Can You Get Rich on a Single Stock? (2024)

When the stock market came tumbling down during the Great Recession, many investors ran for the hills. Jim Wang, the founder of Best Wallet Hacks, had a different idea. He saw an opportunity in the low stock prices and bought shares in several companies, including Southwest Airlines. That single stock investment returned 950% within 10 years of Wang's 2009 investment.

Common wisdom in the stock market today tells most investors to avoid individual stocks in favor of low-fee funds. However, there are plenty of examples of investors hitting the jackpot on a single stock investment or a handful of good picks.

While single stocks are riskier than a diverse portfolio, they offer opportunities for a big payoff if your investment and timing are right.

Key Takeaways

  • Buying single stocks can give you more control over your portfolio and investment decisions.
  • With research and great timing, you may be able to spot a winning stock that goes on to increase its value many times over.
  • Be prepared for other factors that could disrupt the value of your pick and for losses in your portfolio, which may offset your gains.

The Single-Stock Debate

While the stock market has been a popular investment option for a very long time, the way people invest is changing. Over the last few years, single-stock investments have gone out of favor when compared to low-cost index funds, but many investors still stick with portfolios of individual stocks.

Advocates for low-cost funds argue that investors are best off buying a broad portfolio of stocks that emulates the market as a whole. On the other hand, advocates for single stocks appreciate the granular control of each investment and the portfolio as a whole.

Note

There is no right or wrong answer here. You just need to figure out what works best for your investment goals and risk tolerance.

Examples of Single-Stock Investment Success

Remember that not every stock pick will work out in your favor. However, it is possible to make a really lucky guess that will pay off down the line.

To show exactly how well some single-stock investments pay off, here's a success story from an expert in the world of investing. Julie Rains, a blogger atInvesting to Thrive, advocates investing in single stocks as part of a well-constructed portfolio. Julie invested $7,000 in California-based computer-graphics-chip manufacturer Nvidia. The stock became a tenbagger; its value increased 10 times to more than $95,000 after she purchased it, as NVDA achieved advancements in deep learning and software for thedriverless carmarket.

Expect Offsetting Losses

Just because one investment was a breakout success does not mean that every investment will perform well. Consider the investors who struck it rich with a small investment in Bitcoin. While it's not a single stock, Bitcoin investments have many of the same characteristics as investments in a single stock. An investor who put $100 into Bitcoin in 2010, when a single bitcoin could be bought for 10 cents, could realize tens of millions in gains if they held on to that investment until 2021.

Massive gains are certainly outside of the norm. Furthermore, if you hold multiple stocks in your portfolio, some of them are bound to perform poorly, offsetting the gains you have made. It's nearly impossible to pick all winners all the time.

What Are Your Chances?

If you start buying single stocks, what are the odds you will have the same success as Wang or Rains? The somewhat frustrating answer is that it depends.

The future performance of single stocks is based on many factors, including the company's financial performance and overall economic and market conditions. A change in interest rates or unemployment figures is often enough to send stocks into a tizzy, and earnings announcements can have a major impact in the short term as well.

Note

Every stock is unique, as is every trade. Even when it comes to the same company, two trades will not perform the same unless both positions were purchased for the same price.

To get the best results, focus on a long-term investment strategy. If you focus your investments in companies with a strong financial foundation and a proven business model, they are very likely to go up over time. There is always a risk that their values will decline, but much more so with a short time horizon than with a longer one.

There are no guarantees in the stock market, and single-stock investments are riskier than investing in a diverse portfolio. Still, sometimes, those single stocks work out great and offer amazing returns. When that happens, you've found the holy grail of the stock market.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can one share of a stock make you rich?

Getting rich off one company's stock is certainly possible, but doing so with just one share of a stock is much less likely. It isn't impossible, but you must consider the percentage gains that would be necessary to get rich off such a small investment. For example, if a stock share costs $100 and it becomes a tenbagger, you'll have $1,000, and many wouldn't consider having $1,000 to be "rich."

