Apple's value beats sum of Google + Microsoft, overtakes ExxonMobil

Apple Inc, which ignited the personal computing revolution with the iconic Mac, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad, last week became the world's most valuable company, toppling oil giant Exxon Mobil, and a  higher market value than rivals Google and Microsoft combined.

The Cupertino, California-based technology giant set new records last week on Wall Street, which saw its market capitalisation soar to $456 billion, after it posted its best ever quarter results.

Apple's December 2011 quarter revenue was $46.33 billion and net profit was $13.06 billion, largely due to selling 37 million iPhones, 15 million iPads and 5.2 million Macs.

It now has a cash pile of over $95 billion, which is a fifth of its current stock market value.

Apple, which is now the world's largest company, has a market cap of around $456 billion, $58 billion ahead of Exxon Mobil, $198 billion ahead of Microsoft, and $258 billion ahead of Internet giant Google, making it now worth almost twice as much as Microsoft and more than twice as much as Google.

Apple had surpassed Microsoft in May 2010 to emerge as the world's most valuable technology company.