Figures as of the Nov 13, 2026 close. Updated after each trading day. Not a recommendation or a forecast.
From Nov 12, 2021 to the Nov 13, 2026 close, $1,000 in Apple (AAPL) became $2,432 and $1,000 in Microsoft (MSFT) became $1,621, with dividends reinvested.
From Nov 12, 2021 to Nov 13, 2026, Apple grew 19.4% a year and Microsoft grew 10.1%. The higher rate, Apple's, came with narrower daily swings. Volatility was 28.1% for Apple and 28.4% for Microsoft. The Sharpe ratio is the yearly return above a fixed 5% risk-free rate, per unit of volatility.
Sharpe ratios were 0.51 for Apple and 0.18 for Microsoft. Over the same dates, the price record shows deepest falls of 33.4% for Apple and 37.1% for Microsoft. From Nov 15, 2021 to Nov 13, 2026, betas to the S&P 500 were 1.15 for Apple and 1.13 for Microsoft.
The $1,000 in Apple and the $1,000 in Microsoft swapped places 4 times at month ends. The latest swap came at the end of Aug 2025. Since then, the $1,000 in Apple has been worth more at every month end. Across all 61 month ends, Apple's value was the higher one at 55 and Microsoft's at 6.
At the end of Jun 2026, $1,000 had become $1,973 in Apple and $1,152 in Microsoft. In relative terms, that was the widest gap between them at any month end. The $1,000 in Apple first doubled to $2,000 at a month end in May 2026. The $1,000 in Microsoft had not reached $2,000 by Nov 2026.
Every row ends at the Nov 13, 2026 close. The "a year" columns give the yearly rate from each start date. The yearly rates were furthest apart over the last year. Over that span, Apple grew 30.9% a year and Microsoft grew 4.9%.
The rates were closest over the full span since Mar 1986: 22.8% for Apple and 25.0% for Microsoft.
Apple's rate over the last year, 30.9%, was above its 10-year rate of 30.8%. Microsoft's last-year rate, 4.9%, was below its 10-year rate of 26.1%. In every row, $1,000 in Apple and $1,000 in Microsoft both ended above $1,000.
| Period | $1,000 in Apple | $1,000 in Microsoft | Apple a year | Microsoft a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since both startedfrom Mar 13, 1986 | $4,217,677 | $8,877,183 | 22.8% | 25.0% |
| Last 20 yearsfrom Nov 13, 2006 | $141,216 | $25,480 | 28.1% | 17.6% |
| Last 10 yearsfrom Nov 14, 2016 | $14,662 | $10,151 | 30.8% | 26.1% |
| Last 5 yearsfrom Nov 12, 2021 | $2,432 | $1,621 | 19.4% | 10.1% |
| Last yearfrom Nov 13, 2025 | $1,309 | $1,049 | 30.9% | 4.9% |
At the Nov 13, 2026 close, Apple was at its month-end high. At the same close, Microsoft was 0.8% below its Jul 2025 month-end high. On daily closes, Apple's deepest fall was 33.4% from Dec 26, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025. Microsoft's deepest fall was 37.1% from Nov 19, 2021 to Nov 3, 2022.
Apple closed back at its old high on Oct 20, 2025, 6 months after the low. Microsoft closed back at its old high on Jun 15, 2023, 7 months after the low. Apple was 20% or more below its high at 3 of 61 month ends. Microsoft was 20% or more below its high at 12.
The S&P 500's 2022 fall ran from its Jan 3, 2022 high to its Oct 12, 2022 low. Over those dates, Apple fell 23.7% and Microsoft 32.1%.
The bars cover 4 full calendar years, 2022 to 2025. Apple rose in 3 of them and Microsoft in 3. Apple's yearly change was higher in 2 years and Microsoft's in 2. Both rose in 3 and both fell in 1. They never moved in opposite directions over a full year.
Both had their lowest year in 2022: Apple −26.4%, Microsoft −28.0%. Both had their highest year in 2023: Apple +49.0%, Microsoft +58.2%. The widest one-year gap between them was 2024: Apple +30.7%, Microsoft +12.9%. In 2025, the latest full year, Apple rose 9.1% and Microsoft rose 15.6%.
