Microsoft Roars Ahead as $10,000 Bet on Rival Salesforce Goes Up in Flames

Five years ago, an investor split $10,000 equally between Microsoft and Salesforce. The results were starkly different, with Microsoft's share returning a whopping 75.3% while Salesforce's half finished below the original stake.

The disparity in returns is significant because both companies compete for enterprise software budgets and were seen as comparable bets on cloud adoption at the start of this period. Microsoft's position did dip below its starting value, but investors who stuck with it saw it recover and surpass previous highs.

Salesforce, on the other hand, fell to the mid-$5,000s at its lowest point and staged partial recoveries that briefly brought it back near the original stake. However, it ultimately finished underwater after five years.