Apple hosting conference call on March 19 to discuss cash balance:
The call should be of particular interest to shareholders, who could possibly hear of a dividend payment. The press release also notes that “Apple will not be providing an update on the current quarter nor will any topics be discussed other than cash.”
(Via TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog)
Dividend sounds like the most likely path here. But it almost seems too easy for Apple. How about starting a multi-billion dollar charity to end poverty? That would go a long way to answer recent criticisms of the working conditions in China.
Or maybe they’re buying an American cable company? Or maybe HBO? Seriously, if Apple bought HBO and gave exclusive rights to all HBO content to the Apple TV, they wouldn’t need anything else to own the entertainment industry.
I’m just trying to picture something more creative and interesting than a dividend. Not that a dividend would be bad for me; I do have a tiny bit of Apple stock. But that stock has already made me money. I feel like there are better ways to use 100 billion in cash than handing out small portions of it to people who already have enough to buy the stock in the first place.
