What's the Most Expensive Stock of All Time? (2024)

Stock price is an indicator of a company's market value, but the price of a share of stock will also depend on the number of shares outstanding. The reason why certain stocks are priced so high is usually due tothe company having never or rarely having completeda stock split.

There are many ways to evaluate a stock in addition to its absolute share price. Here, we take a look at some of the largest companies in the U.S. and abroad.

Key Takeaways

  • Companies are typically valued by their total market capitalization on a stock exchange, or number of shares outstanding times the share price.
  • Still, many investors are interested in the most pricey shares available on an exchange, which can indicate exclusivity.
  • Companies can also be ranked by revenue and profitability.

Top Companies by Stock Price

The most expensive publicly traded share of all time is Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A), which was trading at $458,675 per share, as of January 2022. Berkshire hit an all-time high on Jan. 18, 2022, at $487,255. Thanks to spectacular shareholder gains and the idiosyncrasies of its founder, this share value is unlikely to be matched by anything other than continued gains in Berkshire’s share price.

What's the Most Expensive Stock of All Time? (1)

The next company behind Berkshire, in terms of nominal share price, is NVR (NVR) at $5,154.98 per share as of January 2022. Then there is the Seaboard Corporation (SEB), which was trading at $3,731.02, and Amazon.com (AMZN) at $2,852.86, followed by Alphabet, Inc (GOOG) at $2,607.03 a share.

1:41

How Warren Buffett Made Berkshire A Winner

Top Companies by Market Cap

By market capitalization, as of January 2022, Apple (AAPL) is the biggest company at $2.652 trillion, followed by Microsoft (MSFT) at $2.222 trillion, Google (GOOGL) at $1.725 trillion, Amazon.com (AMZN) at $1.446 trillion, Tesla (TSLA) at $947.92 billion, and Meta (META), formerly Facebook, at $843.34 billion.

Back in 2007, Chinese energy giantPetroChina(PTR) reached an estimatedmarket valueof around $1 trillion. However, this valuation didn't stick. As of January 2022, PTR's market capitalization stood at just $146.95 billion.

Top Companiesby Revenue

In terms of the biggest global companies by revenue, Walmart (WMT) comes in as number one—according to the Fortune 500 list. Walmart's revenues were $523,964 billion in 2021. Behind Walmart was State Grid with $383,906 billion in revenues, followed by Amazon with $280,522 billion, and China National Petroleum at $379,130 billion.

Sinopec Group ranks fifth with $407,009 billion in annual revenues, and the sixth and seventh spots are covered by Apple and CVS Health with $260,174 billion and $256,776 billion in yearly revenues, respectively.

Based on only U.S.-headquartered companies' 2020 performance, Walmart still has the top spot, while Amazon comes in second. Exxon Mobil ranks third and Apple ranks fourth. Healthcare companies take up the fifth, seventh, and eighth spots: CVS, UnitedHealth Group, and McKesson, generating $256.78 billion, $242.15 billion, and $231.05 billion, respectively.

Berkshire Hathaway ranks sixth with $254.62 billion in annual revenues, and the ninth and tenth spotsare covered by AT&T and AmerisourceBergen at $181.19 billion and $179.59 billion in yearly revenues, respectively.

Based on only U.S.-headquarteredcompanies' 2019 performance, Walmart still has the top spot, while ExxonMobil (XOM) comes in second with $290.21 billion a year in revenues. Apple ranks third with $265.59 billion and Berkshire Hathaway fourth with $247.84 billion. Healthcare companies take up the sixth through eighth spots: UnitedHealth Group, McKesson, and CVS, generating $226.25 billion, $214.32 billion, and $194.58 billion, respectively.

Top Private Companies

In terms of private companies, Forbesranks Minnesota-based Cargill as the largest private U.S. company with $134.4 billion in annual revenues. The company has 155,000 employees. Second is Koch Industries with $115 billion in revenues and 122,000 employees. Ranking third is the grocery chainPublix Super Markets, with $44.9 billion in annual revenue and 227,000 employees.

The fourth and fifth largest private companies are Mars and H-E-B, which generate $40 billion and $32.8 billion, respectively. Each employs over 100,000 employees.

The Bottom Line

On a pure market value measure, Apple has often been considered the most valuable, publicly traded company of all time. Although Microsoft did briefly hit the $2 trillion market cap mark in June2021. It is certainly possible another company’s market cap will exceed these measures, and maybe—though less likely—another company will surpassBerkshire Hathaway as the highest priced single stock share.

What's the Most Expensive Stock of All Time? (2024)

FAQs

What's the Most Expensive Stock of All Time? ›

Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate headed by legendary investor Warren Buffett, has the most expensive stock in the world, with shares trading at over $400,000 each.

What is the highest stock price of all time? ›

Calumet and Hecla, a now-defunct mining company, topped the charts with a historic stock price of $1,000 in 1907. British retailer Next PLC edges out most of the competition with its peak stock price of $8,484. Internet phenomenons Amazon and Google make the list with stock prices soaring in the thousands.

