Apple became the first company to reach a $1 trillion market capitalization through a U.S. stock exchange.
Apple crossed the threshold on August 2, 2018, with its shares trading on the Nasdaq. The company’s market capitalization was calculated by multiplying the stock price by the number of outstanding shares, including the effect of Apple’s past stock splits and share repurchases.
The milestone followed a long transformation from a personal-computer company into a global consumer-technology and services business. The iPhone became Apple’s most important product, while the App Store and other services created additional recurring relationships with customers. Strong earnings and optimistic forecasts helped push the share price over the required level.
Some earlier companies briefly reached comparable valuations in other markets or during unusual trading conditions, so wording matters. Apple’s 2018 record is commonly cited as the first trillion-dollar milestone for a company traded on a U.S. exchange. Market-cap records can change as share prices move.