How do I buy individual stocks?

Buying individual stocks is largely the same process as buying ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. You'll need to open and fund a brokerage account that gives you access to the market. From there, you can use a stock screener to filter through the market and narrow down your choices. Once you are ready to buy a stock, you just need to place a buy order.

Can You Get Rich on a Single Stock? (2024)

FAQs

Can You Get Rich on a Single Stock? ›

Yes, you can get rich from stocks if you start early, think long-term, begin with a sizeable capital, and regularly add to your investment. And the good thing is, you don't need to know much about individual stocks before you can start investing. There is more to investing in stocks than buying a couple of shares.

Can you get rich trading one stock? ›

Yes, you can. In fact, some day traders do follow a single stock trading strategy to different degrees. There are those who specialize in only one stock and trade only that stock every day. On the other hand, there are those who have a universe of stocks they trade but select only one of them to trade each day.

Is it worth buying a single stock? ›

Pros of Holding Single Stocks

Instead, you pay a fee when you buy the stock and one when you sell it. The rest of the time there are no additional costs. The longer you hold the stock, the lower your cost of ownership is. Since fees have a big impact on your return, this alone is a good reason to own individual stocks.

How risky is a single stock? ›

Investing in Individual Stocks

However, you are not compensated for idiosyncratic risk, or the risk associated with an individual company. Any single company might go bankrupt, cause an environmental disaster, get involved in a scandal, or even simply fall out of favor with investors.

Can you invest $1 dollar in stocks and make money? ›

On Robinhood, investors can buy fractional shares of stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with as little as $1. Stocks worth over $1.00 per share, and which have a market capitalization of more than $25 million, are eligible for fractional shares on Robinhood.

Can I make 500 a day day trading? ›

In terms of money, that means not giving up very much profit potential. For example, a part-time trader may find that they can make $500 per day on average, trading during only the best two to three hours of the day.

How many stocks should I own to get rich? ›

The Motley Fool's position is that investors should own at least 25 different stocks. Diversifying your portfolio in the stock market is a good idea for investors because it decreases risk by ensuring that no single company has too much influence over the value of your holdings.

Is it good to buy 1 stock at a time? ›

Is it worth buying one share of stock? Absolutely. In fact, with the emergence of commission-free stock trading, it's quite feasible to buy a single share. Several times in recent months I've bought a single share of stock to add to a position simply because I had a small amount of cash in my brokerage account.

How much of a single stock is too much? ›

How much company stock is too much? Generally, if the stock of one company makes up more than 10% of your investments, it may be too much.

Is it worth buying 1 share of Tesla? ›

The difference is that Tesla isn't like most companies, so at its current price, buying one share of Tesla stock may have more reward potential than risk. Yes, the company could lose value, in which case that single share would lead to a small loss.

Why are single stocks bad? ›

Disadvantages of Owning Individual Stocks

It's tough to get good diversification when you own individual stocks. After all, you may need between 30 and 100 different stocks for many experts to consider you appropriately diversified, and managing the regular purchase of so many different stocks can be a big headache.

How many single stocks should I own? ›

Generally speaking, many sources say 20 to 30 stocks is an ideal range for most portfolios. It's important to strike a balance between investing in a diverse array of assets and ensuring that you have the time and resources to manage these investments.

What is the average return on single stocks? ›

The average stock market return is about 10% per year, as measured by the S&P 500 index. In some years, the market returns more than that, and in other years, it returns less. The S&P 500 index comprises about 500 of America's largest publicly traded companies and is a benchmark for annual returns.

How much can you make with $100 dollars in stocks? ›

Here's an example of how investing $100 can grow over time: With a 4% rate of return, you could reach $100,000 in 37 years. With a 6% rate of return, you could reach $100,000 in 30 years. With an 8% rate of return, you could reach $100,000 in 25.5 years.

