Source: Sean MacEntee, Flickr.
Yet one company looks poised to benefit in a big way from Iran. That company, the former largest company in the world by market value, is none other than Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). Don’t get too ambitious here, because Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) isn’t planning to open an Apple store in Iran anytime soon. However, in late May the U.S. Treasury Department lifted certain sanctions on Iran which would allow Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to sell its iDevices, including the iPhone, in Iran.
There will still be restrictions, of course, with no products allowed to be exported to Iran that are headed to organizations on its Specially Designated Nationals list. In addition, there could be some anti-Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) sentiment in the country with backlash against the company for a few negative sales relations with Farsi-speaking individuals over the past couple of years. In spite of this, it could be another step toward Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) regaining its former glory, and it should be monitored closely as it could serve as a stepping stone into other uncharted regions for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
Myanmar (also known as Burma)
Known less for its country-to-country violence and more for its civil wars and human rights violations, Myanmar has been off-limits to much of the Western hemisphere for decades. That could be about to change, though, with ongoing tolerance talks between Muslim and Buddhist religious groups in the country coercing two U.S. multinationals to recently take the plunge.
Beverage giant The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) announced in June that its first bottling plant opened in Myanmar amid its plans to spend $200 million in the war-torn nation over the next five years. This marks the first time that The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) has produced its product in Myanmar in 60 years, and pushes along plans to open a second bottling plant in a month’s time. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is truly the most global of all companies, operating in all but two countries worldwide. Myanmar simply adds another chapter to The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)’s already impressive and diverse global drink portfolio.
Source: Commons.wikimedia.org.
Another player looking to drive over the competition in Myanmar is Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), which opened up its first full-service dealership in late April in partnership with Myanmar’s Capital Automotive. If Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) can do in Myanmar what it’s done in China, then the sky could be the limit throughout Southeast Asia. Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) plans to introduce a full lineup of fuel-efficient cars and trucks to the region by the end of the year.
Unlocking opportunities
Will these five global players lead the way into war-torn regions of the world or flop trying? A lot of that remains to be seen, but we could nonetheless be seeing a new strategy employed by multinational companies struggling to find growth domestically and being forced to really branch out to generate top-line growth. Don’t be surprised if we see more instances of U.S. companies expanding into questionable overseas markets in the coming years, and certainly keep your eyes peeled for intriguing new overseas opportunities.
The article 5 U.S. Companies Opening Up Shop in the World’s Most Dangerous Countries originally appeared on Fool.com is written by Sean Williams.
Fool contributor Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name TMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen name TrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle @TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool owns shares of, and recommends, Apple and Ford. It also owns Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase, and recommends Coca-Cola.
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