Apple 10-K 2023-09-30

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023

or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to .

Commission File Number: 001-36743

Apple Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

(408) 996-1010

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files).

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, as of March 31, 2023, the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was approximately $2,591,165,000,000. Solely for purposes of this disclosure, shares of common stock held by executive officers and directors of the Registrant as of such date have been excluded because such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of executive officers and directors as affiliates is not necessarily a conclusive determination for any other purposes.

15,552,752,000 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding as of October 20, 2023.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to its 2024 annual meeting of shareholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K where indicated. The Registrant’s definitive proxy statement will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year to which this report relates.

Apple Inc.

Form 10-K

For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”) contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve risks and uncertainties. Many of the forward-looking statements are located in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-K under the heading “Business” and Part II, Item 7 of this Form 10-K under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. For example, statements in this Form 10-K regarding the potential future impact of macroeconomic conditions on the Company’s business and results of operations are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can also be identified by words such as “future,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “can,” “may,” and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and the Company’s actual results may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Part I, Item 1A of this Form 10-K under the heading “Risk Factors.” The Company assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.

Unless otherwise stated, all information presented herein is based on the Company’s fiscal calendar, and references to particular years, quarters, months or periods refer to the Company’s fiscal years ended in September and the associated quarters, months and periods of those fiscal years. Each of the terms the “Company” and “Apple” as used herein refers collectively to Apple Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated.

PART I

Company Background

The Company designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. The Company’s fiscal year is the 52- or 53-week period that ends on the last Saturday of September.

Products

iPhone

iPhone® is the Company’s line of smartphones based on its iOS operating system. The iPhone line includes iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone 13 and iPhone SE®.

Mac

Mac® is the Company’s line of personal computers based on its macOS® operating system. The Mac line includes laptops MacBook Air® and MacBook Pro®, as well as desktops iMac®, Mac mini®, Mac Studio® and Mac Pro®.

iPad

iPad® is the Company’s line of multipurpose tablets based on its iPadOS® operating system. The iPad line includes iPad Pro®, iPad Air®, iPad and iPad mini®.

Wearables, Home and Accessories

Wearables includes smartwatches and wireless headphones. The Company’s line of smartwatches, based on its watchOS® operating system, includes Apple Watch Ultra™ 2, Apple Watch® Series 9 and Apple Watch SE®. The Company’s line of wireless headphones includes AirPods®, AirPods Pro®, AirPods Max™ and Beats® products.

Home includes Apple TV®, the Company’s media streaming and gaming device based on its tvOS® operating system, and HomePod® and HomePod mini®, high-fidelity wireless smart speakers.

Accessories includes Apple-branded and third-party accessories.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 1

Services

Advertising

The Company’s advertising services include third-party licensing arrangements and the Company’s own advertising platforms.

AppleCare

The Company offers a portfolio of fee-based service and support products under the AppleCare® brand. The offerings provide priority access to Apple technical support, access to the global Apple authorized service network for repair and replacement services, and in many cases additional coverage for instances of accidental damage or theft and loss, depending on the country and type of product.

Cloud Services

The Company’s cloud services store and keep customers’ content up-to-date and available across multiple Apple devices and Windows personal computers.

Digital Content

The Company operates various platforms, including the App Store®, that allow customers to discover and download applications and digital content, such as books, music, video, games and podcasts.

The Company also offers digital content through subscription-based services, including Apple Arcade®, a game subscription service; Apple Fitness+SM, a personalized fitness service; Apple Music®, which offers users a curated listening experience with on-demand radio stations; Apple News+®, a subscription news and magazine service; and Apple TV+®, which offers exclusive original content and live sports.

Payment Services

The Company offers payment services, including Apple Card®, a co-branded credit card, and Apple Pay®, a cashless payment service.

Segments

The Company manages its business primarily on a geographic basis. The Company’s reportable segments consist of the Americas, Europe, Greater China, Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific. Americas includes both North and South America. Europe includes European countries, as well as India, the Middle East and Africa. Greater China includes China mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Rest of Asia Pacific includes Australia and those Asian countries not included in the Company’s other reportable segments. Although the reportable segments provide similar hardware and software products and similar services, each one is managed separately to better align with the location of the Company’s customers and distribution partners and the unique market dynamics of each geographic region.

