Analysis of Apple
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 Apple – An Introduction
3 Macroeconomic Trends
4 Technical Analysis
5 Fundamental Analysis
8 Analysis of Financing Activities
8 Investments and Capital Budgeting Decisions
10 Industry Analysis
11 Performance Analysis
APPLE
INTRODUCTION
Established in 1976, Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II and the Macintosh. Today, Apple designs, manufactures and markets personal computers, portable digital music players and mobile communication devices as well as related software, services, peripherals and network solutions. Apple sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales forces and third party distributors to its core customers—consumers, educational institutions, enterprise, government and creative professionals. Headquartered at Cupertino, California, Apple’s primary markets are the USA, Europe and Japan.
CORPORATE GOALS & STRATEGY
Apple aims to provide the best computing, music and mobile communication experience to its customers through its primary products—the Mac, iPod and iPhone respectively. Apple’s unique strategy is to design and develop its own software, hardware and services to provide its customers with innovative solutions that are easy to use, well designed and seamlessly integrated. Apple aims to continually invest in research and development for products that best serve the needs of the market. Apple also aims to expand its worldwtide distribution, sales and support networks.
MACROECONOMIC TRENDS
OUTSOURCING TO THE GLOBAL WORKFORCE
In the highly competitive environments of Apple’s primary industries, companies ‘aggressively cut prices and lowered their product margins to gain or maintain market share’. One excellent strategy to maintain this competitiveness is to outsource manufacturing services to cheaper labour markets. Apple currently manufactures its products in its own facility in Cork, Ireland, and external vendors in California, South
3 Apple – An Introduction
3 Macroeconomic Trends
4 Technical Analysis
5 Fundamental Analysis
8 Analysis of Financing Activities
8 Investments and Capital Budgeting Decisions
10 Industry Analysis
11 Performance Analysis
APPLE
INTRODUCTION
Established in 1976, Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II and the Macintosh. Today, Apple designs, manufactures and markets personal computers, portable digital music players and mobile communication devices as well as related software, services, peripherals and network solutions. Apple sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales forces and third party distributors to its core customers—consumers, educational institutions, enterprise, government and creative professionals. Headquartered at Cupertino, California, Apple’s primary markets are the USA, Europe and Japan.
CORPORATE GOALS & STRATEGY
Apple aims to provide the best computing, music and mobile communication experience to its customers through its primary products—the Mac, iPod and iPhone respectively. Apple’s unique strategy is to design and develop its own software, hardware and services to provide its customers with innovative solutions that are easy to use, well designed and seamlessly integrated. Apple aims to continually invest in research and development for products that best serve the needs of the market. Apple also aims to expand its worldwtide distribution, sales and support networks.
MACROECONOMIC TRENDS
OUTSOURCING TO THE GLOBAL WORKFORCE
In the highly competitive environments of Apple’s primary industries, companies ‘aggressively cut prices and lowered their product margins to gain or maintain market share’. One excellent strategy to maintain this competitiveness is to outsource manufacturing services to cheaper labour markets. Apple currently manufactures its products in its own facility in Cork, Ireland, and external vendors in California, South