The stock market is a fickle mistress, promising extraordinary wealth to some and heart-wrenching losses to others. But for a select few, the journey has been nothing short of a golden goose. For some very lucky individuals, a thousand dollars transforms into a fortune! Some claim it’s pure skill, but the stock market is inherently risky (and luck has a lot to do with most big wins).

We’ll take a look at eleven stocks that have delivered astronomical returns since their initial public offerings. From tech titans and consumer staples, these companies have become household names in many instances.

Before you consider investing investing in any of these stocks, though, look at these key takeaways:

• Investing in the stock market carries inherent risk. Just because a stock performed well in the past doesn’t mean it will in the future. Always do your research on the company’s current fundamentals and finances before investing, even if they’ve done well in the past.
• Key factors contributing to these companies’ success include technological innovation, strong brand identity, effective business strategies, and adaptability to market changes. Most high-performing companies are not doing the same thing they started out doing.
• There are always new companies to look at, too. For instance, experts are suspicious of how much higher NVIDIA can climb (and some consider it overvalued). That’s why we’ve written a new report called “The Next NVIDIA,” which tells you all about the industry.

1. Amazon

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) started out as a humble bookstore. Amazon has since transformed into a behemoth dominating e-commerce, selling just about everything and being known by just about everyone. Today, this company is also reaching into cloud computing, streaming, and beyond. Amazon sales like Amazon Prime Day have become whole events. 

If you had invested only $1,000 in Amazon at IPO, you’d have over $1.865 million today. That’s only expected to grow more too, due to the company’s relentless expansion. Amazon is heavily focused on operational efficiency and speed, which has laid the groundwork for its dominance today.

2. Apple

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) started with personal computers and quickly developed the iconic iPhone, which only led to extreme growth. If you invested $1,000 in Apple at IPO, you’d be looking at around $1.7 million today.

The company has yielded serious returns as it’s innovated and delivered quality products. Apple’s emphasis on brand loyalty is a huge driving force behind its consistent growth. Many who purchase an iPhone never buy anything else.

3. Microsoft

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) once dominated the world of personal computing, but it has since expanded to other offerings and reinvented itself for the digital age. For instance, it’s pivoted to cloud computing with Azure. It also offers a top-class productivity suite and has a gaming division, leading to impressive growth.

If you invested $1,000 at Microsoft’s IPO, your money would be worth $4.39 now. However, you’d have to ride the company through some serious ups and downs!

4. Google

Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is the undisputed leader in search. It’s built a formidable advertising empire and stretched out into several other tech industries as it innovates. This company is constantly innovating and adapting to changing online ecosystems. An early investment of $1,000 would be over one million dollars today.

5. Netflix

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) started as a DVD-by-mail rental service. However, as technology advanced, Netflix revolutionized the entertainment industry through streaming. Today, the company’s focus is on original content, data-driven programming, and expansion. Netflix is now available in many different countries, which has only driven their stock up.

If you invested $1,000 in Netflix’s IPO, you’d currently have almost half a million dollars.

6. Tesla

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is driven by Elon Musk’s vision to accelerate technological innovation worldwide. Although Tesla is best known for its electronic cars, its battery technology has really driven the company’s value. Tesla is almost more of a technology innovation company than a car company.

Tesla has risen massively since its IPO, with some very big swings. Today, you’d have $139,240 if you invested $1,000 at IPO. However, as we just said, this stock has some very massive swings.

7. Costco

Costco (NASDAQ: COST) may be one of the more surprising companies on this list. However, the company’s membership-based warehouse club model has proven to be a winning formula. By offering bulk products at a competitive price, Costco has won a very loyal following.

If you had invested $1,000 in Costco at IPO, you’d have$928,520 today. Plus, this company is only continuing to grow, too.

8. Starbucks

From a single coffee shop to a global phenomenon, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) has created a strong brand identity and a loyal customer following. The company’s focus on premium, expensive coffee drinks has driven its growth. In many areas, Starbucks is a phenomenon.

However, Starbucks hasn’t grown quite as much as other stocks on this list. If you had invested $1,000 in Starbucks’s IPO, you would have around $223,000 today.

9. Nike

Nike (NYSE: NKE) is a leading athletic apparel and footwear company. They’ve benefited from the increase in popularity of sports and fitness. From there, this company’s strong brand recognition has propelled its stock even higher.

You’d have $397,890 if you invested $1,000 in Nike at IPO. That isn’t counting dividends, which this company does have from time to time.

10. NVIDIA

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) has become a leader in graphics processing units (GPUs), which are used in gaming computers and for any task that requires a lot of data computation (like artificial intelligence or data centers). Practically all of these industries have grown in the last few years, leading to growth in NVIDIA, too.

If you invested $1,000 in NVIDIA at IPO, you’d now be looking at over $2.65 million dollars, more than enough to be considered wealthy.

11. The Walt Disney Company

Disney (NYSE: DIS) is easily one of the biggest millionaire-maker stocks out there. The company has built a vast entertainment industry, encompassing film, television, streaming, and consumer products. Their reach is absolutely massive. They have their own iconic brands and have purchased popular brands made by other studios, like Star Wars.

If you invested $1,000 in Disney’s IPO, you’d currently have $3.5 million. That said, you’d have to have held the stock for a very long time. These days, it’s hard to find anyone living who purchased the stock at IPO. Most people are inheritors.

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