How to turn $20 dollars into $100 stocks? ›

Some of the best ways to turn $20 into $100 include:

In-person retail arbitrage. Investing in dividend paying stocks. Selling food and beverages to people. Investing your money into real estate with companies like Arrived or Fundrise.

How can I make money in stocks with $100? ›

How to Invest $100 in Stocks & More
  1. Start an emergency fund.
  2. Use a micro-investing app or robo-advisor.
  3. Invest in a stock index mutual fund or exchange-traded fund.
  4. Use fractional shares to buy stocks.
  5. Put it in your 401(k)
  6. Open an IRA.

Can you make $1000 per day on trading? ›

Intraday trading provides you with more leverage, which gives you decent returns in a day. If your question is how to earn 1000 Rs per day from the sharemarket, intraday trading might be the best option for you. Feeling a sense of contentment will take you a long way as an intraday trader.

Can you make $200 per day in day trading? ›

A common approach for new day traders is to start with a goal of $200 per day and work up to $800-$1000 over time. Small winners are better than home runs because it forces you to stay on your plan and use discipline. Sure, you'll hit a big winner every now and then, but consistency is the real key to day trading.

How to make $1,000 a day day trading? ›

To earn $1,000/day, you need to invest $100,000, an amount that is enough to fund your retirement for a long time. Or start with small investments for individual stock options and flip your stocks in a more short-term aspect. For simplicity, it could be split between stock and cash investments.

Can you buy 1 share of Amazon stock? ›

As with many companies today, investors can purchase fractional shares of Amazon. If you're interested in doing this, you'll want to make sure your brokerage offers fractional shares. Then, you'll want to purchase the fraction of a single Amazon share that's within your budget.

How to become a millionaire off of stocks? ›

7 Strategies To Become A Millionaire With Stocks
  1. Invest in yourself.
  2. Save money.
  3. Minimize taxes on investment gains.
  4. Keep investment costs low.
  5. Invest in stocks.
  6. Choose the best stock investments.
  7. Invest every month.

How long does it take to become rich from stocks? ›

It can happen in a year. But striking a top theme, too, can make you a millionaire in two to four years. If you're playing sectors, and pick the right one, it can take nine years to hit a million bucks. What about holding the S&P 500?

How long should you stay in a stock? ›

Though there is no ideal time for holding stock, you should stay invested for at least 1-1.5 years.

How much should your first stock be? ›

“Ideally, you'll invest somewhere around 15%–25% of your post-tax income,” says Mark Henry, founder and CEO at Alloy Wealth Management. “If you need to start smaller and work your way up to that goal, that's fine. The important part is that you actually start.”

Do you make money everyday on stocks? ›

Studies have shown that more than 97% of day traders lose money over time, and less than 1% of day traders are actually profitable. One percent!

Is 10% in one stock too much? ›

Diversification will lower that risk. Although it's difficult to say “how much is too much” of a single stock, generally any position making up more than 10%-15% of your portfolio should be considered risky.

How many shares is considered a lot? ›

Key Takeaways. A lot is the number of units of a financial instrument that is traded on an exchange. For stocks, a round lot is 100 share units, but any number of shares can be traded and also referred to as lots.

How much is $1 dollar in Tesla stock? ›

USD to TSLA
AmountToday at 11:22 pm
0.5 USD0.0026 TSLA
1 USD0.0053 TSLA
5 USD0.0264 TSLA
10 USD0.0528 TSLA
4 more rows

Can I buy Tesla stock with $100? ›

Buy fractional shares

For example, if you have $100, you could buy a quarter share of Tesla stock if it's trading at $400 per share. When you use fractional investing, you have the ability to immediately start investing, rather than waiting until you can afford a whole share.

