Apple Has So Much Cash In Reserve It Could Buy 10 Snap Incs, Almost 20 Twitters

Apple Inc. AAPL revealed in its fiscal second-quarter report it is sitting on more than one-quarter of a trillion dollars in pure hard cash. To be specific, the company is holding $256.8 billion, up more than $10 billion from just the prior quarter.

The problem is $239 billion is held overseas, which would be subject to a hefty 35 percent tax rate if it is brought home, making the prospect of an immediate shopping spree less likely. But, if the White House introduces a one-time tax holiday or reduction, then Apple could bring home hundreds of billions of dollars and put it to use.

Statista compiled a "shopping list" of companies Apple can buy instead of spending tens of billions of dollars in dividend payments and stock buybacks.

As a whole, Apple could enter the social media space by acquiring Twitter Inc TWTR ($13 billion), Snap Inc SNAP ($25 billion), ride-sharing platform and major self-driving car player Uber ($68 billion) and tech giant Sony Corp (ADR) SNE ($43 billion).

Apple would have plenty of cash leftover to buy Airbnb ($31 billion), another major player in the on-demand economy, and satisfy investors hoping for an expansion into media and entertainment by buying out Time Warner Inc TWX ($77 billion).