How Has Apple Performed In The 7-Year Bull Market?

Back in March of 2009 when the S&P 500 hit its Financial Crisis low, Apple Inc AAPL was one of the most highly-debated stocks on Wall Street. A lot has changed in the seven years following the market bottom. But when it comes to Apple bulls and bears, some things seem to never change.
 

In March 2009, Apple bulls were praising the iPhone 3G, and Apple bears were questioning the penetration levels that a single smartphone could achieve. Of course, iPads, Apple Watches and driverless cars were nowhere to be seen at the time.
 

Related Link: Rolfe: Berkshire Still Better Bet Than Small Caps
 

Apple’s stock has gone through a rough patch since mid-2015. The stock is now down more than 20 percent from its all-time 2015 highs. But long-term Apple shareholders know this is not the first bump in the road for the world’s largest company. In fact, Apple suffered a 40 percent share price decline in 2012 and 2013 when arguments again began to pop up that the iPhone market was reaching a saturation point.

Throughout all the controversy, criticism, volatility and even the death of its iconic founder and CEO Steve Jobs, Apple has continued cranking out quality products and new categories with strong universal appeal. And of course, the stock’s performance reflects this consistency. The S&P 500 is now up 194.5 percent from its 2009 low point, but Apple has surged 752.1 percent during that time.

Disclosure: the author holds no position in the stocks mentioned.