Markets and Distribution

The Company’s customers are primarily in the consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise and government markets. The Company sells its products and resells third-party products in most of its major markets directly to customers through its retail and online stores and its direct sales force. The Company also employs a variety of indirect distribution channels, such as third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers and resellers. During 2023, the Company’s net sales through its direct and indirect distribution channels accounted for 37% and 63%, respectively, of total net sales.

Competition

The markets for the Company’s products and services are highly competitive, and are characterized by aggressive price competition and resulting downward pressure on gross margins, frequent introduction of new products and services, short product life cycles, evolving industry standards, continual improvement in product price and performance characteristics, rapid adoption of technological advancements by competitors, and price sensitivity on the part of consumers and businesses. Many of the Company’s competitors seek to compete primarily through aggressive pricing and very low cost structures, and by imitating the Company’s products and infringing on its intellectual property.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 2

The Company’s ability to compete successfully depends heavily on ensuring the continuing and timely introduction of innovative new products, services and technologies to the marketplace. The Company designs and develops nearly the entire solution for its products, including the hardware, operating system, numerous software applications and related services. Principal competitive factors important to the Company include price, product and service features (including security features), relative price and performance, product and service quality and reliability, design innovation, a strong third-party software and accessories ecosystem, marketing and distribution capability, service and support, and corporate reputation.

The Company is focused on expanding its market opportunities related to smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and services. The Company faces substantial competition in these markets from companies that have significant technical, marketing, distribution and other resources, as well as established hardware, software, and service offerings with large customer bases. In addition, some of the Company’s competitors have broader product lines, lower-priced products and a larger installed base of active devices. Competition has been particularly intense as competitors have aggressively cut prices and lowered product margins. Certain competitors have the resources, experience or cost structures to provide products at little or no profit or even at a loss. The Company’s services compete with business models that provide content to users for free and use illegitimate means to obtain third-party digital content and applications. The Company faces significant competition as competitors imitate the Company’s product features and applications within their products, or collaborate to offer integrated solutions that are more competitive than those they currently offer.

Supply of Components

Although most components essential to the Company’s business are generally available from multiple sources, certain components are currently obtained from single or limited sources. The Company also competes for various components with other participants in the markets for smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories. Therefore, many components used by the Company, including those that are available from multiple sources, are at times subject to industry-wide shortage and significant commodity pricing fluctuations.

The Company uses some custom components that are not commonly used by its competitors, and new products introduced by the Company often utilize custom components available from only one source. When a component or product uses new technologies, initial capacity constraints may exist until the suppliers’ yields have matured or their manufacturing capacities have increased. The continued availability of these components at acceptable prices, or at all, may be affected if suppliers decide to concentrate on the production of common components instead of components customized to meet the Company’s requirements.

The Company has entered into agreements for the supply of many components; however, there can be no guarantee that the Company will be able to extend or renew these agreements on similar terms, or at all.

Research and Development

Because the industries in which the Company competes are characterized by rapid technological advances, the Company’s ability to compete successfully depends heavily upon its ability to ensure a continual and timely flow of competitive products, services and technologies to the marketplace. The Company continues to develop new technologies to enhance existing products and services, and to expand the range of its offerings through research and development (“R&D”), licensing of intellectual property and acquisition of third-party businesses and technology.

Intellectual Property

The Company currently holds a broad collection of intellectual property rights relating to certain aspects of its hardware devices, accessories, software and services. This includes patents, designs, copyrights, trademarks and other forms of intellectual property rights in the U.S. and various foreign countries. Although the Company believes the ownership of such intellectual property rights is an important factor in differentiating its business and that its success does depend in part on such ownership, the Company relies primarily on the innovative skills, technical competence and marketing abilities of its personnel.

The Company regularly files patent, design, copyright and trademark applications to protect innovations arising from its research, development, design and marketing, and is currently pursuing thousands of applications around the world. Over time, the Company has accumulated a large portfolio of issued and registered intellectual property rights around the world. No single intellectual property right is solely responsible for protecting the Company’s products and services. The Company believes the duration of its intellectual property rights is adequate relative to the expected lives of its products and services.

In addition to Company-owned intellectual property, many of the Company’s products and services are designed to include intellectual property owned by third parties. It may be necessary in the future to seek or renew licenses relating to various aspects of the Company’s products, processes and services. While the Company has generally been able to obtain such licenses on commercially reasonable terms in the past, there is no guarantee that such licenses could be obtained in the future on reasonable terms or at all.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 3

Business Seasonality and Product Introductions

The Company has historically experienced higher net sales in its first quarter compared to other quarters in its fiscal year due in part to seasonal holiday demand. Additionally, new product and service introductions can significantly impact net sales, cost of sales and operating expenses. The timing of product introductions can also impact the Company’s net sales to its indirect distribution channels as these channels are filled with new inventory following a product launch, and channel inventory of an older product often declines as the launch of a newer product approaches. Net sales can also be affected when consumers and distributors anticipate a product introduction.

