Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, consumer electronic device giant Apple (AAPL 1.25%) has earned a respected four-star ranking.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Apple and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.
Apple facts
|
Headquarters (founded) |
Cupertino, Calif. (1976) |
|
Market Cap |
$405.3 billion |
|
Industry |
Computer hardware |
|
Trailing-12-Month Revenue |
$169.1 billion |
|
Management |
CEO Tim Cook (since 2011) CFO Peter Oppenheimer (since 2004) |
|
Return on Equity (average, past 3 years) |
39.7% |
|
Cash/Debt |
$39.1 billion / $0 |
|
Dividend Yield |
2.8% |
|
Competitors |
BlackBerry |
Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.
On CAPS, 92% of the 30,076 members who have rated Apple believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.
Just last month, one of those Fools, All-Star JaysRage, succinctly summed up the Apple bull case for our community:
I am generally in favor of the recent cash-management activities. If Apple stays pinned at [$450 per share] or lower, it will save the company a ton of money. ...
It has been a long time since Apple introduced new products. Some Apple "investors" are restless and bored and many of them are chasing some other bright shiny things now that Apple isn't as sexy.
Long story short: I think the cash management should keep Apple pinned near $450. If the predicted pipeline begins to produce new products in Q3 and Q4 and beyond as promised by management, Apple will regain the "sexy" and we'll see it approach its value sometime toward the beginning of 2014. I do think they will see some continued margin erosion on mature products, but that is priced in and then some.