These counts cover 59 full months, Dec 2021 to Oct 2026. Apple rose in 34 of them and Microsoft in 30. Both rose in 23, both fell in 18, and in 18 one rose while the other fell. Apple's largest monthly fall was −12.2% in Dec 2022, and Microsoft's −17.2% in Jun 2026.
Apple's largest monthly rise was +18.9% in Jul 2022, and Microsoft's +24.6% in Jul 2026. Apple's longest run of falling months was 4, ending in Apr 2024. Microsoft's longest run of falling months was 6, ending in Mar 2026.
The latest cell is a part month, from the Oct 30, 2026 close to the Nov 13, 2026 close. Over those days, Apple changed +3.4% and Microsoft +0.4%.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | −4.6 | +1.9 | −3.9 | +6.9 | +15.1 | −7.3 | +6.8 | +2.7 | +5.1 | +3.5 | +3.4 | |
| 2025 | −5.8 | +2.6 | −8.2 | −4.3 | −5.4 | +2.2 | +1.2 | +12.0 | +9.7 | +6.2 | +3.2 | −2.5 |
| 2024 | −4.2 | −1.9 | −5.1 | −0.7 | +13.0 | +9.6 | +5.4 | +3.2 | +1.7 | −3.0 | +5.2 | +5.5 |
| 2023 | +11.1 | +2.3 | +11.9 | +2.9 | +4.6 | +9.4 | +1.3 | −4.2 | −8.9 | −0.3 | +11.4 | +1.4 |
| 2022 | −1.6 | −5.4 | +5.7 | −9.7 | −5.4 | −8.1 | +18.9 | −3.1 | −12.1 | +11.0 | −3.3 | −12.2 |
| 2021 | +7.4 |
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | −11.0 | −8.5 | −5.7 | +10.2 | +10.7 | −17.2 | +24.6 | +9.4 | +1.1 | +1.8 | +0.4 | |
| 2025 | −1.5 | −4.2 | −5.4 | +5.3 | +16.7 | +8.0 | +7.3 | −4.9 | +2.2 | −0.0 | −4.8 | −1.7 |
| 2024 | +5.7 | +4.2 | +1.7 | −7.5 | +6.8 | +7.7 | −6.4 | −0.1 | +3.2 | −5.6 | +4.4 | −0.5 |
| 2023 | +3.3 | +0.9 | +15.6 | +6.6 | +7.1 | +3.7 | −1.4 | −2.2 | −3.7 | +7.1 | +12.3 | −0.8 |
| 2022 | −7.5 | −3.7 | +3.2 | −10.0 | −1.8 | −5.5 | +9.3 | −6.7 | −10.9 | −0.3 | +10.2 | −6.0 |
| 2021 | +1.7 |
The rolling 1-year return is the change over the 12 months to each month end. From Nov 2022 to Nov 2026, Apple's rolling 1-year return ran from −26.4% (12 months to Dec 2022) to +56.0% (to May 2026). Over the same months, Microsoft's ran from −28.0% (12 months to Dec 2022) to +67.2% (to Feb 2024).
Apple's 12-month change was below zero at 7 of those 49 month ends, and Microsoft's at 13. Apple's 12-month change was the higher one at 26 month ends and Microsoft's at 23. That is close to an even split.
These measures cover Nov 12, 2021 to Nov 13, 2026. Over those dates, volatility was 28.1% for Apple and 28.4% for Microsoft. The Sortino ratio counts only falling days as risk. Against the same 5% rate, Sortino ratios were 0.76 for Apple and 0.27 for Microsoft. The Calmar ratio is the yearly return divided by the deepest fall.
Calmar ratios were 0.58 for Apple and 0.27 for Microsoft.
Beta shows how much Apple and Microsoft tended to move on the days the S&P 500 (SPY) moved. A beta of 1 means moving by the same amount as the index. From Nov 15, 2021 to Nov 13, 2026, Apple's beta was 1.15 and Microsoft's 1.13. By that measure, both tended to move more than the index.
