$1,000 in every S&P 500 stock in 2015 — what actually happened
In January 2015 you take $1,000 and buy every S&P 500 member, equal weight, no foresight, no rebalancing. 464 stocks, held to the latest close. Here's the distribution.
The best five:
- NVDA — $452,778 (+45178%)
- AMD — $174,689 (+17369%)
- FIX — $107,074 (+10607%)
- ANET — $49,066 (+4807%)
- AVGO — $47,884 (+4688%)
The worst five:
21 of 464 lost money outright. The index as a whole more than doubled — but the index return you actually got depended entirely on which five of these rows you overweighted. (And note: this uses today's index members, so it flatters the hindsight slightly — the 2015 members that died or delisted aren't in the pool.)
FAQ
How is this number computed?
The figure uses the same historical closing-price data as the calculators: the relevant ticker's month-end close at the scenario's start, compared with the latest available month-end close, with splits and dividends handled per the methodology page.
What if I change the amount?
Every figure scales linearly: double the starting amount and every dollar figure doubles. Use the ticker's calculator page for exact-date precision and dollar-cost averaging.
Is this investment advice?
No. These are historical calculations for entertainment and education. Past performance never guarantees future results.
Every figure is computed from the same historical data the calculators use (see methodology). Not financial advice.