When its shares closed at $218.95 Friday, Apple (AAPL) became one of the five biggest U.S. companies by market capitalization, right below Wal-Mart (WMT) and above Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A). (See chart at right.)

In the horse race most tech handicappers care about, however, Apple vs. Microsoft, the company has another $50 billion and change to go. Apple would have to hit $276 a share for its market cap to get past what Microsoft’s (MSFT) is today.

But Apple is closing in. Below the fold: a fever chart of the last five years.

See also:

• Apple sets iPad ship date; shares hit record high

[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]