Human Capital

The Company believes it has a talented, motivated and dedicated team, and works to create an inclusive, safe and supportive environment for all of its team members. As of September 30, 2023, the Company had approximately 161,000 full-time equivalent employees.

Workplace Practices and Policies

The Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusion and diversity and to providing a workplace free of harassment or discrimination.

Compensation and Benefits

The Company believes that compensation should be competitive and equitable, and should enable employees to share in the Company’s success. The Company recognizes its people are most likely to thrive when they have the resources to meet their needs and the time and support to succeed in their professional and personal lives. In support of this, the Company offers a wide variety of benefits for employees around the world and invests in tools and resources that are designed to support employees’ individual growth and development.

Inclusion and Diversity

The Company is committed to its vision to build and sustain a more inclusive workforce that is representative of the communities it serves. The Company continues to work to increase diverse representation at every level, foster an inclusive culture, and support equitable pay and access to opportunity for all employees.

Engagement

The Company believes that open and honest communication among team members, managers and leaders helps create an open, collaborative work environment where everyone can contribute, grow and succeed. Team members are encouraged to come to their managers with questions, feedback or concerns, and the Company conducts surveys that gauge employee sentiment in areas like career development, manager performance and inclusivity.

Health and Safety

The Company is committed to protecting its team members everywhere it operates. The Company identifies potential workplace risks in order to develop measures to mitigate possible hazards. The Company supports employees with general safety, security and crisis management training, and by putting specific programs in place for those working in potentially high-hazard environments. Additionally, the Company works to protect the safety and security of its team members, visitors and customers through its global security team.

Available Information

The Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Such reports and other information filed by the Company with the SEC are available free of charge at investor.apple.com/investor-relations/sec-filings/default.aspx when such reports are available on the SEC’s website. The Company periodically provides certain information for investors on its corporate website, www.apple.com, and its investor relations website, investor.apple.com. This includes press releases and other information about financial performance, information on environmental, social and governance matters, and details related to the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders. The information contained on the websites referenced in this Form 10-K is not incorporated by reference into this filing. Further, the Company’s references to website URLs are intended to be inactive textual references only.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 4

The Company’s business, reputation, results of operations, financial condition and stock price can be affected by a number of factors, whether currently known or unknown, including those described below. When any one or more of these risks materialize from time to time, the Company’s business, reputation, results of operations, financial condition and stock price can be materially and adversely affected.

Because of the following factors, as well as other factors affecting the Company’s results of operations and financial condition, past financial performance should not be considered to be a reliable indicator of future performance, and investors should not use historical trends to anticipate results or trends in future periods. This discussion of risk factors contains forward-looking statements.

This section should be read in conjunction with Part II, Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Form 10-K.

Macroeconomic and Industry Risks

The Company’s operations and performance depend significantly on global and regional economic conditions and adverse economic conditions can materially adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company has international operations with sales outside the U.S. representing a majority of the Company’s total net sales. In addition, the Company’s global supply chain is large and complex and a majority of the Company’s supplier facilities, including manufacturing and assembly sites, are located outside the U.S. As a result, the Company’s operations and performance depend significantly on global and regional economic conditions.

Adverse macroeconomic conditions, including slow growth or recession, high unemployment, inflation, tighter credit, higher interest rates, and currency fluctuations, can adversely impact consumer confidence and spending and materially adversely affect demand for the Company’s products and services. In addition, consumer confidence and spending can be materially adversely affected in response to changes in fiscal and monetary policy, financial market volatility, declines in income or asset values, and other economic factors.

In addition to an adverse impact on demand for the Company’s products and services, uncertainty about, or a decline in, global or regional economic conditions can have a significant impact on the Company’s suppliers, contract manufacturers, logistics providers, distributors, cellular network carriers and other channel partners, and developers. Potential outcomes include financial instability; inability to obtain credit to finance business operations; and insolvency.

Adverse economic conditions can also lead to increased credit and collectibility risk on the Company’s trade receivables; the failure of derivative counterparties and other financial institutions; limitations on the Company’s ability to issue new debt; reduced liquidity; and declines in the fair values of the Company’s financial instruments. These and other impacts can materially adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations, financial condition and stock price.

