If you invested $100 in Apple stock (AAPL) at the beginning of December 1984, you would have about $348,554.56 by March 2026. This is a return on investment of 348,454.56%, or 21.86% per year.
This investment beats inflation during this period for an inflation-adjusted return of about 111,048.85% cumulatively, or 18.53% per year.
If you used dollar-cost averaging (monthly) instead of a lump-sum investment, you'd have $200,888.24.
The nominal return on investment of $100 is $348,454.56, or 348,454.56%. This means by March 2026 you would have $348,554.56.
However, it is important to take inflation into account when evaluating a long-term investment. You can convert these returns to their real value using an inflation calculation based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI).
In this case, the CPI in December 1984 was 105.300 and the CPI in March 2026 was 330.213.
Adjusted for inflation, the $348,554.56 nominal end value would have a real return of roughly $111,048.85 in 1984 dollars. This means the inflation-adjusted return is 111,048.85% as opposed to the original 348,454.56%.
The table below shows the full dataset pertaining to a $100 investment over the 166-month period between 1984 and 2026.
Year
Month
Return (%)
Amount ($)
CPI
1984
12
0.00%
100.00
105.30
1985
3
-29.70%
70.30
106.40
1985
6
-13.80%
60.59
107.60
1985
9
34.18%
81.30
108.30
1985
12
24.31%
101.07
109.30
1986
3
48.01%
149.59
108.80
1986
6
0.00%
149.59
109.50
1986
9
8.07%
161.66
110.20
1986
12
75.04%
282.96
110.50
1987
3
12.88%
319.41
112.10
1987
6
36.90%
437.28
113.50
1987
9
-38.81%
267.57
115.00
1987
12
30.56%
349.35
115.40
1988
3
-3.29%
337.87
116.50
1988
6
-3.71%
325.33
118.00
1988
9
-5.49%
307.46
119.80
1988
12
-3.39%
297.04
120.50
1989
3
32.07%
392.31
122.30
1989
6
-6.58%
366.51
124.10
1989
9
-0.32%
365.33
125.00
1989
12
-23.00%
281.30
126.10
1990
3
21.75%
342.49
128.70
1990
6
-10.06%
308.05
129.90
1990
9
-0.38%
306.86
132.70
1990
12
56.31%
479.64
133.80
1991
3
-17.74%
394.56
135.00
1991
6
13.05%
446.04
136.00
1991
9
-4.01%
428.17
137.20
1991
12
33.31%
570.77
137.90
1992
3
-11.32%
506.15
139.30
1992
6
-23.01%
389.70
140.20
1992
9
25.60%
489.47
141.30
1992
12
-7.64%
452.07
141.90
1993
3
7.07%
484.02
143.60
1993
6
-53.11%
226.98
144.40
1993
9
19.40%
271.01
145.10
1993
12
16.29%
315.15
145.80
1994
3
-19.56%
253.49
147.20
1994
6
24.18%
314.79
148.00
1994
9
3.31%
325.21
149.40
1994
12
6.37%
345.92
149.70
1995
3
5.51%
364.97
151.40
1995
6
3.73%
378.58
152.50
1995
9
-11.10%
336.57
153.20
1995
12
-27.64%
243.55
153.50
1996
3
-5.00%
231.36
155.70
1996
6
-7.16%
214.79
156.70
1996
9
-0.55%
213.61
157.80
1996
12
-32.63%
143.91
158.60
1997
3
2.30%
147.22
160.00
1997
6
30.87%
192.66
160.30
1997
9
-18.43%
157.16
161.20
1997
12
33.13%
209.23
161.30
1998
3
12.73%
235.86
162.20
1998
6
17.11%
276.21
163.00
1998
9
2.40%
282.84
163.60
1998
12
9.00%
308.28
163.90
1999
3
26.60%
390.30
165.00
1999
6
48.06%
577.87
166.20
1999
9
50.01%
866.86
167.90
1999
12
17.11%
