Apple

[theconservative]

Apple is now the 2nd most profitable company in the world. We once again can see for ourselves that American technology is the envy of the world. Steve Jobs and company are geniuses and deserve our respect and admiration. The fact that Apple opens stores is also good for the economy. Innovation and strong business ethics has a place in our economy, and Apple represents just that.

[Chris_]

Apple is now the 2nd most profitable company in the world.

They are?  I don't see them on this list.

Top companies: Most profitable

Rank   Company   Global 500
Rank   2009 Profits
($ millions)   Profits % change from 2008
1   Gazprom   50    24,555.7   -17.8
2   Exxon Mobil   3    19,280.0   -57.4
3   Industrial &Commercial Bank of China   87    18,832.2   18.1
4   BP   4    16,578.0   -21.6
5   China Construction Bank   116    15,627.9   17.3
6   Petrobras   54    15,504.0   -17.9
7   Barclays   96    14,648.3   82.3
8   Microsoft   115    14,569.0   -17.6
9   Wal-Mart Stores   1    14,335.0   7
10   Vodafone   80    13,782.3   165.6
11   Procter &Gamble   66    13,436.0   11.3
12   International Business Machines   48    13,425.0   8.8
13   Goldman Sachs Group   134    13,385.0   476.4
14   Merck   294    12,901.3   65.2
15   AT&T   21    12,535.0   -2.6
16   Royal Dutch Shell   2    12,518.0   -52.4
17   Banco Santander   37    12,430.3   -4.3
18   Wells Fargo   46    12,275.0   362.3
19   Johnson &Johnson   108    12,266.0   -5.3
20   Bank of China   143    11,867.5   28.2
21   Total   14    11,740.9   -24.3
22   J.P. Morgan Chase &Co.   25    11,728.0   109.2
23   E.ON   27    11,670.0   529.8
24   China Mobile   77    11,656.3   1.9
25   Petronas   107    11,649.1   -23.9
26   General Electric   13    11,025.0   -36.7
27   Telefónica   68    10,808.3   -2.7
28   Bristol-Myers Squibb   405    10,612.0   102.2
29   Chevron   11    10,483.0   -56.2
30   China National Petroleum   10    10,272.5   0
31   Nestlé   44    9,604.0   -42.4
32   Agricultural Bank of China   141    9,514.1   28.5
33   Pfizer   140    8,635.0   6.6
34   GlaxoSmithKline   163    8,625.6   2.2
35   Novartis   160    8,400.0   2.5
36   BNP Paribas   18    8,106.2   83.3
37   Berkshire Hathaway   28    8,055.0   61.3
38   Hewlett-Packard   26    7,660.0   -8
39   Samsung Electronics   32    7,562.1   50.4
40   AstraZeneca   226    7,521.0   23.3
41   Enel   60    7,498.8   -3.2
42   Sanofi-Aventis   169    7,318.1   29.8
43   Roche Group   153    7,168.9   -13.5
44   Lukoil   93    7,011.0   -23.3
45   Deutsche Bank   113    6,912.2   N.A.
46   Coca-Cola   245    6,824.0   17.5
47   Google   355    6,520.4   54.3
48   Rosneft Oil   211    6,514.0   -41.4
49   Philip Morris International   331    6,342.0   -8
50   Bank of America Corp.   15    6,276.0   56.6

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2010/performers/companies/profits/

[CactusCarlos]

Steve Jobs and company are geniuses and deserve our respect and admiration.

Hopefully you're not Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox because if so, Apple thinks what you believe may be objectionable and potentially harmful

[theconservative]

They are?  I don't see them on this list.

I made an error, I meant in valuation
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F01%2F03%2FBUBT1H3FPH.DTL

[docstew]

Apple is now the 2nd most profitable company in the world. We once again can see for ourselves that American technology is the envy of the world. Steve Jobs and company are geniuses and deserve our respect and admiration. The fact that Apple opens stores is also good for the economy. Innovation and strong business ethics has a place in our economy, and Apple represents just that.

Those dirty capitalists are making a profit? They're only able to do that by outsourcing their production to China, where the workers are paid about $5 a day, if that. How dare they exploit workers for their filthy lucre? [/DU mode]

[theconservative]

Those dirty capitalists are making a profit? They're only able to do that by outsourcing their production to China, where the workers are paid about $5 a day, if that. How dare they exploit workers for their filthy lucre? [/DU mode]

I know you were joking, but here is some truth: Apple creates jobs for Americans every time they open up a new store. When they open up stores, they pay taxes. Lets be honest here, its cheaper for them to manufacture overseas. Its the best of both worlds; they create jobs for americans in retail and they have less expensive labor. If we reduced our corporate tax rate and put in place a free market approach to health insurance, then maybe they would consider bringing some of those jobs here.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Jobs created in retail are jobs, and good in general, but in a lot of ways they are only well-paid McJobs, because without actually making things (Real or intellectual property) onshore we eventually fail economically.  Apple's certainly been very successful over the past five years especially, but honestly it's hard not to look at them as an organization at its peak.

[theconservative]

Jobs created in retail are jobs, and good in general, but in a lot of ways they are only well-paid McJobs, because without actually making things (Real or intellectual property) onshore we eventually fail economically.  Apple's certainly been very successful over the past five years especially, but honestly it's hard not to look at them as an organization at its peak.

I would disagree with you because it is a lot easier to flip burgers than selling products. However, I do agree it is not good for our long term economic prosperity to continue to outsource. We need to repeal Obamacare and instead create incentives to get people private healthcare, we need to cut our corporate tax rate, we need to create tax incentives for hiring, and we need to reverse the tax breaks that ship jobs overseas. Apple has been an impressive company since they only make up less than 10% of the entire computer market and still are profitable.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I would disagree with you because it is a lot easier to flip burgers than selling products. 

Of course flipping burgers is easier, however both kinds of jobs are just churning goods and money without actually producing anything net.