Apple’s Dizzying Rise

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A week after unveiling a new version of its iPad tablet, the biggest company in the world got bigger.

Thursday morning, Apple’s stock crossed the $600 mark for the first time.

Indeed, the fast rise of the tech giant has been impressive. Apple’s market capitalizationballooned to $559 billion this morning from $76 billion back in December 2008, a 637 percent increase in about four years.

As the company continues what seems to be an unstoppable run, here is a look at the Apple phenomenon over the past decade.

Stock

• Shares of Apple hit a record $600.01 this morning
• Price target among 46 financial analysts: $595.13
• Market cap: $559 billion (largest in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index)
• Added $181 billion in market cap value so far this year
• Since December 2008, Apple’s market cap has grown by $483 billion
• Crossed the $500 billion market cap for the first time on Feb. 29
• Apple’s stock is up 46 percent year-to-date

Weighting in the S&P 500

• Apple has the largest weighting in the S&P 500 index, standing at 4 percent
• The S&P technology sector has a weighting of 21 percent
• Apple has a 19 percent weighting within the S&P technology sector
• In 2012, the tech sector is up about 19 percent. When Apple is removed, the gain drops to 14 percent.
• The company is responsible for 34 percent of the Nasdaq 100’s gains year-to-date

Earnings

• First-quarter revenue grew by $19.6 billion to $46.3 billion (73 percent higher than the same period a year ago)
• Earnings per share increased by $7.44 to $13.87 (116 percent higher than the same period a year ago) — the consensus estimate was $10.08 per share

Key Intraday Milestones

• $100: April 26, 2007 — traded as high as $102.50
• $200: Dec. 14, 2007 — traded as high as $200
• $300: Oct. 13, 2010 — traded as high as $301.96
• $400: July 25, 2011 — traded as high as $400
• $500: Feb. 13, 2012 — traded as high as $503.83
• $600: March 15, 2012 — traded as high as $600.01

Follow Giovanny Moreano on Twitter: @giovannymoreano
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