How much of Apple Computer does Microsoft own?

January 15, 2006 8:14 AM

How much of Apple Computer does Microsoft own?
posted by richard m to Work & Money (8 answers total)

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.
posted by deadfather at 8:25 AM on January 15, 2006

AFAIK, none. The $150 million in stock Microsoft bought in 1997 was sold off at a profit years ago, I believe.
posted by mcwetboy at 8:26 AM on January 15, 2006

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?
posted by deadfather at 8:33 AM on January 15, 2006

I don't believe Microsoft owns any Apple stock any more.
posted by mikel at 8:39 AM on January 15, 2006

That's proof enough. 18.2 million shares would certainly show up on mikel's link.
posted by deadfather at 8:43 AM on January 15, 2006

Response by poster: 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."
posted by richard m at 9:04 AM on January 15, 2006

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.
posted by kindall at 10:59 AM on January 15, 2006

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
posted by suni at 7:04 PM on January 15, 2006