In 2009, Google and Apple garnered many accolades as two of the preeminent companies in the world, both in terms of sales and market value.[1] Forbes ranked them in the top 200 global companies.[2] Although their rankings in 2009 pale in comparison to their recent rankings,[3] the meteoric rise of both companies seemed predictable when taking a glance at their earnings per share growth percentage and revenue growth percentage in the three years prior to 2009.[4] The increase in yearly revenue may easily be explained away as both companies made breakthroughs in the technology sector at the end of the decade.[5] However, any time a company produces exceptional year-to-year growth it will draw the attention of federal agencies charged with regulating misconduct.[6]
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