Can 2025 bring new stocks to the list?
The stock market has been one of the core drivers of wealth growth for decades. From early manufacturing stocks to major financial institutions and technology companies, investors can choose between thousands of stocks on the NYSE and Nasdaq alone.
The long history of these exchanges also means that multiple companies have delivered truly astounding returns since going public for the first time.
Looking at the all-time performance charts of individual stocks can reveal a lot in terms of their growth trajectory and highlight important events that accelerated their returns.
For example, the Covid-19 pandemic was an incredible catalyst for companies engaged in vaccine research, such as Moderna and Pfizer, among others.
The stocks that gained the most since their IPOs are now industry giants, with billions, or even trillions of dollars in market capitalization and a stable track record of dividend payments.
Amazon.com Inc (AMZN) – Up 230,000% since IPO
The online retail behemoth Amazon has become a household name in the United States and beyond, expanding into multiple markets, including e-commerce, physical retail, cloud computing, pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, smart devices, and more.
The company went public in 1997 at $18 per share. Since the IPO, AMZN has gone through multiple stock splits, with the recent, and the most notable one, coming in 2022, when the shares were split at 20:1.
Since its 1997 IPO, Amazon stock has risen by a whopping 230,000%, which places it firmly among the top stock market gainers of all time.
The stock currently has a market capitalization of over $2.15 trillion, making it one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world.
Apple Inc (AAPL) – Up 250,000% since IPO
Apple has emerged as the largest tech company in the world, dominating the market and generating tens of billions of dollars in net income each fiscal year.
The company went public in 1980 at $22 per share and has since gone through several stock splits and delivered returns in excess of 250,000%, making it one of the most lucrative investments on the stock market over the past 50 years.
The stock has risen by over 250,000%, which further emphasizes the dominance of Apple on the consumer technology market, with market capitalization more than $3 trillion. Furthermore, AAPl also pays dividends, with a dividend yield of 0.52% as of this writing.
It is also worth noting that current valuations are lower than the 2025 highs, which would place all-time returns higher.
Coca-Cola Company (KO) – Up +5,000% since IPO
The oldest company on our list, Coca-Cola has been a household name on the non-alcoholic beverages market for decades, becoming one of the most popular brands globally.
The company went public in 1919, with shares priced at $40. The company has gone through several stock splits since then and has risen by over 5,000% over the decades of trading.
KO is also among the most stable dividend stocks, with a beta coefficient of 0.55 and a dividend yield of 2.83%.
This price stability and attractive dividend yield make Coca-Cola one of the most attractive stocks for long-term investors. It is also worth considering that Coca-Cola is a mature business, which means that periods of rapid growth are in the past.
Tesla Inc (TSLA) – Up 26,700% since IPO
The largest electric vehicle manufacturer in the world, Tesla has been an impressive growth story over the past decade in particular. The company went public in 2010 and has since grown to a market capitalization of over $1 trillion. However, it is worth noting that the road to this figure has proven to be volatile, which created ample opportunities for both long-term investors and short-term speculators alike.
Since its 2010 IPO, Tesla shares have increased by over 26,000%, which makes the company one of the most impressive growth stories in recent years. The sharp rise of the stock also made way to 2X Long and Short ETFs – funds specifically designed for short-term speculation on the volatile underlying stock.
Netflix Inc (NFLX) – Up +100,000% since IPO
The streaming giant Netflix is yet another stock with explosive growth over the past two decades. Going public in 2002, the company is notorious for its aversion to stock splits, going through a 2:1 split in 2004 alone.
NFLX has increased by a whopping 100,000% since the 2002 IPO, but similarly to Tesla, the road has been characterized by very high volatility compared to the rest of the market. As of this writing, the beta coefficient on Netflix stock is 1.59, which means that NFLX is 59% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Could the year 2025 add to this list?
2025 has proven to be a year of sharp changes on the stock market. Once the tariff wars had swept the markets, valuations continued to plummet. However, as the fears eased and more balanced trade negotiations took place, the markets have bounced back considerably, with the S&P 500 reaching its all-time high in the first quarter of 2025.
While markets have shown significant growth, real fears surrounding a U.S. recession have kept analysts cautious for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the likelihood of new all-time highs for the broader market, as well as new records for individual companies remains unlikely.
