Apple Inc. (AAPL) — Quality & forensics

As of 2026-10-21 — refreshed nightly. Closelooknet readings from an investment research diary, not ratings or advice.

The Closelooknet module scores

56 /100 composite · 7 modules · software-infra weight set

Valuation 23
Quality 84
Growth 45
Balance sheet 58
Cash quality 50
Capital allocation 58
Momentum 84

Scores are computed nightly across the coverage universe and read relative to it — the methodology lives in the company-scoring explainer.

Financial forensics — the academic screens

12.80 Altman Z-Score

Sits in the safe zone (above 2.99). The Z-Score estimates financial-distress risk from five balance-sheet and earnings ratios.

8/9 Piotroski F-Score

Nine binary fundamental-strength checks across profitability, leverage and operating efficiency.

-2.25 Beneish M-Score

Screens reported earnings for statistical manipulation patterns — below the −1.78 manipulation-risk threshold. A screen, not an accusation.

Continue: the AAPL chart & overview · the earnings record · AAPL on the tape

FAQ · from the current data · as of 2026-10-21

Quick answers

What is Apple Inc.'s Closelooknet quality reading?

The composite reads 56/100 across 7 modules, as of 2026-10-21: valuation 23, quality 84, growth 45, balance sheet 58, cash quality 50, capital allocation 58, momentum 84. Closelooknet scores are research diary readings, not ratings or investment advice.

What is Apple Inc.'s Altman Z-Score?

12.80, which sits in the safe zone (above 2.99) as of 2026-10-21. The Altman Z-Score estimates financial distress risk from five balance-sheet and earnings ratios.

What is Apple Inc.'s Piotroski F-Score?

8 of 9, as of 2026-10-21. The F-Score counts nine binary fundamental-strength signals across profitability, leverage and operating efficiency.

What does Apple Inc.'s Beneish M-Score indicate?

-2.25 — below the −1.78 manipulation-risk threshold, as of 2026-10-21. The M-Score screens reported earnings for statistical manipulation patterns; it is a screen, not an accusation.

Mentioned on Closelooknet

Where AAPL appears in the diary — 35 pieces, newest first. Every link is our own writing.

Go deeper

Long reads

The Agentic Winners 25Dossier · $49 · 31 Mar 2026Apple controls the on-device inference environment — the hardware runtime on which personal agents will execute.
NVIDIA 2030Dossier · $49 · 24 Mar 2026The historical analogy chain — Microsoft (Windows monopoly) → Apple (consumer computing platform) → AWS (global cloud utility) → NVIDIA (global intelligence utility) — frames the scale of what is happening.
Magnificent Seven — The Seven at the ShelfWeekly Signal · 30 Aug 20262 · The four long trends — and the one most behind The four long trends, three years each: MSFT +59%, AMZN +97%, GOOG +152%, AAPL +72%.

Dailies

AI Trade — TSMC is ‘prudent’ on 2027: chip fund −2.0%, Dell −7.7%; software bought, Dow +0.9%Midday 10 · 15 Oct 2026Alphabet +0.6%, Apple +0.1%, Amazon −0.1%, Meta −0.4%.
Chips — SOXX −3.7%, now 20% below its June high; software −2.4% as hot inflation and BlackRock weighMidday 10 · 14 Oct 2026Apple +1.0% is one of the few large tech names in the green; Tesla −2.5%, Amazon −1.3%, Alphabet −0.2%.
Chips — memory and optics sold again: Lumentum −7.7%, SanDisk −6.5%, chip fund −2.6%; Meta +3.8%Midday 10 · 12 Oct 2026Meta +3.8% to $746 leads the megacaps; eBay +5.3%, Apple +1.3%, Alphabet +1.0%
Oil — Brent +3.4% to $103.64, energy the only strong sector; chips and power generators sold, PepsiCo +1.1%Midday 10 · 8 Oct 2026A few large names hold up: Palantir +2.4% to $198.76, Apple +0.4%, Microsoft +0.3%
Stocks — broadly lower after the records: Russell 2000 −1.4%, power and cooling names sold, Penguin +15.3%Midday 10 · 7 Oct 2026Defensives hold: health care XLV +1.8%, staples XLP +0.4%; Apple +0.3%, Amazon +0.6%
S&P 500 — record high as Marvell jumps 7.6% on its investor day; chip-machine makers slideMidday 10 · 6 Oct 2026Megacaps mixed: Amazon +1.5% to $255.27, Alphabet +0.5%, Tesla +0.4%; Apple and Meta flat
Jobs-day rally fades — weak payrolls lift stocks at the open, then yields turn up and the Dow goes flatMidday 10 · 2 Oct 2026Tesla $370.87 (+4.73%), the strongest of the largest seven; Alphabet +1.09%, Amazon +0.79%, Meta +0.52%, Microsoft +0.38%, Apple +0.32%
Markets — Nasdaq +1.5% before the open even as TLT breaks 78; Tokyo +3.3% on Micron's record quarterMorning 10 · 1 Oct 2026Movers — Fair Isaac -4.1% to 592.47, below 600; Meta -1.8%, Eli Lilly -2.3%, Apple +1.1%

Related in the Closelooknet universe

same Closelooknet index seat first, then Consumer Electronics. Scored names rank on their Closelooknet score; names without one rank on trend state — above or below their 50- and 200-day averages — never on a score they do not carry.