Can Apple stock reach $1,000? ›

Ultimately, AAPL is considered by many to be a good stock to purchase and hold. Thus, it sports what is considered an immensely positive outlook for the foreseeable future. Subsequently, predictions maintain that Apple stock could reach $1000 between the years 2035 and 2040.

What was the highest Amazon stock price? ›

The all-time high Amazon stock closing price was 186.12 on July 08, 2021. The Amazon 52-week high stock price is 146.57, which is 17% above the current share price. The Amazon 52-week low stock price is 81.43, which is 35% below the current share price.

What is the highest Apple stock price? ›

Apple - 43 Year Stock Price History | AAPL
  • The all-time high Apple stock closing price was 180.95 on June 02, 2023.
  • The Apple 52-week high stock price is 184.95, which is 3% above the current share price.
  • The Apple 52-week low stock price is 124.17, which is 30.9% below the current share price.

Was Amazon stock ever over $1,000? ›

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) hit the magic price of $1,000 per share on the morning of May 30, but there's no indication that CEO Jeff Bezos has any intention of splitting the stock, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Who owns the most stocks in the world? ›

'Billionaire Stocks': Bill Gates, Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B)

The natural stock pick held by the world's wealthiest person is Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), the giant tech company Bill Gates co-founded with Paul Allen in 1975. Gates still owns almost 103 million shares of the company worth $15.4 billion.

How much would $10,000 invested in Apple be worth today? ›

Those gains translate to a 39.2% compound annual growth rate for Apple compared to a 10.1% CAGR for the S&P 500 in that time. As a result, $10,000 in AAPL stock purchased 20 years ago would be worth about $7.51 million today, assuming reinvested dividends.

What $1000 invested in stocks 10 years ago would be worth today? ›

$1000 Invested In This Stock 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth $9,700 Today. Be Smarter Than Your Friends: Benzinga members get 3 trade opportunities & the hot takes on the economy every single week.

What would $1000 invested in Apple in 1984 be worth today? ›

23, 1984). A $1,000 investment could have purchased 7,692.31 shares of AAPL at the time. The $1,000 investment in AAPL shares would be worth $1,162,615.73 today, based on a price of $151.01 for Apple stock at the time of writing.

What is the richest share price in the world? ›

If you wonder which company has the highest share price in the world, here is the answer. Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate headed by legendary investor Warren Buffett, has the most expensive stock in the world, with shares trading at over $400,000 each.

Have any penny stocks made it big? ›

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) — The Fortune 500 Former Penny Stock. Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ: HEAR) — Back in Penny Stock Land. Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: MNST) — The Surprising Mega Penny Stock. Mylan N.V. (used to trade under NASDAQ: MYL) — The Delisted Penny Stock.

How much is Tesla stock? ›

$ 225.07
CloseChgChg %
$221.313.701.70%

How much money can I make with 1 share of Apple? ›

Dividend Yield

Apple's annual dividend in 2021 was $0.88 ($0.22 paid quarterly). Based on Apple's stock price as of March 1, 2022 of around $163 per share, the dividend yield is approximately 0.50%.

How much would $10,000 invested in Amazon be worth today? ›

What does that mean in dollar terms? An investment of $10,000 at Amazon's IPO would be worth a whopping $11.5 million today.

What would $10000 invested in Amazon in 1997 be worth today? ›

Amazon was the third of the four companies to go public, with its IPO in May 1997. At the time, the company was valued at $438 million and shares were priced at a pre-split price of $18 each. If you had invested $10,000 in Amazon back then, your investment would now be worth more than $2.2 million.

What if I invested in Amazon 10 years ago? ›

NASDAQ: AMZN

Amazon shares have soared 612% in the last 10 years alongside its immense success, even taking into account the sell-off in 2022. As a result, those who bought $10,000 worth of Amazon's stock in January 2013 would have $78,138.51 today, with an annual rate of return of 22.42%.

Who became a billionaire from stocks? ›

Certain billionaires made their fortunes in the stock market. The list includes John Paulson, Warren Buffett, James Simons, Ray Dalio, Carl Icahn, and Dan Loeb. Buffett is by far the richest person of these six famous investors, with a net worth of $116 billion.

What black rock owns? ›

Top 50 BlackRock Holdings
StockCompany Name% of Portfolio
AAPLApple Inc5.06%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp4.59%
AMZNAmazon Com Inc1.86%
NVDANvidia Corporation1.51%
49 more rows

How much of the 1% owns the stock market? ›

While over half of American adults own stock, most don't own much. The wealthiest 1% hold 53% of stocks, worth $16.76 trillion. If you expand to the top 10%, that group holds 88.6% of stocks, which have a value of $28 trillion.

Is Tesla a good stock to buy right now? ›

The EPS Rating for Tesla stock is 93 out of 99. The market status is showing a "confirmed uptrend." Tesla stock has formed a valid base but TSLA is not a buy right now. However, Tesla stock is signaling a move above the 200-day line and 200 level and is approaching its current buy point.

What if you invested $1,000 in Apple 5 years ago? ›

Its high point during that time was $182.94. That's growth of 459.76%. If you sold your $1,000 investment from 2017 at that price, you'd have a total of $4,597.58.

