Apple briefly became the world’s most valuable company by market capitalization in 2011, overtaking ExxonMobil.
Apple moved ahead of ExxonMobil during trading on August 9, 2011, as investors reacted to a sharp fall in oil-company shares and continuing confidence in Apple’s growth. ExxonMobil later reclaimed the position at times, so the ranking changed with market prices.
The shift symbolized the growing importance of consumer technology in global equity markets. Apple’s iPhone and iPad had created major new product categories, while ExxonMobil represented the enormous scale of the traditional energy industry.
Being the world’s most valuable listed company is a market snapshot, not a permanent title. It can change daily because it depends on relative share prices, exchange rates, outstanding shares, and corporate actions such as buybacks or stock issuance.