Apple's Balance Sheet - Essay Example

Assets From the provided financial information for Apple for the two six months operating periods taken in 2008 and 2009, it is clear that the company experienced an upward movement in different items regarding assets. Initial cash and its equivalents for the two specified periods represent a significant level of reduction from USD 11.875b in 2008 to USD 4.466b in 2009 (Apple, 2009). Whereas cash and similar cash items growth could not necessarily represent growth in view of liquidity practicality issues, it is appropriate to make the assumption that the materiality of the difference did not affect the overall reflection of business operations as cash flow values indicate.

This argument is also supported by the observation of increased short-term marketable securities over the same period by double from USD 10.236b to USD 20.547b which could explain the reflected liquidity difference. Despite the fact that the accounts receivable after relevant reconciliation adjustments give a reduction in 2009, the difference does indicate a huge difference in terms of operations. Held inventories also indicate a reduction that would be explained by operations at a time when demand projections would be scaled downwards amidst financial crisis.

However, overall liquid assets reflected a growth of USD 1.542b (from USD 32.311b to USD 33.853b), which gives a better reflection that the company grew its liquid assets. Investment in form of long-term securities gives detail of fixed assets and the increase from USD 2.379b to USD 3.865b (37 per cent) confirms the current assets trend as a growth trajectory (Apple, 2009). Other fixed assets elements such as buildings and properties owned increased from USD 2.546b to USD 2.455b, a reflection also reflected in the category of other assets that rose from USD 2.

498b to USD 1.935b. To confirm this trend, the overall asset figure was a growth of 9.3 percent (USD 43.237b from USD 39.572b). In support of this information, perhaps the company can consult certain incidental information of cash flow nature to highlight the apparent growth in assets and operation level. The value of income and other operating activities indicate upward movements in net income (USD 2.81b from USD 2.626b) as was the reconciliation movements for income generating activities. Certain operating concepts such as depreciation and amortization illustrate a rise in the charged values, which translates in growth of the associated assets.

An increase in the value of these operation costs for instance for depreciation from USD 222m in 2008 to USD 330m a year later reflects a huge hike of related asset base to support operations of the corporation. In other movements, increased stock-based compensations cost by 45 per cent (USD 242m to USD 351m) is an indication of growth in operations that occasion stock-based compensations, translated as growth by the company. It is evident that this information reflects a powerful suitability of Apple as an investment destination.

Despite the fact that such increase in compensation could also indicate inefficiency in operations at the same operating capacity, the reduction of disposition losses from USD 10m in 2008 to USD 8m in 2009 as well