Personally, I don't buy one company or another. I purchase shares in an index fund, which spreads the risk across the market and usually gets a better return over the long run. For me, buying shares in an individual company is a bit much of a gamble, as you're dependent on one set of books and one set of managers and board members doing their job properly (Enron anyone?). Unless you're Warren Buffett. But then, if I had the money, I'd buy shares in Berkshire Hathaway and let Mr Buffett do my investing for me

On a side note, you can usually get a better return on your money buying shares in a bank than putting your money in the same bank's savings account.