The correlation of Apple's and Microsoft's daily moves was 0.53, a partial link. A correlation of 1 would mean they always moved together, 0 no link and −1 always opposite.
| Measure | Apple | Microsoft |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility, a year | 28.1% | 28.4% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.51 | 0.18 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.76 | 0.27 |
| Calmar ratio | 0.58 | 0.27 |
| Deepest fall | 33.4% | 37.1% |
| Beta to the S&P 500from Nov 15, 2021 | 1.15 | 1.13 |
| Upside capturemonths from Dec 2016 | 145% | 131% |
| Downside capturemonths from Dec 2016 | 86% | 90% |
| Biggest one-day rise | +15.33%Apr 9, 2025 | +15.51%Jul 30, 2026 |
| Biggest one-day fall | −9.25%Apr 3, 2025 | −9.99%Jan 29, 2026 |
| Price against its 50-day average | +5.1% | +0.9% |
| Price against its 200-day average | +18.4% | +18.9% |
| Correlation of daily movesfrom Nov 15, 2021 | 0.53 | |
What Apple and Microsoft do, from each company's latest annual report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells related services. Its product lines are iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its services include advertising, AppleCare, cloud services, digital content and payment services.
The company manages its business mainly by geography, and its reportable segments are the Americas, Europe, Greater China, Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific. In the filing, Europe includes India, the Middle East and Africa. The headquarters is in Cupertino, California.
Apple's fiscal year is the 52- or 53-week period ending on the last Saturday of September, so fiscal 2026 ended on September 26, 2026.
Source: 10-K (fiscal 2026, ended September 26, 2026), filed Nov 3, 2026 (SEC EDGAR)
Microsoft Corporation, founded in 1975, develops and supports software, services, devices and solutions. It reports three segments. Productivity and Business Processes includes Microsoft 365 commercial and consumer products and cloud services, LinkedIn, and Dynamics business applications. Intelligent Cloud includes server products and cloud services, among them Azure and GitHub cloud services.
More Personal Computing includes Windows and Devices, with Surface; XBOX hardware, content and services; and search advertising through Bing, Copilot, Microsoft News and Microsoft Edge. The corporate headquarters is in Redmond, Washington. Microsoft's fiscal year ends on June 30, so the latest annual report covers the year ended June 30, 2026.
Source: 10-K (fiscal 2026, ended June 30, 2026), filed Jul 29, 2026 (SEC EDGAR)
It depends on the period. Apple had the higher total return over the last 20, 10 and 5 years and the last year. Microsoft had the higher total return over the full span since Mar 1986. From Mar 13, 1986 to the Nov 13, 2026 close, Apple returned +421,668% in total and Microsoft +887,618%.
Both include reinvested dividends, before taxes and fees. Over the last 10 years, Apple returned +1,366% and Microsoft +915%. Over the last 5 years, Apple returned +143% and Microsoft +62.1%. Over the last year, Apple returned +30.9% and Microsoft +4.9%. None of these Apple and Microsoft figures is a forecast.
SmartFin does not say which to buy. This page reports what Apple and Microsoft prices did. From Nov 12, 2021 to Nov 13, 2026, Apple grew 19.4% a year and Microsoft grew 10.1%. The record shows deepest falls of 33.4% for Apple and 37.1% for Microsoft. Past returns for Apple and Microsoft do not show what either will do next.
Yes. Every AAPL and MSFT figure here uses closing prices adjusted for stock splits and dividends, so dividends count as reinvested. Taxes, fees and trading costs are left out of the Apple and Microsoft figures.
At the Nov 13, 2026 close, Apple was at its highest month-end value. At the same close, Microsoft was 0.8% below its highest month-end value, set in Jul 2025. Apple's deepest fall on daily closes was 33.4%, from Dec 2024 to Apr 2025. Microsoft's deepest fall was 37.1%, from Nov 2021 to Nov 2022.
Compare Apple and Microsoft with your own amount and dates in Compare Two Stocks
Daily closing prices adjusted for stock splits, with dividends reinvested, before taxes and fees. Both amounts are invested at the same close and valued at the Nov 13, 2026 close. See also: What if you invested in Apple · What if you invested in Microsoft.
This page presents historical market data and calculated results for a defined period. It is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold the security, fund, or index shown. Past performance is not indicative of future results.