Is it better to buy S&P 500 or individual stocks? ›

Is Investing in the S&P 500 Less Risky Than Buying a Single Stock? Generally, yes. The S&P 500 is considered well-diversified by sector, which means it includes stocks in all major areas, including technology and consumer discretionary—meaning declines in some sectors may be offset by gains in other sectors.

How many stocks should I own with $100 K? ›

A good range for how many stocks to own is 15 to 20. You can keep adding to your holdings and also invest in other types of assets such as bonds, REITs, and ETFs. The key is to conduct the necessary research on each investment to make sure you know what you are buying and why.

What is the 3 day rule in stocks? ›

The three-day settlement rule states that a buyer, after purchasing a stock, must send payment to the brokerage firm within three business days after the trade date. The rule also requires the seller to provide the stocks within that time.

Is having 100 shares a lot? ›

Stocks are most commonly sold in round lots, or lots of 100 shares or more. A lot of less than 100 shares is called an odd lot; odd lot transactions generally have greater commission costs associated with them. Financial professionals advise having enough money to buy a round lot of shares in one company.

Is 100 stocks too much? ›

It would not be unreasonable for you to have a portfolio with 90% or even 100% stocks. You have the time to take advantage of the stock market's long-term growth, and the time to let your portfolio recover from any market losses. As you age, many advisors recommend shifting that balance.

Is owning 50 stocks too much? ›

Can you over-diversify a portfolio? Yes. Holding 50 stocks rather than 25 may lower your downside risk somewhat, but it can also reduce your profit potential. And at that point, it may be better to consider investing through an index fund, or even a combination of several sector-based funds.

What is a good 1 year return on stocks? ›

Most investors would view an average annual rate of return of 10% or more as a good ROI for long-term investments in the stock market.

How much was $10,000 invested in the S&P 500 in 2000? ›

$10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the begining of 2000 would have grown to $32,527 over 20 years — an average return of 6.07% per year.

What is the most typical return of a single stock over its lifetime? ›

The average stock market return is 10%. However, not every period in the market is average and not every investor's portfolio is average. What this means is that investors are wise to assume returns lower than 10%, such as 7-8%, when forecasting the long-term performance of a portfolio of stocks.

How much would 100$ invested into S&P 500 30 years ago be worth today? ›

If you invested $100 in the S&P 500 at the beginning of 1930, you would have about $566,135.36 at the end of 2023, assuming you reinvested all dividends. This is a return on investment of 566,035.36%, or 9.71% per year.

Is investing $100 a month in stocks good? ›

Key Takeaways. Investing just $100 a month over a period of years can be a lucrative strategy to grow your wealth over time. Doing so allows for the benefit of compounding returns, where gains build off of previous gains.

How much can you realistically make from stocks? ›

Stocks generally return 7–10% per year over long periods of time. In any given year, they could do far better or far worse than that. Over longer stretches of time (10–15+ years), the market almost always makes money.

How to flip $10,000 dollars fast? ›

The Best Ways to Invest 10K
  1. Real estate investing. One of the more secure options is investing in real estate. ...
  2. Product and website flipping. ...
  3. Invest in index funds. ...
  4. Invest in mutual funds or EFTs. ...
  5. Invest in dividend stocks. ...
  6. Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) ...
  7. Invest in cryptocurrencies. ...
  8. Buy an established business.

How to double a $1,000 in the stock market? ›

How to Invest $1000: 7 Smart Ways to Grow $1K in 2023
  1. Deal with debt.
  2. Invest in Low-Cost ETFs.
  3. Invest in stocks with fractional shares.
  4. Build a portfolio with a robo-advisor.
  5. Contribute to a 401(k)
  6. Contribute to a Roth IRA.
  7. Invest in your future self.
Jan 29, 2023

How I made $2 million dollars in the stock market? ›

At the age of 39, after accumulating his fortune, Darvas documented his techniques in the book, How I Made 2,000,000 in the Stock Market. The book describes his unique "Box System", which he used to buy and sell stocks. Darvas' book remains a classic stock market text to this day.

