Apple's 50th Anniversary Was April 1. Is the Tech Giant's Stock Worth Buying and Holding for Another 50 Years?

What a ride it has been for Apple (AAPL +0.11%) and its shareholders over the years. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 1, evolving from an underdog in the computer market to arguably the world’s most prominent consumer-facing business today.

Long-term investors have also made fortunes from Apple stock, which has returned over 97,000% since 1990, including dividends.

Given Apple’s $3.75 trillion market cap, investors shouldn’t anticipate future performance to rival the past. That said, how much can investors count on Apple stock over the next 50 years?

Image source: The Motley Fool.

The iOS ecosystem is a durable competitive moat

Apple’s roots are in consumer electronics, but the iPhone, launched in 2007, was the pivotal product that made the company the juggernaut it is now. Today, the iPhone is the most popular smartphone in the United States, with a 50% to 65% market share, and it accounts for an estimated 32% of the global market.

Apple has masterfully leveraged the iPhone’s popularity to build a sprawling iOS ecosystem with several competitive advantages.

Hardware and software integration means your iPhone works seamlessly with your Mac, MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, or AirPods. That both gives users a better experience, and makes it more painful to leave iOS with every device they use. Additionally, it opens up high-margin cross-selling for subscription services, royalties on app downloads, and new products.

There are now 2.5 billion active iOS devices worldwide, giving Apple a firm grip on a massive customer base that most companies could only dream of.

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NASDAQ: AAPL

Apple

Today’s Change

(0.11%) $0.29

Current Price

$255.92

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$3.8T

Day’s Range

$250.65 - $256.13

52wk Range

$169.21 - $288.62

Volume

1.1M

Avg Vol

48M

Gross Margin

47.33%

Dividend Yield

0.41%

Why Apple is still a no-brainer to buy and hold

Electronic devices are becoming increasingly central to modern life, so the iOS ecosystem should have long-term staying power. Apple is also still pushing out new hardware products. The new MacBook Neo targets entry-level computer users, and the company is reportedly developing AI glasses that would represent a brand-new product category.

Apple’s remarkably efficient supply chain and product integration help it generate a 68% return on invested capital. Operating that efficiently at Apple’s size is how the company generated more than $123 billion in free cash flow over the past four quarters. Apple then uses that cash to buy back stock to boost earnings per share, while also paying a growing dividend to shareholders.

It’s hard to see Apple going away anytime soon, barring some unforeseen collapse of the iOS ecosystem. Apple’s focus on new hardware will likely bode well for its future, too. Apple is too large at this point to realistically expect the stock to make you rich overnight, but it’s still a no-brainer to buy and hold for the foreseeable future.