[malay]

Apple and Tim Cook have made it clear that they have more cash than what is required to run the business. Apple is spending billions on data infrastructure, manufacturing, pre-purchasing components and expanding retail operations; despite all these investments, they still have more cash than what they need.

They will likely generate another $50B in cash this calendar year. Even if they want to maintain the $100B war chest, they could pay out ~$50/share/year. I think a share repurchase or dividend (whatever they think will return more value to the shareholders) is highly likely.

[tlammens]

You are assuming that the profits they reported this quarter will be the same next quarters, why?

[rdl]

Revenue in the current quarter should be less than last quarter, but YOY growth is still insane. iPad 3 launch seems to have gone well, which will help the next quarter.

It's reasonable to at least project the same growth for future quarters, year on year, as Apple got in their Q1 (which includes christmas, iPhone 4S launch, death of Steve Jobs, ...).

This year should have a rev of most of the Mac line (hopefully Pro if they don't kill it, too, although it doesn't move the needle on revenue), iPad 3 selling an absurd number of units, and an iPhone 5. The big innovation I've seen with Apple in the past couple product cycles is keeping their older iOS products on sale at a reduced price point, so now you get to choose iPad 2 or iPhone 3GS/4 on price vs. any competitor (and still better), or iPad 3/iPhone 4S as absurdly better at about price parity. Makes more sense than trying to create low end and high end products simultaneously.