EN DE
STOCK COMPARISON

Apple vs Microsoft: Fair Value & Quality

Both stocks run through our valuation models. Here is how Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT) compare, as of Oct 15, 2026.

As of Oct 15, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees Microsoft as the more attractively valued of the two: Apple trades at $343 versus a fair value of $347 (+1.1%), while Microsoft trades at $534 versus $598 (+12.0%).
Apple
AAPL · USD · Information Technology
+1.1%
upside to fair value
fairly valued
Price$343
Fair Value$347
Quality82/100
Microsoft
MSFT · USD · Information Technology
+12.0%
upside to fair value
undervalued
Price$534
Fair Value$598
Quality66/100
Get comparisons like this free by email every month: the most undervalued quality stocks.

Head-to-head numbers

Green is the better side of a row, red the weaker one (for valuation multiples: lower = cheaper). Grey rows are for reference only and are not scored.

betterweakerfor reference, not scored

AppleMicrosoft
Valuation
39.4×P/E (TTM)29.7×
n/aForward P/E (FY2028)22.5×
31.0×Median P/E at FY-end (ex one-offs where documented)34.4×
10.84×P/S (TTM)11.99×
n/aP/B8.99×
30.4×EV/EBITDA20.5×
2.71×PEG1.62×
+1.1%Fair value upside+12.0%
0.3%Dividend yield0.7%
$1.05Dividend per share$3.64
Profitability
32.6%Operating margin45.1%
1.33×EBIT margin trend (5Y)1.13×
148.8%Return on equity34.0%
31.2%Return on assets17.6%
Growth
16.4%Revenue growth (YoY)17.7%
1.8%Avg. growth/yr (3Y)16.1%
8.7%Avg. growth/yr (5Y)14.6%
+18.2%Value creation/yr+17.5%
Balance & size
n/aInterest coverage (EBIT/interest)50.9×
1.06×Debt / equity0.07×
$5.1TMarket cap$4.0T
healthyGrowth qualityexpensive
Apple, median P/E at fiscal year-end, 6 fiscal years (2020 to 2025), reported earnings, FY2025 ex one-offs: 31. Microsoft, median P/E at fiscal year-end, 10 fiscal years (2017 to 2026), reported earnings, FY2026 ex one-offs: 34.4.
Forward P/E: price divided by the analyst consensus for the first fiscal year that has not started yet. The current year carries special items from quarters already reported.

Microsoft leads: 5 to 9 metric wins.

n/a = not meaningfully computable, for example with negative equity.

Quality in detail

The quality score, broken down into the same factor families as on the stock page, 0 to 100 per family.

Apple Microsoft
ProfitabilityHow much profit the company makes from its sales and capital
97
76
Quality GrowthAre margins and returns getting better?
68
64
CashflowDo the profits arrive as real cash?
77
61
Financial strengthDebt, balance sheet and risk of trouble
57
79
InvestmentDoes it invest with discipline instead of growing at any price?
75
0
Low VolatilityHow calm the share price moves, does not count
67
57
MomentumPrice trend of the last 3 to 12 months, does not count
67
66
Near the 52-week highDistance to the 52-week high, does not count
88
67
New sharesBuys back shares or issues new ones?
99
83

What the models say

How far the median fair value (base case) per model family sits from the current price, in percent. The amount in the currency of the trading venue is shown underneath.

above the price, more than 15% above close to the price, 85% to 115% of the price below the price, more than 15% below

Model familyApplePrice $343MicrosoftPrice $534
DCF Models−42.0%below the price$199−29.5%below the price$376
Earnings-Based−71.2%below the price$98.78−52.7%below the price$252
Dividend Discount−94.1%below the price$20.19−87.3%below the price$68.03
Multiples−55.4%below the price$153−27.4%below the price$387
Asset-Based−99.0%below the price$3.38−92.5%below the price$39.92
Growth DCF−53.3%below the price$160−50.6%below the price$264
Economic Profit−81.6%below the price$63.16−59.2%below the price$218
Growth Earnings−47.7%below the price$179−17.6%below the price$440
Minimum−99.0%below the price$3.38−92.5%below the price$39.92
Maximum−42.0%below the price$199−17.6%below the price$440
Median−63.3%below the price$126−51.6%below the price$258
Geometric mean−80.7%below the price$66.27−62.6%below the price$200

Minimum, maximum, median and geometric mean refer to the family values in this table. Geometric because deviations are ratios: half the price and twice the price average to 100%, not 125%.

Apple: 26 of 26 models see the stock below the current price.

Microsoft: 23 of 26 models see the stock below the current price.

Scenario ranges

From our cautious bear scenario to the optimistic bull scenario. The white tick is the current price (value above it), the green tick the fair value (value below it): if the price sits left of the fair value, there is room to rise.

Apple
Price $343
Fair Value $347
Bear $205Bull $466
Microsoft
Price $534
Fair Value $598
Bear $298Bull $777

Compare two other stocks

Tap a field and type again, ticker or company name.

Free, no sign-up

Ranked within their sector

Where each stock sits within its sector peer group. Band = middle 50% of peers, tick = median, dot = this stock.

Apple · Information Technology

Quality score82 · Top 25%
Fair value upside+1.1% · above median

Microsoft · Information Technology

Quality score66 · Top 25%
Fair value upside+12.0% · above median

Bottom line

As of Oct 15, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees Microsoft as the more attractively valued of the two: Apple trades at $343 versus a fair value of $347 (+1.1%), while Microsoft trades at $534 versus $598 (+12.0%).

Apple has the higher quality score (82/100).

Open Microsoft live analysis →

More comparisons

Popular match-ups from the same sectors, all with fair value and quality score.

Free · Top-25 report

See the undervalued quality stocks every month

Just your email for the monthly Top-25 report of the most undervalued quality stocks, with fair value, quality and price target.

Free. You confirm by email (double opt-in) and can unsubscribe anytime in one click. Not financial advice.

A model-based valuation snapshot from 26 models. Values change with price and fundamentals; the date shown above applies.