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Given that colleagues and friends of mine live in the affected area, I do not care at the moment about any ulterior motives of Apple and other donators but am happy for all help (of course it is deductible, so is my individual donation also).

Best comment in this thread, I could not agree more!

I am myself from one of the affected regions, luckily the dike in our small town was just high enough, the water was about 20cm below the top, so the damage is small in comparison to other areas. Others have been much less fortunate and so the only thing to say right now is a big "thank you" to Apple and everybody else who helps, regardless of how big or small the help is.

When the situation here became critical last Thursday, as a dam was about to overflow our mayor asked for people to help. Way over a hundred responded immediately, these are the moments thatz make me sure, that hope for mankind is not lost!
 
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Thank you Apple for stepping up to help! I'm sure it is much appreciated by the people who were affected.
 
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How generous. $1 mil from a 2.5 trillion dollar company. Smh
You are aware that the 2.5 trillion is Apple’s total market capitalization, not the money they have in the bank. Market cap is somewhat of a fictional number that fluctuates a lot and has not much to do with how much money a company has in the bank or can spend, let alone donate to good causes.
 
Of course Apple's philanthropic work and aid relief is ultimately self-serving; it has to be because Apple is a publicly traded company. But just because it benefits shareholders, that doesn't mean it isn't also being done for the right reasons; the two don't have to be mutually exclusive.
I would not say that Apple has to donate anything because they are a publicly traded company.
Foremost they are bound to have shareholders interests in mind, so it would be more logical to invest the money or return it to shareholders.
It’s actually a good thing that Apple management chooses to support so many causes and donates in times of disaster.
 
I would not say that Apple has to donate anything because they are a publicly traded company.
Foremost they are bound to have shareholders interests in mind, so it would be more logical to invest the money or return it to shareholders.
It’s actually a good thing that Apple management chooses to support so many causes and donates in times of disaster.
My point was more that Apple must be able to demonstrate to shareholders that these sort of gestures add value to the company - not that they're obliged to do this by their shareholders.
 
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There are other countries affected in Western Europe such as The Netherlands
I’m from Amsterdam so I realize that, not my point though. The way he phrased it is off because it implies Germany and Belgium aren’t considered being a part of Western Europe: “Germany, Belgium and Western Europe.” 🙃
 
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My point was more that Apple must be able to demonstrate to shareholders that these sort of gestures add value to the company - not that they're obliged to do this by their shareholders.

Must? No.

If shareholders do not like Apple's efforts in helping people and cities facing crisis and calamity, it's simply a matter of voting in a board of directors with views opposed to helping others in need.
 
I’m from Amsterdam so I realize that, not my point though. The way he phrased it is off because it implies Germany and Belgium aren’t considered being a part of Western Europe: “Germany, Belgium and Western Europe.” 🙃

I think he was trying to say “and other countries in Western Europe”.

Of course, one could make the argument that Germany is really Central Europe. This is more of a historical quirk.
 
How generous. $1 mil from a 2.5 trillion dollar company. Smh
2.5 trillion is just the value of their stock, which often has nothing to do with other things, and should it matter. Did other companies donate? Google, Amazon, Microsoft? Did you donate? Do you donate to other things?

Yes, I'm sure you will say your business is your own, but that's you. I donate to local groups (particularly for education and mental illness). I have no problem saying that.
 
You are aware that the 2.5 trillion is Apple’s total market capitalization, not the money they have in the bank. Market cap is somewhat of a fictional number that fluctuates a lot and has not much to do with how much money a company has in the bank or can spend, let alone donate to good causes.

Glib posters on the internet wouldn't take the two minutes to understand what a market cap means. They are too busy posting at, ahem, genius level to stop and learn anything :)
 
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A generous 1mil write off I guess.

reading the rest of the comments… I love apple, but some of these companies are holding huge amounts of money while the common man will be ruined from an emergency visit.

apple can do so much better. They paint themselves as such, walk the walk.
Mods, if you don’t like this the revised post, I really don’t know what to say anymore. Thought political threads were a firebrand and a space for opinion.

"I love Apple"? Riiiight. Question, you going going to dip into your reserves to bail Apple out if business turns south (as it always does at one time or another eventually)? Or are reserves only for you and your fav Google and Huwaei?

Apple has as a proportion to their revenue less cash reserves than a number of companies. And they, as some companies do inexplicably IMHO, buy low yield treasuries. It props up government but does relatively squat for the FC.

But Apple aims more for a neutral cash flow - definitely more so than some other big companies. They do quite a bit of this by purchasing and removing their shares from the market. A smaller relative portion goes directly to shareholders in the form of dividend. Some will also be divided among employees in profit sharing.
Want some of that? Stop whining on the internet at a company you dislike and go buy some shares of Apple. Problem solved...
 
How generous. $1 mil from a 2.5 trillion dollar company. Smh
Odd when one chooses to slam a company for giving money to help all over the world, I didn't see any amount listed, yet stays silent on the hundreds of thousands of companies that don't give a dime. How trendy...
 
Best comment in this thread, I could not agree more!

I am myself from one of the affected regions, luckily the dike in our small town was just high enough, the water was about 20cm below the top, so the damage is small in comparison to other areas. Others have been much less fortunate and so the only thing to say right now is a big "thank you" to Apple and everybody else who helps, regardless of how big or small the help is.

When the situation here became critical last Thursday, as a dam was about to overflow our mayor asked for people to help. Way over a hundred responded immediately, these are the moments thatz make me sure, that hope for mankind is not lost!
So easy for strangers, safe and sound in their basements to make snarky comments about everything. We see that same spirit all over when disasters strike, those that jump in and those that sit in their basements and throw snark instead of messages of support. Glad you are safe and the long haul recovery isn't to difficult your area.
 
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In the end, it should not be the concern of a corporation, but of society.
But corporations ARE part of society. In the U.S., they are even "persons" with constitutional rights. I agree that society should address situations that affect large segments of the population. Corporations are not being generous when they donate, they are doing what they should be expected to do. And their self-congratulatory contributions fall far short of their fair share.
 
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But corporations ARE part of society. In the U.S., they are even "persons" with constitutional rights. I agree that society should address situations that affect large segments of the population. Corporations are not being generous when they donate, they are doing what they should be expected to do. And their self-congratulatory contributions fall far short of their fair share.

How far short? What should their fair share be? Pick a number. And please explain why that particular number?
 
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