What if I invested $1,000 in Apple 20 years ago? ›

Over the past two decades, Apple stock generated a total return (price change plus dividends) of more than 69,000%, or more than 38% annualized. Have a look at the above chart and you'll see that if you invested $1,000 in Apple stock 20 years ago, it would be worth more than $695,000 today.

How long can a stock stay below $1? ›

If a company trades for 30 consecutive business days below the $1.00 minimum closing bid price requirement, Nasdaq will send a deficiency notice to the company, advising that it has been afforded a "compliance period" of 180 calendar days to regain compliance with the applicable requirements.

How long will it take you to double your money if you invest $1000 at 8% compounded annually? ›

For example, if you want to know how long it will take to double your money at eight percent interest, divide 8 into 72 and get 9 years.

How to invest to make $1 million dollars in 10 years? ›

In order to hit your goal of $1 million in 10 years, SmartAsset's savings calculator estimates that you would need to save around $7,900 per month. This is if you're just putting your money into a high-yield savings account with an average annual percentage yield (APY) of 1.10%.

How much would $4 million dollars in 1984 be worth today? ›

This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $40,000,000 in 1984 (price index tracking began in 1635). For example, if you started with $40,000,000, you would need to end with $116,790,375.36 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").

How much is $8,000 in 1980 worth now? ›

Value of $8,000 from 1980 to 2023

$8,000 in 1980 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $29,452.72 today, an increase of $21,452.72 over 43 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 3.08% per year between 1980 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 268.16%.

How much would I make if I invested in S&P 500? ›

The actual rate of return is largely dependent on the types of investments you select. The Standard & Poor's 500® (S&P 500®) for the 10 years ending December 31st 2022, had an annual compounded rate of return of 12.6%, including reinvestment of dividends.

What is the most valuable company in the world? ›

Apple once again leads the charge as the most valuable company in the world, ahead of Microsoft and Saudi Aramco. ✔️ In the last year, the market capitalisation of the world's most valuable companies increased by 11% to $35.16 trillion.

Who is the richest person in the world? ›

Jeff Bezos

It all started when Bezos was working on Wall Street and saw a gap in the market for selling products online and its potential.

Who is the richest woman in the world? ›

There are 337 women on the 2023 World's Billionaires list, including a familiar face as the world's wealthiest. T he reign of Françoise Bettencourt Meyers continues.

What is a good stock to make fast money? ›

4 Best Stocks to Make Money Fast in 2022
RIOTRiot Blockchain$9.66
PINSPinterest$23.17
XPEVXpeng$23.06
SESea Limited$87.65
Aug 15, 2022

What stock will grow the most in 2023? ›

10 Best Growth Stocks Of June 2023
  • Bank of America's Best Growth Stocks of 2023.
  • Amazon (AMZN)
  • Constellation Energy (CEG)
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG)
  • Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)
  • Eli Lilly (LLY)
  • Match (MTCH)
  • Progressive (PGR)
6 days ago

What is the best $1 stock to buy? ›

Stocks Under $1 at a Glance
Penny StockCodePrice(as of 10th Feb)
Venator MaterialsNYSE: VNTR$0.64
Pharma-Bio ServeOTCMKTS: PBSV$0.91
CompugenNASDAQ: CGEN$0.84
Akebia TherapeuticsNASDAQ: AKBA$0.8
6 more rows
May 5, 2023

What stock will double in 2023? ›

7 Growth Stocks That Can Double in 2023
TickerCompanyPrice
NIONio$11.24
PSNYPolestar Automotive$5.82
RIGTransocean$5.39
DRSLeonardo DRS$13.03
3 more rows
Jan 11, 2023

What is the hottest penny stocks? ›

Most Active Penny Stocks
  • DNA1.700.08% Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
  • CLOV1.010.13% Clover Health Investments, Corp.
  • SENS0.780.04% Senseonics Holdings, Inc.
  • FFIE0.270.03% Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc.
  • QBTS1.750.22% D-Wave Quantum Inc.
  • WE0.220.03% WeWork Inc.
  • ENZC0.04- Enzolytics, Inc.
  • MMV2.130.09%

What is the fastest growing penny stock? ›

Fastest Growing Penny Stocks
Price ($)Market Cap ($M)
Inter & Co. Inc. (INTR)1.50602.7
Brandywine Realty Trust (BDN)4.71808.8
Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG)2.3238,799.5

What was Tesla highest stock price? ›

Tesla - Stock Price History | TSLA
  • The all-time high Tesla stock closing price was 409.97 on November 04, 2021.
  • The Tesla 52-week high stock price is 314.67, which is 44.6% above the current share price.
  • The Tesla 52-week low stock price is 101.81, which is 53.2% below the current share price.

What stock has split the most in history? ›

What Stock Has Split The Most In History?
  • A stock that has a lower per-share price can attract a much broader range of investors. ...
  • So, what stock has split the most in history? ...
  • Apple (AAPL) has split five times.
  • The first split happened in June of 1987. ...
  • Apple's second stock split happened in June of 2000.

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