Apple Inc. was the first technology company to achieve a $1 trillion market capitalization.
Apple crossed the milestone during intraday trading on August 2, 2018, when its share price reached approximately $207.05. Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying a company’s share price by its outstanding shares, so the achievement reflected public-market valuation rather than cash held by Apple or annual revenue.
The milestone capped a remarkable turnaround. Apple, founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976, had struggled badly in the 1990s. Jobs returned in 1997, and products including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad transformed the company’s finances and global reach.
The wording refers to a publicly traded company and a market-capitalization milestone. Other companies later joined the trillion-dollar group, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet, but Apple reached the threshold first. Apple subsequently became the first public company to reach $2 trillion and $3 trillion valuations as well.