Tim Cook has scheduled a conference call for 9 a.m. EDT Monday to answer the question Wall Street has been asking — repeatedly, and with increasing insistence — for years: What does the company plan to do with its enormous stockpile of cash and marketable securities, worth just under $100 billion as of the last quarterly report.

Mr. Market will be extremely disappointed if Apple (AAPL) does not declare a dividend.

Below: The text of the press release:

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Apple Conference Call

WHAT: Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, and Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO, will host a conference call to announce the outcome of the Company’s discussions concerning its cash balance. Apple® will not be providing an update on the current quarter nor will any topics be discussed other than cash.

WHEN: Monday, March 19, 2012 at 6:00 a.m. PDT/9:00 a.m. EDT

REBROADCAST: The conference call will be available as a continuous rebroadcast beginning Monday, March 19 at 9:00 a.m. PDT/12:00 p.m. EDT through Monday, April 2 at 9:00 a.m. PDT/12:00 p.m. EDT. The dial-in number for the rebroadcast is (888) 203-1112 (toll-free) or (719) 457-0820. Please enter confirmation code 6274937.

Live Webcast: http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/123pijhbsdfvohbafv19/event/index.html