Apple Inc. has added some 10,400 full time employees during the last year, an increase of 48.14%. Appleis 10K filing, which was released Wednesday, revealed that the company increased its headcount from 21,600 from last yearis 10K filing to 32,000 in 2008.

Apple also increased its temp and contract employee headcount by a similar amount, from 2,100 temps in 2007 to 3,100 in 2008, an increase of 47.62%.

Appleis filing was sparse on details on where these employees are working, but the company has continued to open new Apple Store retail locations, increase the staff at existing Apple Stores, and add significant support staff for its growing Mac and iPod product lines, as well as the massively successful iPhone line.

A large portion of the headcount increase is therefore very likely to have occurred in those sectors of Appleis business.

Since the return of Steve Jobs to the company in the late 1990s, Apple has consistently run a very lean operation, with constant tweaks on its personnel and headcount. The numbers revealed in 2008is 10K show the largest jump in headcount since Mr. Jobsi re-ascension to Appleis throne.

Appleis stock traded lower amidst a broader post-election downswing, trading at $104.67 per share, down $6.32 (-5.69%) in moderate volume during the Wednesday afternoon trading session.

*In the interest of full disclosure, the author holds a small share in AAPL stock that was not an influence in the creation of this article.  

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