__3/13/86 __ A market phenomenon is born: The 11-year-old company's IPO raises $61 million as MSFT rises from $21 to $28 on opening day.
__3/13/86 Opening day MSFT investment = $1,000 __
__1986 __ Revenue $197.5 million; 1,153 employees
__4/2/87 __ The company announces MS OS/2 and Windows 2.0.
__7/30/87 __ Microsoft acquires Forethought, the developer of PowerPoint.
__9/8/87 __ The company ships its first CD-ROM application, MS Bookshelf.
__9/21/87 __ MSFT stock (at $114.50) splits two for one.
__10/6/87 __ Microsoft announces its first Windows application: Excel.
__10/19/87 __ The Crash of '87: The Dow falls 508 points in a single session. (MSFT falls 30.12 percent.)
__1987 __ Revenue $345.9 million; 1,816 employees
__3/17/88 __ Apple files suit against Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement in the Windows GUI.
__April 1988 __ Microsoft surpasses Lotus to become the Number One software vendor.
__1988 __ Revenue $590.8 million; 2,793 employees
__6/5/89 __ Microsoft creates its Multimedia Division.
__11/13/89 __ IBM and Microsoft expand their partnership, agreeing to develop software for MS-DOS, MS OS/2, and MS LAN.
__12/27/89 __ Jon Shirley announces his retirement as president and chief operating officer.
__1989 __ Revenue $804.5 million; 4,037 employees
__4/2/90 __ Michael Hallman is appointed to fill Shirley's posts.
__4/16/90 __ MSFT stock (at $120.75) splits two for one.
__5/22/90 __ Windows 3.0 is launched.
__June 1990 __ The FTC launches a probe into possible collusion between Microsoft and IBM.
__9/17/90 __ Microsoft launches a Windows print ad campaign.
__1990 __ Revenue $1.183 billion; 5,635 employees
__1/9/91 __ Excel 3.0 is announced.
__6/27/91 __ MSFT stock (at $100.75) splits three for two.
Investment value 6/30/91 = $14,598
__1991 __ Revenue $1.843 billion; 8,266 employees
__3/1/92 __ Hallman steps down from the presidency and is replaced by a multimember "office of the president."
__6/15/92 __ MSFT stock (at $112.50) splits three for two.
__1992 __ Revenue $2.759 billion; 11,542 employees
__3/22/93 __ Microsoft Encarta ships.
__5/24/93 __ Windows NT launches.
__8/20/93 __ The FTC closes its antitrust action against Microsoft. The Justice Department opens an antitrust investigation.
__8/24/93 __ A federal judge dismisses Apple's copyright complaint; Microsoft prevails in appeals that last through 1994.
Investment value 7/31/91 = $15,750
__1993 __ Revenue $3.753 billion; 14,430 employees
__5/23/94 __ MSFT stock (at $97.75) splits two for one.
__6/28/94 __ Microsoft acquires Softimage, a digital-video concern.
__7/15/94 __ Microsoft enters into a federal consent decree with the Justice Department, agreeing not to use its desktop OS monopoly to gain advantage in new business sectors.
__9/8/94 __ Windows 95 is announced.
__10/13/94 __ Netscape releases a beta of its first browser.
__10/13/94 __ Microsoft announces its intent to merge with Intuit, a leading maker of personal-finance software.
__11/8/94 __ Procter & Gamble's Robert Herbold joins Microsoft as its COO.
__11/14/94 __ The "Where Do You Want to Go Today?" ad campaign débuts.
__1994 __ Revenue $4.649 billion; 15,257 employees
__1/7/95 __ Microsoft Bob is announced.
__3/22/95 __ DreamWorks SKG and Microsoft form DreamWorks Interactive.
__4/27/95 __ The Justice Department challenges the Intuit merger.
__5/20/95 __ Microsoft and Intuit abandon merger.
Investment value 6/30/95 = $58,097
__8/24/95 __ Windows 95 ships.
__11/24/95 __ Bill Gates's The Road Ahead hits stores.
__11/27/95 __ Internet Explorer 2.0 ships.
__12/6/95 __ IBM licenses Sun's Java; Microsoft follows suit the next day.
__12/7/95 __ Microsoft announces its Internet strategy.
__12/14/95 __ Microsoft and NBC announce a partnership to create MSNBC.
__1995 __ Revenue $5.940 billion; 17,801 employees
__2/15/96 __ Microsoft's Interactive Media Division is created.
__3/12/96 __ The company announces ActiveX Technologies.
__6/24/96 __ The online magazine Slate débuts.
__7/15/96 __ MSNBC débuts.
__12/3/96 __ Microsoft's Executive Committee is formed, replacing the Office of the President.
__12/9/96 __ MSFT stock (at $152.88) splits two for one.
__1996 __ Revenue $8.671 billion; 20,561 employees
__4/6/97 __ Microsoft acquires WebTV.
__6/9/97 __ The company invests $1 billion in cable TV operator Comcast.
__7/21/97 __ Microsoft invests in RealNetworks, a streaming-video competitor.
__8/6/97 __ Microsoft invests $150 million in Apple.
__10/1/97 __ Internet Explorer 4.0 launches.
__10/7/97 __ Sun sues, alleging that Microsoft is violating a licensing pact by creating a variant version of Java.
__10/20/97 __ The Justice Department files a lawsuit alleging anticompetitive practices in forcing PC makers to bundle Internet Explorer onto Windows machines.
__12/11/97 __ Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson orders Microsoft to offer a version of Windows sans Internet Explorer and sets a trial for May. The company appeals.
__12/31/97 __ Microsoft acquires Hotmail.
__1997 __ Revenue $11.360 billion; 22,276 employees
__2/23/98 __ MSFT stock (at $155.13) splits two for one.
__3/26/98 __ Office 98 for Macintosh is released.
__4/9/98 __ Microsoft acquires Firefly Network.
__5/18/98 __ The Justice Department, 20 states, and the District of Columbia file sweeping new antitrust suits. A trial is set for September and later moved back to late October.
__6/15/98 __ Microsoft joins Compaq to invest in Time Warner's Road Runner cable-data venture.
__6/23/98 __ The US Court of Appeals throws out Judge Jackson's December order.
__6/25/98 __ Windows 98 launches.
__7/21/98 __ Steve Ballmer is named president.
__10/19/98 __ US v. Microsoft antitrust trial opens in federal court.
__1998 __ Revenue $14.480 billion; 27,320 employees
Investment value 10/20/98 = $257,778