The Company’s business can be impacted by political events, trade and other international disputes, war, terrorism, natural disasters, public health issues, industrial accidents and other business interruptions.

Political events, trade and other international disputes, war, terrorism, natural disasters, public health issues, industrial accidents and other business interruptions can harm or disrupt international commerce and the global economy, and could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its customers, suppliers, contract manufacturers, logistics providers, distributors, cellular network carriers and other channel partners.

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The Company has a large, global business with sales outside the U.S. representing a majority of the Company’s total net sales, and the Company believes that it generally benefits from growth in international trade. Substantially all of the Company’s manufacturing is performed in whole or in part by outsourcing partners located primarily in China mainland, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. Restrictions on international trade, such as tariffs and other controls on imports or exports of goods, technology or data, can materially adversely affect the Company’s operations and supply chain and limit the Company’s ability to offer and distribute its products and services to customers. The impact can be particularly significant if these restrictive measures apply to countries and regions where the Company derives a significant portion of its revenues and/or has significant supply chain operations. Restrictive measures can require the Company to take various actions, including changing suppliers, restructuring business relationships, and ceasing to offer third-party applications on its platforms. Changing the Company’s operations in accordance with new or changed restrictions on international trade can be expensive, time-consuming and disruptive to the Company’s operations. Such restrictions can be announced with little or no advance notice and the Company may not be able to effectively mitigate all adverse impacts from such measures. For example, tensions between governments, including the U.S. and China, have in the past led to tariffs and other restrictions being imposed on the Company’s business. If disputes and conflicts further escalate in the future, actions by governments in response could be significantly more severe and restrictive and could materially adversely affect the Company’s business. Political uncertainty surrounding trade and other international disputes could also have a negative effect on consumer confidence and spending, which could adversely affect the Company’s business.

Many of the Company’s operations and facilities, as well as critical business operations of the Company’s suppliers and contract manufacturers, are in locations that are prone to earthquakes and other natural disasters. In addition, such operations and facilities are subject to the risk of interruption by fire, power shortages, nuclear power plant accidents and other industrial accidents, terrorist attacks and other hostile acts, ransomware and other cybersecurity attacks, labor disputes, public health issues, including pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and other events beyond the Company’s control. Global climate change is resulting in certain types of natural disasters, such as droughts, floods, hurricanes and wildfires, occurring more frequently or with more intense effects. Such events can make it difficult or impossible for the Company to manufacture and deliver products to its customers, create delays and inefficiencies in the Company’s supply and manufacturing chain, and result in slowdowns and outages to the Company’s service offerings, and negatively impact consumer spending and demand in affected areas. Following an interruption to its business, the Company can require substantial recovery time, experience significant expenditures to resume operations, and lose significant sales. Because the Company relies on single or limited sources for the supply and manufacture of many critical components, a business interruption affecting such sources would exacerbate any negative consequences to the Company.

The Company’s operations are also subject to the risks of industrial accidents at its suppliers and contract manufacturers. While the Company’s suppliers are required to maintain safe working environments and operations, an industrial accident could occur and could result in serious injuries or loss of life, disruption to the Company’s business, and harm to the Company’s reputation. Major public health issues,

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None.

Not applicable.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 16

The Company’s headquarters is located in Cupertino, California. As of September 30, 2023, the Company owned or leased facilities and land for corporate functions, R&D, data centers, retail and other purposes at locations throughout the U.S. and in various places outside the U.S. The Company believes its existing facilities and equipment, which are used by all reportable segments, are in good operating condition and are suitable for the conduct of its business.

Epic Games

Epic Games, Inc. (“Epic”) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (the “District Court”) against the Company alleging violations of federal and state antitrust laws and California’s unfair competition law based upon the Company’s operation of its App Store. On September 10, 2021, the District Court ruled in favor of the Company with respect to nine out of the ten counts included in Epic’s claim. The District Court found that certain provisions of the Company’s App Store Review Guidelines violate California’s unfair competition law and issued an injunction enjoining the Company from prohibiting developers from including in their apps external links that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than Apple in-app purchasing. The injunction applies to apps on the U.S. storefront of the iOS and iPadOS App Store. On April 24, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (the “Circuit Court”) affirmed the District Court’s ruling. On June 7, 2023, the Company and Epic filed petitions with the Circuit Court requesting further review of the decision. On June 30, 2023, the Circuit Court denied both petitions. On July 17, 2023, the Circuit Court granted Apple’s motion to stay enforcement of the injunction pending appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. If the U.S. Supreme Court denies Apple’s petition, the stay of the injunction will expire.

