Strategic Analysis Of Apple
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A Strategic Analysis
Apple Corporation
Timothy Pivovarnik
Jeff Shaver
Adam Siler
Richard Sterling
Dave Strubbe
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
HISTORY OF APPLE
THE PC INDUSTRY
THE ONLINE MUSIC INDUSTRY
THE FUTURE OF APPLE
PERSONAL COMPUTERS – A SHIFT IN STRATEGY
APPLE IN THE LIVING ROOM
STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND ENTERTAINMENT
EXTERNAL ANALYSIS
TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT
Brand Awareness – Style at a Premium
Interoperability
Technology and the Digital Lifestyle
REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
INDUSTRY ANALYSIS USING PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL
WHICH EXTERNAL THREATS ARE MOST SIGNIFICANT
ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL THREATS
SECURITY
VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF COMPETITORS
VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS
TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCT DESIGN
PRODUCTION
SALES AND MARKETING
CUSTOMER SERVICE
LEGAL SERVICES
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
2ND QUARTER 2006
HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE
STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE
PROFITABILITY MEASURES
LIQUIDITY AND LEVERAGE MEASURES
PRODUCT UNIT SALES
OPERATING SEGMENTS
MARKET VALUE ANALYSIS
PRO-FORMA INCOME STATEMENT
PROJECTED FREE CASH FLOW AND EQUITY VALUATION
STRATEGY
PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION
STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
CONCLUSIONS
REFERENCES
Executive Summary
Apple Computers 30-year history is full of highs and lows, which is what we would expect in a highly innovative company. They evolved throughout the years into an organization that is very much a representation of its leader, Steven Jobs. Apple made several hugely successful product introductions over the years. They have also completely fallen on their face on several occasions. They struggled mightily while Jobs was not a part of the organization. Apple reached a point where many thought they would not survive. When asked in late 1997 what Jobs should do as head of Apple, Dell Inc.s (DELL) then-CEO Michael S. Dell said at an investor conference: “Id shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders.” (Burrows, Grover, and Green)
Well, times changed. Less than 10 years later, BusinessWeek ranked Apple as the top performer in its 2006 BusinessWeek 50. Apple attributes their recent success to robust sales of iPod music players (32 million in 2005). They are optimistic about the economies of scope with media giants, such as Disney and Pixar. (BusinessWeek)
Apple rarely introduces a new type of product. Thus, instead of being the pioneer, they are an expert “second mover” by refining existing products. Portable music players and notebook computers are examples. Apple increases the appeal of these products by making them stylish and more functional. They now appear poised to make significant strides in the home computer market and to creating a total digital lifestyle whereby the home is a multimedia hub.
History of Apple
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple on April 1, 1976. The two Steves, Jobs and Woz (as he is commonly referred to – see woz.org), have personalities that persist throughout Apples products, even today. Jobs was the consummate salesperson and visionary while Woz was the inquisitive technical genius. Woz developed his own homemade computer and Jobs saw its commercial potential. After selling 50 Apple I computer kits to Paul Terrells Byte Shop in Mountain View, CA, Jobs and Woz sought financing to sell their improved version, the Apple II. (Linzmayer, 7-9)
They found their financier in Mike Markkula, who in turn hired Michael Scott to be CEO. The company introduced the Apple II on April 17, 1977, at the same time Commodore released their PET computer. Once the Apple II came with Visicalc, the progenitor of the modern spreadsheet program, sales increased dramatically. In 1979, Apple initiated three projects in order to stay ahead of the competition: 1) the Apple III – their business oriented machine, 2) the Lisa – the planned successor to the Apple III, and 3) Macintosh. (Linzmayer, 14-5)
In 1980, the company released the Apple III to the public and was a commercial flop. It was too expensive and had several design flaws that made for less-than-stellar quality. One design flaw was a lack of cooling fans, which allowed chips to overheat. In late 1980, Apple went public, making the two Steves and Markkula wealthy – to the tune of nine figures. By 1981, the Apple III was not selling well and Scott infamously fired 40 people on Feb 25 (“Black Wednesday”). Scotts direct management style conflicted with the culture Jobs and