Apple Could Become the World’s First $1 Trillion Company

Financial analysts and investors believe that 2018 could be the year when the first $1 trillion company emerges, according to a report from the Guardian.

Pundits are looking at high-growth technology giants such as Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Alphabet to be declared trillion dollar companies in the near future.

Apple is currently leading this battle, with a valuation of $869 billion. As the Guardian notes, analysts an predict this by multiplying share price by circulated shares.

In 1997, the tech giant feared bankruptcy, but now it’s one of the most profitable companies in the world. A share price increase of 15 percent could turn Apple into a $1 trillion business.

This is more than achievable, too. Last year, shares at the firm grew by a staggering 47 percent, and they increased by 1.8 percent to $172.26 on Tuesday.

A week ago, US-based investment magazine Barron’s published a cover story predicting that Apple will reach the $1 trillion valuation status by the end of 2018.

In the last financial year, Apple generated $229 billion of revenue and $49 billion in profit. As a result of this success, Barron’s said Apple won’t “peak” at $1 trillion.

David Rolfe, chief investment officer a of fund management firm Wedgewood Partners, told the magazine: “You have to go back to Rockefeller and Standard Oil to find a company so dominant in a business so large.

“Other companies settle for unit sales or revenues, but in many quarters, Apple collects more than 80% of gross profit across the smartphone industry.”

Apple’s nearest competitors in valuation are Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Tencent. George Salmon, equity analyst at stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, told the Guardian that these firms will boom in 2018.

“With Facebook, Google and Amazon attracting an ever-increasing number of eyeballs on screen, the US tech sector has more than played its part in the global stock market rally,” he said.

“The Cupertino-based tech firm, though, remains the frontfrunner. Salmon added: “However, it’s Apple, one of the older tech giants, that’s in pole position to break through the $1tn barrier.”