Profits don’t just show up one day and stay fixed.  There is always risk, and always opportunity.<p>This type of move could address both.<p>One risk is that the company’s ability to manufacture may be seriously affected by the actions of a single government.  If their current factories were suddenly impacted by a policy decision, future profits would definitely be hurt.  By spending money now (that, incidentally, their competitors might not be able to), Apple can lower that risk; and, they would also be acting on their own terms instead of having to react to someone else.<p>There is also the investment side.  By spending money now, they could end up with even more capacity that will enable them to develop more products for more people and increase overall profit in the future.  If they don’t spend that kind of money, their competitors could catch up.  The time to invest is before you have a problem.