Microsoft owns the Windows operating system and became the first company to exceed a $2 trillion market capitalization after Apple.
Microsoft passed the $2 trillion mark in 2021, following Apple’s earlier achievement. Investors were rewarding the company’s transformation from a PC-software leader into a diversified technology business with major positions in cloud computing, enterprise software, gaming, and online services.
Windows remains one of Microsoft’s best-known products, but the company’s financial profile is now strongly influenced by Azure and Microsoft 365. Its subscription-based services create recurring revenue and connect customers across work, communication, storage, and security.
Microsoft’s growth story also includes major acquisitions. It bought LinkedIn in 2016 and completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023, adding a large gaming portfolio that includes franchises such as Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.