What if you'd held AMZN?
A $1,000 investment in Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) at the month-end close of 1997-05 would be worth $3.54M at the close of 2026-08 — +354353.3% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $9,087.
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 1997
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | $1,000 | — |
| 1998 | $10,666 | +966.6% |
| 1999 | $15,165 | +42.2% |
| 2000 | $3,100 | -79.6% |
| 2001 | $2,155 | -30.5% |
| 2002 | $3,763 | +74.6% |
| 2003 | $10,482 | +178.6% |
| 2004 | $8,823 | -15.8% |
| 2005 | $9,392 | +6.5% |
| 2006 | $7,861 | -16.3% |
| 2007 | $18,454 | +134.8% |
| 2008 | $10,215 | -44.6% |
| 2009 | $26,797 | +162.3% |
| 2010 | $35,857 | +33.8% |
| 2011 | $34,482 | -3.8% |
| 2012 | $49,974 | +44.9% |
| 2013 | $79,440 | +59.0% |
| 2014 | $61,823 | -22.2% |
| 2015 | $134,639 | +117.8% |
| 2016 | $149,376 | +10.9% |
| 2017 | $232,962 | +56.0% |
| 2018 | $299,197 | +28.4% |
| 2019 | $368,096 | +23.0% |
| 2020 | $648,791 | +76.3% |
| 2021 | $664,211 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $334,661 | -49.6% |
| 2023 | $605,339 | +80.9% |
| 2024 | $874,064 | +44.4% |
| 2025 | $919,602 | +5.2% |
| 2026 | $1.06M | +15.2% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought AMZN was 1997-05 ($0.07): $1,000 then is $3.54M today. The worst was 2026-07 ($272): $1,000 then is $979.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in AMZN be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) at the start of 1997 would be worth about $3.54M today, a total return of +354353.3%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for AMZN?
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)'s strongest calendar year since 1997 was 1998, a +966.6% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $10,666 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2000, at -79.6%.
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 AMZN have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1997-05 would have grown to about $4.6M on $35,200 invested.
Did AMZN beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $9,087. AMZN beat the S&P 500 by +38908.4% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. Wall Street Regrets is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) historical total-return data from 1997-05 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. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
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. Wall Street Regrets is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.