A lot of Apple’s stash can’t be spent freely, with a lot of it in Braeburn Capital[1] and set aside in tax havens[2]. To use those funds would mean sacrificing

A lot of Apple’s stash can’t be spent freely, with a lot of it in Braeburn Capital[1] and set aside in tax havens[2]. To use those funds would mean sacrificing a lot of it in taxes. They haven’t been willing to do so in the past, but today Apple announced it will return $100 billion to shareholders in the next few years[3]. Last year, Apple also launched a program in which it matches employee donations to charities, up to $25,000 a year per employee. Of course, there will still be plenty left to build new offices, open new retail stores, and acquire companies[4] – as they have done in the past. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braeburn_Capital http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braeburn_Capital [2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/9829894/Apple-shelters-almost-1bn-a-week-from-US-tax-man.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnol... [3] “Apple More than Doubles Capital Return Program – Total of $100 Billion to be Returned to Shareholders by End of 2015” http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2013/04/23Apple-More-than-Doubles-Capital-Return-Program.html http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2013/04/23Apple-More-than-Do... [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Apple https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitio...