The amazing Steve Jobs effect: Apple’s performance before and after Steve’s comeback

It goes without saying that Steve Jobs’ effect on Apple was profound. You don’t call a guy the best corporate leader in history for nothing. But just how dramatically did Steve turn Apple around in the 14 years after Gil Amelio got the boot?

Based on this comparison of Apple’s 10-Q report from the June quarter of 1997 — right before Jobs started to increase his role at Apple — and Apple’s most recent quarterly results, it’s pretty amazing.

Notes: The Mac shipments for June 1997 is a rough estimate. Apple didn’t specify how many it sold, but a year later it was around 650,000 per quarter, so anywhere from 500,000 to 700,000 is a reasonable possibility. 2011 PC share source is Gartner; 1997 is Apple’s estimate. Cash includes short- and long-term securities. Adjusted historical share price via Yahoo Finance.

Earlier: Refreshing Apple’s org chart