How can I grow my money fast? ›

10 Ways To Build Wealth Fast
  1. Save. You can't begin any type of wealth-generation plan without having money to invest. ...
  2. Buy an S&P 500 Index Fund. ...
  3. Buy Dividend-Paying Stocks. ...
  4. Buy a Rental Property. ...
  5. Keep Asking for Raises. ...
  6. Start a Business. ...
  7. Broaden Your Education and Skill Set. ...
  8. Set Up Multiple Streams of Income.
Jun 5, 2023

How much is $100 a month for 30 years? ›

You plan to invest $100 per month for 30 years and expect a 6% return. In this case, you would contribute $36,000 over your investment timeline. At the end of the term, your bond portfolio would be worth $97,451. With that, your portfolio would earn more than $61,000 in returns during your 30 years of contributions.

What is the 1% rule trading stocks? ›

One of the most popular risk management techniques is the 1% risk rule. This rule means that you must never risk more than 1% of your account value on a single trade. You can use all your capital or more (via MTF) on a trade but you must take steps to prevent losses of more than 1% in one trade.

Can you become a millionaire day trading? ›

Yes, you can become very rich from day trading if you are lucky and everything goes just right, but it is extremely difficult. Most people fail in day trading because the odds are already against them as retail traders.

What is the 1 trading strategy? ›

The 1% method of trading is a very popular way to protect your investment against major losses. It is a method of trading where the trader never risks more than 1% of his investment capital. The main motive behind this rule is in terms of protection – you are not risking anything other than what is available.

Can one live from trading? ›

Key Takeaways. Trading is often viewed as a high barrier-to-entry profession, but as long as you have both ambition and patience, you can trade for a living (even with little to no money). Trading can become a full-time career opportunity, a part-time opportunity, or just a way to generate supplemental income.

What is 90% rule in trading? ›

You might have heard this, "90% of traders lose 90% of their money in the first 90 days of trading." This is known as the 90/90/90 rule. I don't even know if this is true, but it seems that a lot of traders are losing money, states Markus Heitkoetter of Rockwell Trading.

Is it possible to make $100 a day day trading? ›

The answer is yes. You can make $100 a day trading stocks in what is referred to as penny stocks, which are low-priced companies that investors speculate on. Penny stocks are typically very risky, but if you have the patience and skill to play the market, you could make some serious money.

What is the most profitable method of trading? ›

Scalping is one of the most popular strategies. It involves selling almost immediately after a trade becomes profitable. The price target is whatever figure means that you'll make money on the trade. Fading involves shorting stocks after rapid moves upward.

Which trading is most successful? ›

Short-sell trading: Here, traders simply believe that the market is bearish and act accordingly. You borrow shares from a broker and sell them in the open market. You wait until the price falls enough for you to buy the stocks back at a lower rate. The difference acquired by this process is the profit.

What is the single best trade of all time? ›

5 of the Best Trades of All Time
  • George Soros: Breaking The Bank of England.
  • Paul Tudor Jones: Predicting The 1987 Stock Market Crash.
  • Jesse Livermore: Becoming One of the Richest Men in the World at the Start of the Great Depression.
  • Jim Chanos: The End of Enron.
  • Michael Burry: The Prosthetic-Eyed CDO Trader.
  • Conclusion.

What is the best stock to make money fast? ›

In addition to Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN), other Fast Money stocks that are widely held by elite hedge funds include Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH), and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT).

How many people make a living day trading? ›

This is an important point to consider for anyone considering day trading as an investment strategy. Only 3% of day traders make consistent profits. Day trading is a risky endeavor, with only a small fraction of traders able to make consistent profits.

What is the life expectancy of a day trader? ›

"If you're not producing," says Handa, "you're gone." The average professional life-span of a trader, says Handa, is from 2 to 5 years. After that, many of them end up becoming trading managers or go to a different division of the bank.

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