Comments on: How much of Apple Computer does Microsoft own?

Question: How much of Apple Computer does Microsoft own?

richard m — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 08:14:06 -0800

How much of Apple Computer does Microsoft own?

By: deadfather

deadfather — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 08:25:48 -0800

Technically, nothing. In 2003, Microsoft bought 150,000 non-voting shares of Apple stock as a token gesture of encourgaging competition. If they were voting shares, that would be about 0.04%. But they're not.

By: mcwetboy

mcwetboy — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 08:26:05 -0800

AFAIK, none. The $150 million in stock Microsoft bought in 1997 was sold off at a profit years ago, I believe.

By: deadfather

deadfather — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 08:33:39 -0800

Ok, fact-checking myelf, and found this:

From Apple's 2003 SEC filing:

"In August 1997, the Company and Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) entered into patent cross license and technology agreements. In addition, Microsoft purchased 150,000 shares of Apple Series A nonvoting convertible preferred stock ("preferred stock") for $150 million. These shares were convertible by Microsoft after August 5, 2000, into shares of the Company's common stock at a conversion price of $8.25 per share. During 2000, 74,250 shares of preferred stock were converted to 9 million shares of the Company's common stock. During 2001, the remaining 75,750 preferred shares were converted into 9.2 million shares of the Company's common stock."

So perhaps they do own Apple common stock? And still do? Can anyone find a statement on their total selling?

By: mikel

mikel — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 08:39:09 -0800

I don't believe Microsoft owns any Apple stock any more.

By: deadfather

deadfather — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 08:43:25 -0800

That's proof enough. 18.2 million shares would certainly show up on mikel's link.

By: richard m

richard m — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 09:04:19 -0800

Does Microsoft qualify as an Institutional Investor? According to Reuters "the phrase "institutional investor" refers to a group of professional securities analysts and portfolio managers."

By: kindall

kindall — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 10:59:37 -0800

Here's what I found out back in September. Microsoft does own a small portion of Apple, less than half a hundredth of a percent, through a fund. Apple itself has a much larger investment in the same fund.

By: suni

suni — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 19:04:53 -0800

this should be easy to find in wikipedia but quickly skimming it i don't see it.. the 1997 stock definitely was sold again, microsoft owns no noteworthy portion of apple

it's mentioned here