his 15-year tenure. He succeeded co-founder Steve Jobs. John Ternus is set to succeed Cook.
Ternus faces immediate pressure with an upcoming product event on Sept. 9, expected to unveil details on the iPhone 18 lineup.
What the Numbers Show
The divergence in ownership percentages highlights differing retail investor engagement patterns between the two tech giants within this specific sample. While Apple has been public for significantly longer (since 1980), a higher percentage of these viewers have held Tesla shares (73%) compared to Apple (64%). This suggests that despite Apple’s longer market presence and status as the second-largest publicly traded company, Tesla has captured more direct individual investor attention in this cohort.
Market Performance
Apple stock is up 12.6% year-to-date in 2026. Over the last 52 weeks, shares are up over 30%. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2026 and was the first to reach the $1 trillion, $2 trillion, and $3 trillion market cap milestones. It is currently worth $4.46 trillion.
In the first half of 2026, Apple ranked sixth for searches on Benzinga Pro, while Tesla ranked fourth.
How might John Ternus's first major product launch on Sept. 9 influence retail investor sentiment and short-term trading volume for Apple?
Will the transition from Tim Cook to John Ternus impact Apple's long-term strategic direction regarding services versus hardware innovation?
Given Tesla's higher historical ownership rate among this demographic, does this indicate a shift in retail preference toward high-growth EV stocks over established tech giants?
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