Apple rewards

The curent issue of the Socialist Standard carries articles about Apple. SOYMB came across this piece on Business Insider.

Apple shareholders have been rewarded very handsomely with as Apple stock soared from a $5+ stock in 2006 to today's $600+ level. Apple stock went up 75% in the past 52 weeks alone.

Apple said it will pay a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share, starting July 1, and plans to buy back up to $10 billion in stock over three years starting Sept. 30.

According to Moody's, U.S. corporations, including Apple, has amassed a record $1.24 trillion of cash last year post 2008 credit crisis.

Do Apple stock holders really need more cash reward from Apple? Would Apple not better off re-investing its cash in innovative technology and product R&D

Better yet, how about giving some cash back directly to the employees at Foxconn--Apple's iSweatshop--or Apple's own mid to low levels. After all, Apple owe a large part of its' enviable iSales and iMargins to the hardworking worker bees at Foxconn and Apple.

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) reveals that labor’s share of income in the United States has plummeted while personal dividend income as a percentage of disposable income has soared since 2009. In fact, CFR noted that dividend income along with corporate profits took the biggest jump in the early 1980s, a time in which labor’s share of income has fallen almost continuously.

The Standard Center of Poverty and Inequality notes that "The U.S. ranks third among all the advanced economies in the amount of income inequality. The top 1% of Americans control nearly a quarter of all the country's income, the highest share controlled by the top 1% since 1928."Perhaps it is time for corporations to rethink more meaningful and long-term strategic use of their cash, instead of driving income gap ever wider to appease the 1%."

Do Apple stock holders really need more cash reward from Apple? Would Apple not better off re-investing its cash in innovative technology and product R&D

Better yet, how about giving some cash back directly to the employees at Foxconn--Apple's iSweatshop--or Apple's own mid to low levels. After all, Apple owe a large part of its' enviable iSales and iMargins to the hardworking worker bees at Foxconn and Apple.