While it would be an over-simplification, it is useful to point out that since 2005, MS has paid quarterly cash dividends that per schedule, have increased steadily since that time. There were also (larger) special dividends as early as 2003, with the most significant special dividend being paid in 2004.
There have been several stock buy-backs, designed to increase shareholder value.
Dividends are incredibly important to many groups of investors - many retirees depend upon them and their investments in companies over many decades pay out slowly and sustain them in their retirement. You may recall when General Motors dividend holders and their fund managers were vilified by the current US president and wiped out in favor of an entirely new company that is not yet publicly traded. The people most hurt weren't rich fund managers, but regular people like you and me. (sorry to digress, but proposed changes now in the Senate and House will all but kill investments - taxing twice and at higher rates that which should not be taxed at all!)
The point is that Microsoft, having paid regular quarterly dividends, will push down on its own stock price - ceding in the struggle between management and their board and shareholders. Managers want to re-invest in the company and boards generally agree. Many shareholders want cash dividends. These push down on a company's stock price. Since Microsoft has so many more shares out, it also buys back its own stock, increasing the value of the stock, as well as the cost of paid dividends. One measure holds the stock’s value, or increases it, the other pushes down on it. Solid companies like Microsoft, try to sustain a balance.
Apple pays no such dividend and its stock price reflects this.
Finally, the markets today are just nuts. A couple of things to think about... it is volatile and volumes are low - it means that "investors" are gone from the market and into treasuries, etc.. so all that is left are traders working shorts, short covers and very few longs. Most are longer term on Apple (AAPL), because they reason the company will continue to increase its profits. They are probably right, but there is still great risk and my instincts tell me that Google is going to really hurt them and later, a reformed Microsoft (as it executes on its own cloud strategy, will hammer them both and harder than anyone might imagine). You'll see some of why very soon and exactly what is possible on that stack.
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