Apple now worth seventeen times Dell’s market value

On October 6, 1997, in response to the question of what he’d do if he was in charge of Apple, Dell founder and 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 Interim CEO (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.”

On January 13, 2006, after a little more than eight years of hard work, Apple Inc. passed Dell, Inc. in market value, $72.13 billion vs. $71.97 billion at market close, respectively.

• 2X: On July 27, 2007, Apple’s value doubled that of Dell’s, $127.81 billion vs. $63.65 billion, respectively.

• 3X: On December 6, 2007, Apple’s market value passed 3 times that of Dell’s, $165.66 billion vs. $54.42 billion, respectively.

• 4X: On May 01, 2008, Apple’s market value quadrupled that of Dell’s, $158.66 billion vs. $38.97 billion, respectively.

• 5X: On February 12, 2009, Apple rose $2.60 to hit a market value of $88.37 billion or 5 times that of Dell’s $17.52 billion.

• 6X: On October 20, 2009, Apple rose $11.21 to $201.07 to hit a market value of $180.12 billion or more than 6 times that of Dell’s $29.97 billion.

• 7X: On January 26, 2010, Apple gained $7.57 to $210.64 to hit a market value of $189.72 billion or more than 7 times that of Dell’s current $27.03 billion.

• 8X: On May 21, 2010, Apple gained $1.95 to $239.74 to hit a market value of $218.12 billion or more than 8 times that of Dell’s current $25.84 billion.

• 9X: On June 1, 2010, Apple gained $6.89 to $263.77 to hit a market value of $240.01 billion or more than 9 times that of Dell’s current $26.29 billion.

• 10X: On September 9, 2010, Apple gained $1.60 to $265.37 to hit a market value of $242.43 billion or more than 10 times that of Dell’s current $24.21 billion.

• 11X: On September 23, 2010, Apple rose $3.79, or 1.32%, to $291.54 to hit a market value of $266.34 billion or more than 11 times that of Dell’s current $23.81 billion.

• 12X: On January 27, 2011, Apple rose $0.26, or 0.08%, to $344.11 to hit a market value of $317.02 billion or more than 12 times that of Dell’s current $26.02 billion.

• 13X: On August 26, 2011, Apple rose $9.86, or 2.64%, to $383.58 to hit a market value of $355.61 billion or more than 13 times that of Dell’s current $27.29 billion.

• 14X: On September 20, 2011, Apple rose $1.82, or 0.44%, to $413.45 to hit a market value of $383.31 billion or more than 14 times that of Dell’s current $27.15 billion.

• 15X: On February 15, 2012, Apple rose $14.03, or 2.75%, to $523.49 to hit a market value of $486.78 billion or more than 15 times that of Dell’s current $32.37 billion.

• 16X: On february 29, 2012, Apple rose $8.43, or 1.575%, to $543.84 to hit a market value of $505.75 billion or more than 16 times that of Dell’s current $31.35 billion.

• 17X: Today, March 12, 2012, Apple rose $3.27, or 0.60%, to $548.44 to hit a market value of $512.33 billion or more than 17 times that of Dell’s current $29.94 billion.

Apple is also a debt-free company and currently has well over three times in cash on-hand (now over $100 billion) than Dell Inc. is worth.

Hello, Mikey? Miiikeeey? Got any more snappy retorts?

See AAPL and DELL quotes via NASDAQ here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Robert Gasiorowski” for the heads up.]

Related articles:
Apple now worth sixeen times Dell’s market value – February 29, 2012
Apple now worth fifteen times Dell’s market value – February 15, 2012
Apple now worth fourteen times Dell’s market value – September 20, 2011
Apple now worth thirteen times Dell’s market value – August 26, 2011
Apple now worth twelve times Dell’s market value – January 27, 2011
Apple now worth eleven times Dell’s market value – September 23, 2010
Apple now worth ten times Dell’s market value – September 09, 2010
Apple now worth nine times Dell’s market value – June 01, 2010
Apple now worth eight times Dell’s market value – May 21, 2010
Apple now worth seven times Dell’s market value – January 26, 2010
Apple now worth sextuple Dell’s market value – October 20, 2009
Apple now worth quintuple Dell’s market value – February 12, 2009
Apple could buy Dell outright; Mac-maker has more cash on hand than Dell is worth – October 21, 2008
Apple now worth quadruple Dell’s market value – May 01, 2008
Apple now worth triple Dell’s market value – December 06, 2007
Apple now worth double Dell’s market value – July 27, 2007
Beleaguered Dell: Shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders – March 02, 2007
Biting words on Apple come back to haunt Dell – February 10, 2007
Steve Jobs emails Apple team: Michael Dell not the best prognosticator, Apple worth more than Dell – January 16, 2006
Apple now worth more than Dell – January 13, 2006

