What if you'd held MSFT?
A $1,000 investment in Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at the month-end close of 1986-03 would be worth $8.34M at the close of 2026-08 — +833480.0% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $32,264.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included. Click any year for the full story.
Every year, $1,000 from 1986
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | $1,000 | — |
| 1987 | $2,248 | +124.8% |
| 1988 | $2,207 | -1.8% |
| 1989 | $3,605 | +63.4% |
| 1990 | $6,237 | +73.0% |
| 1991 | $13,832 | +121.8% |
| 1992 | $15,922 | +15.1% |
| 1993 | $15,036 | -5.6% |
| 1994 | $22,800 | +51.6% |
| 1995 | $32,731 | +43.6% |
| 1996 | $61,639 | +88.3% |
| 1997 | $96,422 | +56.4% |
| 1998 | $206,924 | +114.6% |
| 1999 | $348,387 | +68.4% |
| 2000 | $129,433 | -62.8% |
| 2001 | $197,693 | +52.7% |
| 2002 | $154,275 | -22.0% |
| 2003 | $164,791 | +6.8% |
| 2004 | $179,833 | +9.1% |
| 2005 | $178,146 | -0.9% |
| 2006 | $206,363 | +15.8% |
| 2007 | $249,376 | +20.8% |
| 2008 | $138,689 | -44.4% |
| 2009 | $222,550 | +60.5% |
| 2010 | $208,029 | -6.5% |
| 2011 | $198,635 | -4.5% |
| 2012 | $210,154 | +5.8% |
| 2013 | $303,248 | +44.3% |
| 2014 | $386,837 | +27.6% |
| 2015 | $474,617 | +22.7% |
| 2016 | $546,179 | +15.1% |
| 2017 | $768,641 | +40.7% |
| 2018 | $928,482 | +20.8% |
| 2019 | $1.46M | +57.6% |
| 2020 | $2.09M | +42.5% |
| 2021 | $3.18M | +52.5% |
| 2022 | $2.29M | -28.0% |
| 2023 | $3.62M | +58.2% |
| 2024 | $4.09M | +12.9% |
| 2025 | $4.72M | +15.6% |
| 2026 | $4.75M | +0.6% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought MSFT was 1986-03 ($0.06): $1,000 then is $8.34M today. The worst was 2025-07 ($529): $1,000 then is $915.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in MSFT be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at the start of 1986 would be worth about $8.34M today, a total return of +833480.0%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for MSFT?
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)'s strongest calendar year since 1986 was 1987, a +124.8% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $2,248 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2000, at -62.8%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in MSFT have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1986-03 would have grown to about $18.11M on $48,600 invested.
Did MSFT beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $32,264. MSFT beat the S&P 500 by +25735.9% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. What If I'd Held is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) historical total-return data from 1986-03 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. What If I'd Held is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.