On October 6, 1997, in response to the question of what he’d do if he was in charge of Apple Computer, Dell founder and then CEO Michael Dell stood before a crowd of several thousand IT executives and answered flippantly, “What would I do? I’d shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders.”
A little more than a month later, on November 10, 1997, new Apple iCEO Steve Jobs responded, speaking in front of an image of Michael Dell’s bulls-eye covered face, “We’re coming after you, you’re in our sights.”
Today, after a little more than eight years of hard work, Apple Computer, Inc. passed Dell, Inc. in market value. That’s right, at market close Apple Computer ($72,132,428,843) is now worth more than Dell ($71,970,702,760).
Got any snappy retorts for that one, Mr. Dell?
Luckily, Apple has had the right man in charge since July 1997; a man with the vision and the ability to do what lesser men think impossible.
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I’m no expert in stocks but do know a thing or two. The price of a stock does not directly reflect how valuable the company is. Often companys will do stock splits where they will cut the price down and give stock holders more shares. There are other things that effect the price of the stock as well that are far over my head.
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How to be a http://CollegeCheapskate.com
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Thanks for all the explanations
Funny thing is M Dell recently even tries to copy OSX bright blue desktop picture to mask its dull hardware & flaw installed os, which i guess he succeeds (i never paid attention to Dull stuff before) but only to show off more clearly the big differences between Steve’s shiny Apple and his dull box, see how stupid & desperate that guy is.
Umm, Wall Street doesn’t care what Dell’s stock was doing 10 years ago either. Wall Street only cares about what’s happening right now, today, this minute. Please, get a clue.
Beautiful! It’s a great time to be a Mac head!
MW: Can. Yes, it can happen!
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To all those who wish to rain on the parade… Let these people have their fun at least for a few minutes. It really woudn’t even be a big deal if Mr. Dell hadn’t made those off color comments about Apple back in the day. So, in some ways it is a sweet revenge. In a way it is like a big F U to all those dell users who have openly mocked people simply because they use a mac. Really, that is all this is truly feeding in these people on here. It is a form of revenge for the taunting that many have had to endure.
Now in the world of reality. I think this really should be an indication to those windows fan boys/dell fan boys that they shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss Apple as they typically do. Years ago it was an impossibility that Apple would ever be worth more than Dell. At the moment it seems impossible that Apple will break the 10% marketshare ceiling. It does make one wonder what the next few years hold. I wouldn’t be suprised that if in 5 years 10% is a surpassed dream while we eye 15 or 20.
Sorry Capt. Obvious, but I’d have to say you are wrong. Anyone that has bought a Mac has contributed to the success. Anyone that has convinced another person or their company to buy Macs has contributed. Those that didn’t follow like the rest of the sheep have contributed. Those of us that bought our first Mac in 1984, and have owned several since have contributed. AAPL shareholders, whether you own 1 share and have it in a frame on your wall, or like me that own several thousand shares, are all contributors.
It’s not just you or just me or even just Steve. It’s all of us. It’s been a long time and there have been enough low times. I think we have a right to laugh at Dell right now. Michael Dell is an asshole and has made some outlandish statements. It’s his time to eat crow.
My MDN Magic Word is “Respect”. I like that and it is very appropriate for this story.
And just think – Apple did it with an iPod!!! Kicked Dells computer ass with music/video playing iPod! Who needs computers when you can beat Dell with an iPod.
Yeah, baby!
What would happen if Dell bought OS X v 10.4.4 at retail and installed it on their cheap junk computers? Would it work? What could Apple do? This is a thought.
Zonkzor,
When a stock split occurs, the price per share is split as well so that the total remains constant. As an example, if a company has 1 million shares outstanding, and the price is $100 per share, and you have 100 shares, the company has $100 million outstanding in stock, and you have $10,000 in stock. If a 2-for-1 split occurs, the price goes to $50 and you have 200 shares. There are now 2 million shares outstanding. At $50, the company still has $100 million distributed, and you still have $10,000 worth.
The same is true for a 3-for-1 split, and the reverse is true for a reverse split.
Thank you all you Windows PC owners that bought an iPod to use on your Dell PC – you made Apple worth more than Dell.
Now please buy an Apple computer to go with your iPod. We got Intel inside.
Reality Show:
Yes, you may go to school. Good night.
Sorry Jimbo, but I choose to disagree.
