Apple Milestone: First $700B Company

Apple notched another corporate milestone today: It became the first company in US history to end the trading day with a value above $700 billion, reports MarketWatch. Specifically, shares closed at $122.02 to put Apple's market value at $710.8 billion. For perspective, the Wall Street Journal ticks off the next three biggest companies: Exxon Mobil at $385 billion, Berkshire Hathaway at $370 billion, and, yes, Microsoft at $349 billion. A monster fourth quarter helped, and the Journal reports that more than one analyst thinks Apple's shares might hit $150. Next up: The Apple Watch in April, notes Bloomberg.

“Given Apple’s powerful iPhone cycle, a big 4G ramp in China, and the upcoming launch of Apple Watch in April, we believe there is still plenty to look forward to at Apple during this transformational cycle,” says an analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald. (More Apple stories.)