Apple has the means -- and the motive -- to pull off a massive acquisition

As Apple Inc.'s stash of cash grows, so does the possibility that the world's most valuable company will use some of the money for a huge acquisition that would expand its empire beyond iPhones and other gadgets. The company holds more than a quarter of a trillion dollars it could use to go shopping. So far, the guessing game has primarily focused on possible targets such as Netflix and Tesla. Either deal could make sense, given Apple's long-running interest in providing a TV service to consumers and its more recent work on self-driving cars. But in recent months the takeover talk has swirled around whether Apple might do something even more dramatic by making a bid for Walt Disney Co.