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MSFT has been able to maintain the stock price near $30 levels for sometime while paying dividends consistently

Dividends don't actually change the picture much. In the past five years (02/03/2005 through 02/03/2010), total shareholder return (including dividends) for AAPL was 412% whereas MSFT only returned 19%.

Well AAPL and MSFT are two different ball games. AAPL hit the jackpot with iPhone, post iPhone Apple has been a second coming of Apple, its no longer the same company for investors. For investors, due to consistent profitability and revenues, MSFT is a safer bet than Apple which reflects in the returns.

"AAPL hit the jackpot with iPhone, post iPhone Apple has been a second coming of Apple"

And before the iPhone, AAPL hit the jackpot with the iPod, post iPod Apple has been a second coming of Apple. And before the iPod, AAPL hit the jackpot with the iMac, post iMac Apple has been a second coming of Apple.

The apple price would factor in the constant innovation they bring, if this were to stop then I'd imagine they would lose a lot of value.

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