Microsoft became the first company to reach a $3 trillion market capitalization at a daily close in January 2024.
Microsoft’s stock finished trading above the level required for a $3 trillion valuation on January 24, 2024. This was a closing-market milestone, unlike Apple’s earlier intraday crossing of the threshold in 2022. The distinction matters because share prices can briefly touch a level and then retreat before the session ends.
Microsoft’s businesses span operating systems, productivity software, cloud computing, gaming, search, and enterprise services. Its Azure cloud platform and recurring subscriptions became especially important parts of the company’s financial profile.
Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. The company became publicly traded in 1986 and has since evolved far beyond its original focus on software for personal computers. Market capitalization represents investors’ current valuation of the company’s equity, not the company’s annual revenue or total assets.