59 Comments

    1. It’s claimed that the server business won’t make Apple very much money, so I guess Apple will continue to pass on that space. The only presence Apple is going to have in the server business is its own data centers and even those likely won’t have Apple gear.

      Apple doesn’t have to have its hands in everything to make money. Hopefully, Apple does become successful in the living room space with a successful AppleTV. Eventually, consumers may demand that Apple devices get specific subscriber content with on-demand channels, but that scenario is only my dream which at this point in time doesn’t seem likely.

      1. Not untl Apple is worth infinity x Dell. That is, when Dell is shut down and the money is given back to the shareholders. I fully expect and hope to live long enough to see that happen.

        1. Comparing meaningless things isn’t fun, it’s a stupid waste of time.

          Compare market values or rates of return or something with meaning. Apple wins on all counts.

    1. No, it’s not. Not by a mile.

      ‘Did you think we had forgetten… did you think we had forgiven??’

      ‘Behold, now, the terrible vengeance of the [formerly beleagured Apple].’

      ‘Now, all can see, this is the hour of [Apple]’ — Apothecary Putress

      No quarter shall be given. Neither shall there be any mercy for Michael Dell.

  1. Damn… this just *never* gets old.

    Once Apple breaks 20x Dell’s valuation, I may just have to break out that bottle of Dom Perignon I’ve been saving for Ballmer’s ‘retirement’.

    1. Yes it was. I wish I had taken a shot of it or saved it. I believe there was a video also? Whoever has these and share will score huge brownie points with the Mac community who stuck it out with Apple through the very dark years before SJ second coming! 🙂

    1. His résponse in this video is ridiculous. He’s trying to back peddle, on his words when he should have just said “I was wrong.” It’s really no big deal, because in 1997, most people would have been wrong about Apple.

      1. What a cheezy guy …. Geez, just admit you goofed – Said a really STUPID THING or better yet make a JOKE of it dummy …..

        Like ya, I would of shut them down, look at how they are biting into Dell sales ….

        Mr. Dell must like his position ….

    2. i have two observations to mention from this video (BTW thanks Botvinnik).

      1) Mikey does a great back pedaling that would put to shame those Russian circus bear or those thugs that call themselves “boxers” nowadays.

      2) The lady (Gloria?) asking the question to Mickey about his 1997 comments. The way she was stammering and sounding so intimidated. I have seen 3rd grade national spelling bee contestants show more confidence that she did! I mean Mickey might not be the most handsome guy but she should have been viscerating that schmuck!

  2. More importantly, if you’d invested money in Apple on January 13, 2006, you’d have over 7 times your money now, whereas the same investment in Dell would have lost nearly 3/5 of its value.

    ——RM

  3. Man, I just finished helping someone on a 7 year old Dell that can still run Illustrator after we put Win 7 on it. Reminds me of what they could do before they dropped the ball a couple of years later. Now I wouldn’t touch them with a ten foot pole.

    1. Dangerous Move Bob Forsberg Look what happened to the Steve … I don’t think he would have become the man he became, nor apple become the company it is now but for the early slap in the face Steve got. It gave him the bite of humble pie that a Kid that became a multi-millionaire before he was 25 needed to become great. (hell in today’s money a billionaire).

  4. Well Mikey… Now that you’ve even tried to re-cast yourself as NOT a PC company, the market just isn’t buying it.. Pretty soon you’ll be NOT company !

    Buh…bye…. Time to retreat to the Montana mountain for good..

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