“We will maintain our $133 fair value estimate for Apple for now, even though the company was hit with a EUR 13 billion ($14.5 billion) tax bill by the European Commission, which ruled that Ireland gave illegal tax benefits to Apple,” Morningstar writes.
“We concede that $3 per share, or just over 2% of our fair value estimate, is at risk with the ruling, but the timing and amount of the final payment remain uncertain. Apple will not take a financial charge for the tax bill in its near-term results, and the fine may be placed in restricted cash but will not be immediately paid out,” Morningstar writes. “We expect both Apple and Ireland will appeal the ruling, and a final decision could take years.”
“Apple has almost $215 billion in international cash on hand, so the record tax bill will make only a small dent in the firm’s cash cushion,” Morningstar writes. “Further, Apple indicated that the ruling will not have an effect on its long-term tax rate, presumably because its Irish tax structure in question was modified in 2015. Regardless, we continue to view Apple as fundamentally undervalued, and the company remains one of our best investment ideas in the tech sector.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s share price could double and it’d still be undervalued.
SEE ALSO:
Obama admin worries EU’s Apple decision will cost U.S. taxpayers; Bernie Sanders applauds EU tax demand – August 30, 2016
Ireland doesn’t want Apple’s $14.5 billion in so-called back taxes – August 30, 2016
U.S. Treasury: The European Commission’s retroactive tax demands on Apple are unfair – August 30, 2016
EU demands Apple pay massive $14.5 billion in taxes plus interest – August 30, 2016
Apple CFO Maestri: Despite EU tax ruling, we will continue to invest in Ireland – August 30, 2016
Apple CEO Cook blasts European Commission for ‘ignoring Ireland’s tax laws, upending the international tax system’ – August 30, 2016
European Commission to rule Ireland’s tax arrangement with Apple illegal – August 29, 2016
Ireland prepares for a fight with EU over Apple tax clawback – August 29, 2016
U.S. government warns EU: Do not hit Apple with a massive back tax bill – or else – August 25, 2016
European Commission denies anti-U.S. bias after U.S. Treasury intervention over Apple, Amazon tax probes – August 25, 2016
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]