Apple, the most valuable company in the world in 2023, has surpassed earnings expectations for 6 consecutive quarters. A $10,000 investment in its 1980 IPO would be worth $17,716,460 today.

- Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne, Apple reached $1.5 billion in sales in its first 8 years with the Apple I and Apple II products.

- Jobs left the company in 1986, leading to a decline in market share and Apple's worst financial quarter in 1997.

- Jobs returned as iCEO in 1997, ushering in a new era and rapid growth for the company with products like the iPod and iPhone.

- Apple reported $81.79 billion in revenue and a 5% increase in profit in the third quarter of 2023.

- The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro are scheduled to launch on September 22, 2023, with Wall Street analyst Dan Ives predicting that Apple will ship between 235 and 240 million units before the end of the year.

- AAPL stock is up 33.72% so far in 2023, hitting a new all-time high of $196.45, with a current price of $174.21 after a recent correction.

A $10,000 investment in Apple's 1980 IPO, adjusted for stock splits, would now be worth $17.72 million, representing an investment return of 177,164%.