Masimo

Masimo Corporation and Cercacor Laboratories, Inc. (together, “Masimo”) filed a complaint before the U.S. International Trade Commission (the “ITC”) alleging infringement by the Company of five patents relating to the functionality of the blood oxygen feature in Apple Watch Series 6 and 7. In its complaint, Masimo sought a permanent exclusion order prohibiting importation to the United States of certain Apple Watch models that include blood oxygen sensing functionality. On October 26, 2023, the ITC entered a limited exclusion order (the “Order”) prohibiting importation and sales in the United States of Apple Watch models with blood oxygen sensing functionality, which includes Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. The Order will not go into effect until the end of the administrative review period, which is currently expected to end on December 25, 2023. The Company intends to appeal the Order and seek a stay pending the appeal.

Other Legal Proceedings

The Company is subject to other legal proceedings and claims that have not been fully resolved and that have arisen in the ordinary course of business. The Company settled certain matters during the fourth quarter of 2023 that did not individually or in the aggregate have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition or operating results. The outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain. If one or more legal matters were resolved against the Company in a reporting period for amounts above management’s expectations, the Company’s financial condition and operating results for that reporting period could be materially adversely affected.

Not applicable.

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PART II

The Company’s common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC under the symbol AAPL.

Holders

As of October 20, 2023, there were 23,763 shareholders of record.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

Share repurchase activity during the three months ended September 30, 2023 was as follows (in millions, except number of shares, which are reflected in thousands, and per-share amounts):

(1)As of September 30, 2023, the Company was authorized by the Board of Directors to purchase up to $90 billion of the Company’s common stock under a share repurchase program announced on May 4, 2023, of which $15.9 billion had been utilized. During the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company also utilized the final $4.6 billion under its previous repurchase program, which was most recently authorized in April 2022. The programs do not obligate the Company to acquire a minimum amount of shares. Under the programs, shares may be repurchased in privately negotiated or open market transactions, including under plans complying with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act.

(2)In August 2023, the Company entered into new accelerated share repurchase agreements (“ASRs”). Under the terms of the ASRs, two financial institutions committed to deliver shares of the Company’s common stock during the purchase periods in exchange for up-front payments totaling $5.0 billion. The total number of shares ultimately delivered under the ASRs, and therefore the average repurchase price paid per share, is determined based on the volume-weighted average price of the Company’s common stock during the ASRs’ purchase periods, which end in the first quarter of 2024.

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Company Stock Performance

The following graph shows a comparison of five-year cumulative total shareholder return, calculated on a dividend-reinvested basis, for the Company, the S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones U.S. Technology Supersector Index. The graph assumes $100 was invested in each of the Company’s common stock, the S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones U.S. Technology Supersector Index as of the market close on September 28, 2018. Past stock price performance is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.

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The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K. This Item generally discusses 2023 and 2022 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2023 and 2022. Discussions of 2021 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2022 and 2021 are not included, and can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 24, 2022.

Fiscal Period

The Company’s fiscal year is the 52- or 53-week period that ends on the last Saturday of September. An additional week is included in the first fiscal quarter every five or six years to realign the Company’s fiscal quarters with calendar quarters, which occurred in the first quarter of 2023. The Company’s fiscal year 2023 spanned 53 weeks, whereas fiscal years 2022 and 2021 spanned 52 weeks each.

Fiscal Year Highlights

The Company’s total net sales were $383.3 billion and net income was $97.0 billion during 2023.

The Company’s total net sales decreased 3% or $11.0 billion during 2023 compared to 2022. The weakness in foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar accounted for more than the entire year-over-year decrease in total net sales, which consisted primarily of lower net sales of Mac and iPhone, partially offset by higher net sales of Services.

The Company announces new product, service and software offerings at various times during the year. Significant announcements during fiscal year 2023 included the following:

First Quarter 2023:

• iPad and iPad Pro;

• Next-generation Apple TV 4K; and

• MLS Season Pass, a Major League Soccer subscription streaming service.

Second Quarter 2023:

• MacBook Pro 14”, MacBook Pro 16” and Mac mini; and

• Second-generation HomePod.

