Apple on Thursday once again became the world’s most valuable publicly-traded company when measured by market cap, rising $4.15 to close at $456.68 per share. With a value approaching $415 billion, the company once again passed up Exxon Mobil, which fell by a dollar after a weak earnings report and lowered its overall market cap to $412 billion. AAPL has risen nearly $50 over the past month, but is still off its 2013 high of $549.03 per share.
Investors appear to be supporting the stock again — after months of financial displeasure with the company — in anticipation of a strong fall lineup of new products and services that should keep the company on top of the consumer electronics game in time for the holiday season. The company’s sales remain strong and Apple is continuing to grow share in the crucial North American market. While “shipments” of other phones and tablets increase, the iPhone and iPad remain the dominant individual brands of smartphone and tablet respectively, in the latter case continuing to completely dominate its category.
