Apple Ousts Microsoft as Technology Company with the Biggest Market Cap

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.macrumors.com/2010/05/26/apple-passes-microsoft-to-become-second-largest-u-s-company-by-market-capitalization/' target='_blank'>http://www.macrumors.com/2010/05/26...capitalization/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"In the less-than-three months since Apple first passed Wal-Mart to hold the third highest market capitalization among U.S. companies, Apple's stock price has continued to increase while second-place Microsoft has seen its shares drift downward. The combination of events has quickly closed the gap between the two companies, and today Apple finally surpassed Microsoft in market capitalization for the first time in 20 years, although second-by-second fluctuations currently see the two companies frequently swapping positions."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1275086420.usr1.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>This happened two days ago, but the results are still basically the same: Apple is now worth more than Microsoft. Looking back a decade or so, I doubt anyone could have predicted this - Apple was on the verge of going bankrupt, and Microsoft had more money than they knew what to do with. Microsoft is still worth a great deal in terms of market cap, but so is Apple. Personally, the stock market puzzles me - it's irrational and often ignorant. Microsoft posted some stunning results last quarter, earning a huge bump in profit, and their stock barely blipped. Not a great time to be a Microsoft shareholder (which I am, in a small way).</p>

[Fritzly]

Disclaimer: I own MS shares.

Stock market..... is irrational and complicated because there are so many factors to consider...
Yes MS had a good quarter but the global picture is not so rosy; consider just this:

Microsoft Market Cap:

1999 $600.00 billion
2010 $227.86 billion

In ten years it went down more than 50%.....
So yes Apple grew substantially but, at the same time, MS shrinked very severely.

[virain]

S. Ballmer has to go! Since B. Gates left company MS has been steady declining. Even though, Ballmer a shrewd businessman, he locks vision and imagination which is a must for leader of Hi-tech company. To be good at crunching numbers is not enough.

[Jeff Campbell]

Here is an interesting article (http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2380-you-couldnt-pay-me-to-work-for-ballmer) charting the prices under the CEOs