Investors see Microsoft’s stock market value leaving Apple behind

Microsoft’s early lead in artificial intelligence has the software heavyweight’s stock market value poised to pull decisively ahead of Apple’s over the next five years, 13 institutional investors unanimously agreed ahead of the tech titans’ quarterly results this week.

Microsoft’s shares have surged 7% so far in 2024, recently sending its stock market value above $3 trillion and dethroning Apple as the world’s most valuable company. As of Friday, the Redmond, Washington software maker’s market capitalization was a few billion dollars above Apple’s.

Asked which would be more valuable five years from now, all 13 investments strategists and portfolio managers consulted by Reuters last week said they expect Microsoft to outpace Apple.