It might degrade into a bit of a chicken and egg scenario here, but the fact of the matter is that Apple creates the great stuff that we consume. I don’t walk around acting like some badass because I have a Mac. I certainly would never claim that I have a right to gloat simply because I’ve chosen to buy a great machine that Apple designed.
If they didn’t design great stuff, I wouldn’t buy it. Bottom line. My dollars are earned by them. And the praise has been earned by them. Why should I take any credit for any of it? Does anyone honestly believe MDN fanboys that foresee the impending doom of a $70B+ company deserve any sort of credit, consumers or not?
MW: Think.
Proud to be converting, got my hands dirty with the new iPod Nano, and have decided with a great deal of happiness (with much thanks to Steve Jobs and Kevin Rose) that Apple Computers are the way to go.
Proud to be a convert of the apple…
Lets hope my literary writing skill lives up to my investment in such a fine product.
Garratt-J
Anyone out there has some interest to know the very minute when things turned upside down = when AAPL stock value went > DELL’s ? I can trade the info for an old Pentium III 933Mhz Beige Dell. That is: I give you the info, you give me the Dell.
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Dude, you’re getting a Dell share
BTW, HP is next on Apple’s climb.
They are $18.5 billion away at the moment which should be around six months work at the most, and more likely the results for Q2/FY2006 may be the tipping point in that little battle.
Yeaap ! I take it. Here’s the info: 01/13/03 at 03:52, AAPL $85.4939 (+1.34%), DELL $30.6143 (-0.39%), that is 1.73% gap. Take it and write it on your wall. And get my &%?! stock !
Da Grump, yea obviously thought about this cheap trick M Dull or any competitor with big pocket could do so its made it clear, no OSX on PC whatsoever, any attempt to do that would be illegal. It even has a hidden warning for hackers “do not steal OS X” on new Intel system as a post here today. wont try to prevent users to install windows on new Macs but wont allow OSX on any pc, period, which is great, we can use our mac all the time even when need to fire off that crappy winxp for some apps, At least thats a hope now because no one knows for sure yet if winxp can really be installed on a Macintel.
Umm, Wall Street doesn’t care what Dell’s stock was doing 10 years ago either. Wall Street only cares about what’s happening right now, today, this minute. Please, get a clue.
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your point being.. Dell sucks right now? thanks. Way to defend the PC industry.
Please Mac fans becareful with your money. We can root for Apple and SJ without being stupid. What company or consortium would purchase Apple at these rarified PEs. These most visible analysts are making money for their firms from transactions not investments. 75% of Apple is owned by institutions with so much money they have to put it some where. Just because an analyst says $100 USD or what ever in the press, what is their basis? Maybe Apple should consider making acquisitions with its new found free money,stock.
Just another example of the fact that the tides they are a-turnin’, no matter whether that is done by the help of the iPod or if anyone has or has not the right to gloat or rejoice or whatever, by having or having not purchased x number of Apple-products.
This happened with the help of the iPod, yes, but the iPod is not the end of the story. Maybe it is not the personal computers as such, either. That all depends on how that area will develop on the whole, but I am convinced that Apple – and Jobs – are hell bent on setting things right again, after the totally absurd situation we have had for such a long time, that a mediocre (at best) product has totally dominated the market.
I am convinced that there could have existed even better OSes than Mac OS, but as it is now, it is the best there is. Linux might be even better but it lacks in one important detail; it is still not easy and intuitive to use the way the Mac OS is and the way and iPod is easy to use.
That is what is going to turn the tides even more; the care for detail, the love of design and functionality, the understanding of the end user’s need for a product which is simple and easy to use and reliable as well.
Apple doesn’t need to be the first to the market with products as long as they understand what so many others are missing; the need to make it simple.
Just wait and see. iPod might have brought Apple here, but Macs will bring it further on – especially Mac OS X.
The word is ‘service’. Aight!
It’s funny people say yeah, but they complaine about the new MacBook Pro’s name, the lack of modem, the lack of firewire, the video, Job’s chosing Intel, instead of AMD. Complaine and hoot, complain and hoot. Make up your minds. GEESH
So Mr. Jobs, what would you do if you were in charge of Dell?
I read an interesting article a few months ago saying that Dell’s growth is slowing and there’s little they can do to keep growing which means Wall Street will begin to sour on them. Apple, on the other hand, has plenty of room for growth and a visionary for a CEO. If memory serves, Steve Jobs makes a heck of a lot less than Michael Dell too.