Money, It's A Drag 05.06.2009
Questions about Apple's massive money reserves hit CFO Peter Oppenheimer in April as he responded, "We are investing it very conservatively, I'm comfortable with our investment portfolio and in these times having the cash feels very good to us."
We as a nation are fat in every way. We have everything we need. All of our nations problems are resolvable. All of them. Granted, most of them never will be, but they could all be fixed. A few weeks ago my pastor said, "If you have integrity nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity nothing else matters." Drop a dose of integrity and wisdom into our nation's engine and it'd run much smoother.
Anyhow. Apple computers are great. I've used them since 99 and have been happy with all of them. I'm pretty grossed out with this stat I just read though. Apple has, get this, $29 billion in reserves. RESERVES.
I just wrote all that and I don't like it.
Apple has $29 billion in reserves. The world is hungry and Apple has the guts to hold it hostage. I understand capitalism, but really?
Am I off base or it that OK?
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5 Comments
Kenney 05.08.2009
what about any extra money you have laying around?
Apple's reserves are probably in proportion to what you have in reserve for your family needs if some thing were to happen to you; bigger company, bigger reserve. What is Apple (or any company) didn't have reserves? Basic business model of survival. It just happens to seem so much bigger because they are a larger company with more needs. As a business owner I see the need for such a large reserve for a very large company. We have reserves too within our small company. Is that selfish? I think not. It is being prepared so that we do not go down If we have a few rough months with no income. If we didn't do this, it would be foolish. Apple and all large corporations work the same way. Does that mean that during tough times they are asked to give up their reserves that they have worked hard for so that they don't go under? If they did give up those reserves and then they were to need those funds and couldn't have them because they gave them all away and then the went under how many jobs are lost?
So really you are asking if anyone should have reserves, big or small. your idea that a large corp., because the have become successful, would only be showing integrity by giving part of their reserves away, is a little iffy to me. Anyone with any reserves would then be called upon to give up reserves to help others and show integrity, not just those with surpluses that we see as excessively big...
Just some thoughts.
Jessica B 05.08.2009
I agree with the comment above but to go a step further, I am actually thrilled that they have this money!
It shows that they are planning for the future- it sets an example that other companies and individuals should be following.
Our country got into this mess by having way way too much debt, it makes me have a lot more respect for Apple that they actually have some cash. The car companies should have had 29 billion in reserves- maybe then they wouldn't have had to take a bailout. (I think their overhead would have still been too high, and they wouldn't have been willing to make cutbacks, but you get the idea.)
Saving your money for the future is being a good steward. I am glad to hear of at least one company that is setting an example of what the average American should be doing.
tyler 05.09.2009
Thanks, great thoughts. I'll have to think more about it, based on your comments. Good stuff.
Joey 05.10.2009
If Apple did give back people would just criticize them for only doing it for publicity.
Apple isn't a non-profit, not for profit, humanitarian, or Christian company so I expect them to make money and keep it. i doubt that Steve Jobs is waking up in the morning wanting to change the world, at least in the way that believers think. Is it wrong that people are dying and Apple is doing really well? Probably depends on your worldview.
I would have a greater issue with churches that have hundreds of thousands to millions in their reserves.
tyler 05.16.2009
Interesting. Thanks.
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