From NASDAQ: 2024-09-17 08:11:00

In 1999, the five biggest public companies were Microsoft, General Electric, ExxonMobil, Intel, and Cisco Systems. Microsoft’s market cap exceeded $600 billion by the end of the year, with Cisco Systems at No. 3 and Intel falling off the list entirely.

Fast forward to 2024, Microsoft is the only company still on the list, showing a tenfold increase in scale. Total U.S. inflation over this period was only around 92%, indicating real growth in these companies’ value.

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Disclosures: John Mackey and Suzanne Frey are on The Motley Fool board. Matt Frankel has positions in Amazon, and The Motley Fool recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and others. Check out their disclosure policy for more information.



Read more at NASDAQ: These Were the 5 Biggest Companies in 1999, and Here Are the 5 Biggest Companies Now