Third Quarter 2023:

• MacBook Air 15”, Mac Studio and Mac Pro;

• Apple Vision Pro™, the Company’s first spatial computer featuring its new visionOS™, expected to be available in early calendar year 2024; and

• iOS 17, macOS Sonoma, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17 and watchOS 10, updates to the Company’s operating systems.

Fourth Quarter 2023:

• iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max; and

• Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

In May 2023, the Company announced a new share repurchase program of up to $90 billion and raised its quarterly dividend from $0.23 to $0.24 per share beginning in May 2023. During 2023, the Company repurchased $76.6 billion of its common stock and paid dividends and dividend equivalents of $15.0 billion.

Macroeconomic Conditions

Macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, changes in interest rates, and currency fluctuations, have directly and indirectly impacted, and could in the future materially impact, the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.

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Segment Operating Performance

The following table shows net sales by reportable segment for 2023, 2022 and 2021 (dollars in millions):

Americas

Americas net sales decreased 4% or $7.1 billion during 2023 compared to 2022 due to lower net sales of iPhone and Mac, partially offset by higher net sales of Services.

Europe

Europe net sales decreased 1% or $824 million during 2023 compared to 2022. The weakness in foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar accounted for more than the entire year-over-year decrease in Europe net sales, which consisted primarily of lower net sales of Mac and Wearables, Home and Accessories, partially offset by higher net sales of iPhone and Services.

Greater China

Greater China net sales decreased 2% or $1.6 billion during 2023 compared to 2022. The weakness in the renminbi relative to the U.S. dollar accounted for more than the entire year-over-year decrease in Greater China net sales, which consisted primarily of lower net sales of Mac and iPhone.

Japan

Japan net sales decreased 7% or $1.7 billion during 2023 compared to 2022. The weakness in the yen relative to the U.S. dollar accounted for more than the entire year-over-year decrease in Japan net sales, which consisted primarily of lower net sales of iPhone, Wearables, Home and Accessories and Mac.

Rest of Asia Pacific

Rest of Asia Pacific net sales increased 1% or $240 million during 2023 compared to 2022. The weakness in foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar had a significantly unfavorable year-over-year impact on Rest of Asia Pacific net sales. The net sales increase consisted of higher net sales of iPhone and Services, partially offset by lower net sales of Mac and iPad.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 21

Products and Services Performance

The following table shows net sales by category for 2023, 2022 and 2021 (dollars in millions):

(1)Products net sales include amortization of the deferred value of unspecified software upgrade rights, which are bundled in the sales price of the respective product.

(2)Services net sales include amortization of the deferred value of services bundled in the sales price of certain products.

iPhone

iPhone net sales decreased 2% or $4.9 billion during 2023 compared to 2022 due to lower net sales of non-Pro iPhone models, partially offset by higher net sales of Pro iPhone models.

Mac

Mac net sales decreased 27% or $10.8 billion during 2023 compared to 2022 due primarily to lower net sales of laptops.

iPad

iPad net sales decreased 3% or $1.0 billion during 2023 compared to 2022 due primarily to lower net sales of iPad mini and iPad Air, partially offset by the combined net sales of iPad 9th and 10th generation.

Wearables, Home and Accessories

Wearables, Home and Accessories net sales decreased 3% or $1.4 billion during 2023 compared to 2022 due primarily to lower net sales of Wearables and Accessories.

Services

Services net sales increased 9% or $7.1 billion during 2023 compared to 2022 due to higher net sales across all lines of business.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 22

Gross Margin

Products and Services gross margin and gross margin percentage for 2023, 2022 and 2021 were as follows (dollars in millions):

Products Gross Margin

Products gross margin decreased during 2023 compared to 2022 due to the weakness in foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar and lower Products volume, partially offset by cost savings and a different Products mix.

Products gross margin percentage increased during 2023 compared to 2022 due to cost savings and a different Products mix, partially offset by the weakness in foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar and decreased leverage.

Services Gross Margin

Services gross margin increased during 2023 compared to 2022 due primarily to higher Services net sales, partially offset by the weakness in foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar and higher Services costs.

Services gross margin percentage decreased during 2023 compared to 2022 due to higher Services costs and the weakness in foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, partially offset by a different Services mix.

