aapl605
Apple's share price today closed above $600 for the first time, hitting new highs after hours as well. It's been a busy day for Apple shareholders, with the pre-trading announcement that the company will be initiating a strong quarterly dividend and has authorized $10 billion share buyback program.

After the final bell, Apple announced that the company moved more than 3 million new iPads in the first four days of eligibility, making the new iPad the fastest selling tablet in the world.

AAPL closed at $601.10, an all-time high, and nearly reached $605 in after hours trading. Apple should report earnings for the first calendar quarter in late-April, after reporting record earnings and sales for the holiday quarter.

Top Rated Comments

dejo Avatar
173 months ago
AAPL stock was up 2.65% the same day they announced a $2.65 dividend. Ooh, freaky!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cvaldes Avatar
173 months ago
You still don't understand cash flow, do you?

Look, after everything they did, Apple added about $38 billion in cash to its hoard last year.

Let's say that Apple's profits remains the same over the next three years (unlikely) and they use $15 billion each year for the dividend/share buyback program. They would still be adding $23 billion each year. Today's $98B hoard would end up being over $165B in March 2015, even after the $45B program ended.

Also, Apple is likely buying components with foreign cash, not U.S. domestic cash. Remember that despite all of Apple's strategic component pre-purchases, they are still growing cash.

You need to understand that repatriating cash back to the USA is particularly expensive tax-wise.

Remember that the share buyback program is there to prevent share dilution from RSUs. In the next few years, some senior Apple executives are going to see their option incentives become available to exercise. If Apple doesn't buy back shares, they would have to issue new ones, which would dilute the value of the existing shares. Apple grants options to many employees for excellent performance, etc. (they're called the "golden handcuffs" for good reason), but those shares have to come from somewhere. Many senior management team members were granted options as an incentive for them to stay with the company, especially after Steve died. Basically, Apple promised these execs a pile of money in the future without saying where it was going to come from. Now they said "we going to use some of our cash now and set it aside for when that day comes."
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eatsleepdrivesc Avatar
173 months ago
Go Apple! Thats a lot of new IPads!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cvaldes Avatar
173 months ago
The dividend allows AAPL to be included in a certain class of investments that require dividend payouts like income mutual funds. This will probably decrease decrease trade volatility in the long run.

Note that the dividend payout is tiny and really doesn't stop AAPL from being a growth stock.

The $40B dividend and share buyback program (over three years) is less than the cash flow projections, so Apple would end with even more cash anyhow since they are spending cash slower than they are accumulating it.

Even by purchasing real estate, developing new facilities, making strategic component purchases, acquiring companies, Apple still isn't spending as much as it makes.

They probably looked at this several times and decided that a hundred billion dollars in the piggy bank was enough for them to operate their business effectively plus provide a safety net for bad times.

As an AAPL investor, I'm fine with a few dividends, but that's not what I was hoping for when I bought these shares. I never expected AAPL to be an income stock.

It's not like Apple is giving up capital growth by providing equity income. There's still plenty of growth potential in Apple.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wild-Bill Avatar
173 months ago
Oops. Wrong thread
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SuperCachetes Avatar
173 months ago
Here's a quote from a poster in another forum. I agree with the point their making.

The poster you are quoting clearly does not understand where Apple's cash comes from and that it isn't static going forward. :rolleyes:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...