Apple so far hasn't explained the nature or the extent of its stock option difficulties, saying only it has uncovered some "irregularities" in the distribution of the popular employee awards as far back as 1997 — the same time that co-founder Steve Jobs began his second stint running the company.

More than 80 other companies nationwide are entangled in some sort of stock-option trouble. In most of those instances, the other companies have traced their problems to "backdating" issues.

Under this practice, insiders try to make the rewards more lucrative by retroactively pinning the option's exercise price to a low point in the stock's value. Usually, an option's exercise price coincides with the market value at the time of a grant, to give the recipient an incentive to drive the price higher.

If companies backdate options without accounting for the move, it can cause profits to be overstated and taxes to be underpaid. It also exposes companies to possible fraud charges.

Some people suspect Apple's stock option problems revolve around another potentially nettlesome practice known as "springloading" — a tactic that refers to grants made just before a company announces good news that's expected to lift the stock price.

Apple has acknowledged its stock option inquiry involves some awards made to Jobs, although the grants were canceled before its chief executive realized any gains.

Some investors nevertheless worry the brewing scandal might distract or, in a worst case scenario, force out Jobs, who is widely viewed as the key to Apple's continuing success. Industry analysts so far seem to believe Jobs will remain on the job and focused on building upon Apple's recent momentum.