IBM is now more valuable than Microsoft (but still way behind Apple)

For the first time in 15 years, IBM has a higher market value than Microsoft., closing at $214 billion yesterday compared to Microsoft’s $213.2 billion close.

It marks a symbolic victory for a company that has been under investor scrutiny for 6 years ever since abandoning their roots of hardware when they sold their PC business 6-years ago to put full effort on corporate software and solutions. It still trails Apple, the world’s largest tech company, by a large margin with Apple closing at $362.1 billion yesterday.

“IBM went beyond technology,” said Ted Schadler, an analyst with Forrester Research Inc, told Bloomberg today. “They were early to recognize that computing was moving way beyond these boxes on our desks.”

Microsoft investors shouldn’t fret the 8.8% drop in 2011, according to Microsoft. Their upcoming entry into the tablet market with Windows 8 is being viewed as a potential jolt to their sagging share values.

International Business Machines Inc. has demonstrated a consistent rise since 2008, while Microsoft’s road has been more of a roller coaster.