The Company’s future gross margins can be impacted by a variety of factors, as discussed in Part I, Item 1A of this Form 10-K under the heading “Risk Factors.” As a result, the Company believes, in general, gross margins will be subject to volatility and downward pressure.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses for 2023, 2022 and 2021 were as follows (dollars in millions):

Research and Development

The year-over-year growth in R&D expense in 2023 was driven primarily by increases in headcount-related expenses.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative expense was relatively flat in 2023 compared to 2022.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 23

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes, effective tax rate and statutory federal income tax rate for 2023, 2022 and 2021 were as follows (dollars in millions):

The Company’s effective tax rate for 2023 and 2022 was lower than the statutory federal income tax rate due primarily to a lower effective tax rate on foreign earnings, the impact of the U.S. federal R&D credit, and tax benefits from share-based compensation, partially offset by state income taxes.

The Company’s effective tax rate for 2023 was lower compared to 2022 due primarily to a lower effective tax rate on foreign earnings and the impact of U.S. foreign tax credit regulations issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 2022, partially offset by lower tax benefits from share-based compensation.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company believes its balances of cash, cash equivalents and unrestricted marketable securities, which totaled $148.3 billion as of September 30, 2023, along with cash generated by ongoing operations and continued access to debt markets, will be sufficient to satisfy its cash requirements and capital return program over the next 12 months and beyond.

The Company’s material cash requirements include the following contractual obligations:

Debt

As of September 30, 2023, the Company had outstanding fixed-rate notes with varying maturities for an aggregate principal amount of $106.6 billion (collectively the “Notes”), with $9.9 billion payable within 12 months. Future interest payments associated with the Notes total $41.1 billion, with $2.9 billion payable within 12 months.

The Company also issues unsecured short-term promissory notes pursuant to a commercial paper program. As of September 30, 2023, the Company had $6.0 billion of commercial paper outstanding, all of which was payable within 12 months.

Leases

The Company has lease arrangements for certain equipment and facilities, including corporate, data center, manufacturing and retail space. As of September 30, 2023, the Company had fixed lease payment obligations of $15.8 billion, with $2.0 billion payable within 12 months.

Manufacturing Purchase Obligations

The Company utilizes several outsourcing partners to manufacture subassemblies for the Company’s products and to perform final assembly and testing of finished products. The Company also obtains individual components for its products from a wide variety of individual suppliers. As of September 30, 2023, the Company had manufacturing purchase obligations of $53.1 billion, with $52.9 billion payable within 12 months. The Company’s manufacturing purchase obligations are primarily noncancelable.

Other Purchase Obligations

The Company’s other purchase obligations primarily consist of noncancelable obligations to acquire capital assets, including assets related to product manufacturing, and noncancelable obligations related to supplier arrangements, licensed intellectual property and content, and distribution rights. As of September 30, 2023, the Company had other purchase obligations of $21.9 billion, with $5.6 billion payable within 12 months.

Deemed Repatriation Tax Payable

As of September 30, 2023, the balance of the deemed repatriation tax payable imposed by the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Act”) was $22.0 billion, with $6.5 billion expected to be paid within 12 months.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 24

Capital Return Program

In addition to its contractual cash requirements, the Company has an authorized share repurchase program. The program does not obligate the Company to acquire a minimum amount of shares. As of September 30, 2023, the Company’s quarterly cash dividend was $0.24 per share. The Company intends to increase its dividend on an annual basis, subject to declaration by the Board of Directors.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and the Company’s discussion and analysis of its financial condition and operating results require the Company’s management to make judgments, assumptions and estimates that affect the amounts reported. Note 1, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K describes the significant accounting policies and methods used in the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities.

Uncertain Tax Positions

The Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. The evaluation of the Company’s uncertain tax positions involves significant judgment in the interpretation and application of GAAP and complex domestic and international tax laws, including the Act and matters related to the allocation of international taxation rights between countries. Although management believes the Company’s reserves are reasonable, no assurance can be given that the final outcome of these uncertainties will not be different from that which is reflected in the Company’s reserves. Reserves are adjusted considering changing facts and circumstances, such as the closing of a tax examination. Resolution of these uncertainties in a manner inconsistent with management’s expectations could have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition and operating results.

Legal and Other Contingencies

The Company is subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business, the outcomes of which are inherently uncertain. The Company records a liability when it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount is reasonably estimable, the determination of which requires significant judgment. Resolution of legal matters in a manner inconsistent with management’s expectations could have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition and operating results.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 25

The Company is exposed to economic risk from interest rates and foreign exchange rates. The Company uses various strategies to manage these risks; however, they may still impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Interest Rate Risk

The Company is primarily exposed to fluctuations in U.S. interest rates and their impact on the Company’s investment portfolio and term debt. Increases in interest rates will negatively affect the fair value of the Company’s investment portfolio and increase the interest expense on the Company’s term debt. To protect against interest rate risk, the Company may use derivative instruments, offset interest rate–sensitive assets and liabilities, or control duration of the investment and term debt portfolios.

