The Securities and Exchange Commission requires public companies to provide annual reports, which are publicly available. Many different people use annual reports to make informed business decisions. Company management uses the information to determine a number of things. Some of these elements are company profitability, inventory turnover rate, and accounts receivable rate. Creditors use the annual report to determine how well a company can service its current debts, as well as how the company is faring in terms of long-term survival. Another group of people who use the annual reports provided by companies are investors, who may purchase shares of the public company. Annual reports are very important to these individuals because they provide an overview that helps them determine the overall stability and reliability of the company's financial outlook. These annual reports are important because they contain not only the company's financial statements, but also a note from management explaining the reasons for any unexpected figures, as well as an audit report from an independent accounting firm, which is agree or disagree. with financial figures. Market reporter Matt Krant said: “Ignoring these reports is like driving on the highway blindfolded. » Recently, many businesses have struggled during the economic downturn. Many investors have lost money in their investments. Usually, in times of economic crisis, people invest in government bonds, healthcare, and commodities. However, both companies compared are in the technology sector, which surprised many investors when both companies continued to see record growth during the recent economic period. Apple Inc. is the manufacturer of iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac, MacBook, iCloud digital storage and various different software applications..