With a dividend yield of 0.59%, one would be better off buying bonds. AAPL's dividend, much like MSFT's before it, was to shut up those shareholders whining abo

With a dividend yield of 0.59%, one would be better off buying bonds. AAPL's dividend, much like MSFT's before it, was to shut up those shareholders whining about how much cash the company holds. "You want a dividend? Fine, here's 22 cents/share on a $150 stock; don't spend it all in one place." But dividends are taxable when paid. Share buybacks aren't, it's just capital appreciation that's taxed when sold. So nobody's in it for the dividends to begin with.