The following table sets forth potential impacts on the Company’s investment portfolio and term debt, including the effects of any associated derivatives, that would result from a hypothetical increase in relevant interest rates as of September 30, 2023 and September 24, 2022 (dollars in millions):

Foreign Exchange Rate Risk

The Company’s exposure to foreign exchange rate risk relates primarily to the Company being a net receiver of currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Changes in exchange rates, and in particular a strengthening of the U.S. dollar, will negatively affect the Company’s net sales and gross margins as expressed in U.S. dollars. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the fair values of certain of the Company’s assets and liabilities. To protect against foreign exchange rate risk, the Company may use derivative instruments, offset exposures, or adjust local currency pricing of its products and services. However, the Company may choose to not hedge certain foreign currency exposures for a variety of reasons, including accounting considerations or prohibitive cost.

The Company applied a value-at-risk (“VAR”) model to its foreign currency derivative positions to assess the potential impact of fluctuations in exchange rates. The VAR model used a Monte Carlo simulation. The VAR is the maximum expected loss in fair value, for a given confidence interval, to the Company’s foreign currency derivative positions due to adverse movements in rates. Based on the results of the model, the Company estimates, with 95% confidence, a maximum one-day loss in fair value of $669 million and $1.0 billion as of September 30, 2023 and September 24, 2022, respectively. Changes in the Company’s underlying foreign currency exposures, which were excluded from the assessment, generally offset changes in the fair values of the Company’s foreign currency derivatives.

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All financial statement schedules have been omitted, since the required information is not applicable or is not present in amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedule, or because the information required is included in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.

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Apple Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In millions, except number of shares, which are reflected in thousands, and per-share amounts)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Apple Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(In millions)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Apple Inc.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In millions, except number of shares, which are reflected in thousands, and par value)

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None.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Based on an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act were effective as of September 30, 2023 to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC rules and forms and (ii) accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Inherent Limitations over Internal Controls

The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:

(i)pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Company’s assets;

(ii)provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that the Company’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of the Company’s management and directors; and

(iii)provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that the Company’s internal controls will prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of internal controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. Also, any evaluation of the effectiveness of controls in future periods are subject to the risk that those internal controls may become inadequate because of changes in business conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act). Management conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria set forth in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework). Based on the Company’s assessment, management has concluded that its internal control over financial reporting was effective as of September 30, 2023 to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP, has issued an audit report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, which appears in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of 2023, which were identified in connection with management’s evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 52

Insider Trading Arrangements

On August 30, 2023, Deirdre O’Brien, the Company’s Senior Vice President, Retail, and Jeff Williams, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, each entered into a trading plan intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c) under the Exchange Act. The plans provide for the sale of all shares vested during the duration of the plans pursuant to certain equity awards granted to Ms. O’Brien and Mr. Williams, respectively, excluding any shares withheld by the Company to satisfy income tax withholding and remittance obligations. Ms. O’Brien’s plan will expire on October 15, 2024, and Mr. Williams’ plan will expire on December 15, 2024, subject to early termination for certain specified events set forth in the plans.

Not applicable.

PART III

The information required by this Item will be included in the Company’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after September 30, 2023, in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Company’s 2024 annual meeting of shareholders (the “2024 Proxy Statement”), and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this Item will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this Item will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this Item will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information required by this Item will be included in the 2024 Proxy Statement, and is incorporated herein by reference.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 53

PART IV

**(a)**Documents filed as part of this report

**(1)**All financial statements

*Ernst & Young LLP, PCAOB Firm ID No. 00042.

**(2)**Financial Statement Schedules

All financial statement schedules have been omitted, since the required information is not applicable or is not present in amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedule, or because the information required is included in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in this Form 10-K.

**(3)**Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K (1)

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Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 55

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 56

*Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

**Filed herewith.

***Furnished herewith.

(1)Certain instruments defining the rights of holders of long-term debt securities of the Registrant are omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K. The Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish to the SEC, upon request, copies of any such instruments.

None.

Apple Inc. | 2023 Form 10-K | 57

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Power of Attorney

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Timothy D. Cook and Luca Maestri, jointly and severally, his or her attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

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