1,015.15
168.30
2000
3
-26.72%
743.91
171.20
2000
6
45.10%
1,079.41
172.40
2000
9
-72.92%
292.31
173.70
2000
12
10.61%
323.31
174.00
2001
3
9.30%
353.37
176.20
2001
6
-7.00%
328.64
178.00
2001
9
14.80%
377.28
178.30
2001
12
1.88%
384.38
176.70
2002
3
7.36%
412.66
178.80
2002
6
-36.68%
261.30
179.90
2002
9
5.07%
274.56
181.00
2002
12
-3.15%
265.92
180.90
2003
3
19.58%
317.99
184.20
2003
6
25.94%
400.47
183.70
2003
9
-7.51%
370.41
185.20
2003
12
14.38%
423.67
184.30
2004
3
17.32%
497.04
187.40
2004
6
22.90%
610.89
189.70
2004
9
94.42%
1,187.69
189.90
2004
12
33.81%
1,589.23
190.30
2005
3
-11.37%
1,408.52
193.30
2005
6
17.94%
1,661.18
194.50
2005
9
44.63%
2,402.60
198.80
2005
12
0.99%
2,426.39
196.80
2006
3
-12.73%
2,117.40
199.80
2006
6
13.52%
2,403.67
202.90
2006
9
35.09%
3,247.22
202.90
2006
12
-7.69%
2,997.40
201.80
2007
3
43.24%
4,293.37
205.35
2007
6
14.27%
4,905.92
208.35
2007
9
31.58%
6,455.38
208.49
2007
12
-31.39%
4,428.99
210.04
2008
3
50.98%
6,686.75
213.53
2008
6
-10.18%
6,005.92
218.82
2008
9
-45.34%
3,282.96
218.78
2008
12
-3.63%
3,163.91
210.23
2009
3
52.07%
4,811.24
212.71
2009
6
23.86%
5,959.05
215.69
2009
9
18.85%
7,082.13
215.97
2009
12
2.36%
7,248.99
215.95
2010
3
25.54%
9,100.36
217.63
2010
6
-5.36%
8,612.19
217.97
2010
9
27.99%
11,022.96
218.44
2010
12
13.52%
12,513.02
219.18
2011
3
-1.52%
12,322.37
223.47
2011
6
10.64%
13,633.14
225.72
2011
9
-0.68%
13,540.00
226.89
2011
12
41.93%
19,216.80
225.67
2012
3
6.51%
20,466.98
229.39
2012
6
15.15%
23,567.10
229.48
2012
9
-11.64%
20,823.43
231.41
2012
12
-24.24%
15,776.09
229.60
2013
3
2.48%
16,167.57
232.77
2013
6
9.05%
17,631.24
233.50
2013
9
14.88%
20,255.62
234.15
2013
12
-4.81%
19,280.95
233.05
2014
3
21.01%
23,331.36
236.29
2014
6
13.98%
26,593.61
238.34
2014
9
16.61%
31,009.82
238.03
2014
12
8.48%
33,639.88
234.81
2015
3
1.82%
34,251.12
236.12
2015
6
-13.09%
29,768.88
238.64
2015
9
5.39%
31,372.78
237.95
2015
12
-17.92%
25,751.72
236.53
2016
3
3.84%
26,740.24
238.13
2016
6
6.90%
28,584.14
241.02
2016
9
4.73%
29,936.21
241.43
2016
12
24.59%
37,296.57
241.43
2017
3
12.00%
41,770.41
243.80
2017
6
7.80%
45,028.99
244.96
2017
9
5.20%
47,369.59
246.82
2017
12
4.02%
49,274.44
246.52
2018
3
5.34%
51,905.80
249.55
2018
6
22.28%
63,471.24
251.99
2018
9
-21.27%
49,968.99
252.44
2018
12
-2.70%
48,618.70
251.23
2019
3
1.54%
49,368.64
254.20
2019
6
19.69%
59,090.06
256.14
2019
9
28.52%
75,940.47
256.76
2019
12
2.59%
77,909.82
256.97
2020
3
16.58%
90,830.53
258.12
2020
6
62.78%
147,858.11
257.80
2020
9
-7.58%
136,657.28
260.28
2020
12
2.03%
139,434.20
260.47
2021
3
2.92%
143,500.47
264.88
2021
6
22.05%
175,143.91
271.70
2021
9
9.03%
190,967.93
274.31
2021
12
0.04%
191,038.34
278.80
2022
3
-9.74%
172,422.37
287.50
2022
6
5.79%
182,397.75
296.31
2022
9
-5.71%
171,974.56
296.81
2022
12
-0.25%
171,538.34
296.80
2023
3
20.43%
206,577.51
301.84
2023
6
6.14%
219,257.51
305.11
2023
9
1.24%
221,984.50
307.79
2023
12
-4.72%
211,511.12
306.75
2024
3
6.50%
225,255.38
312.33
2024
6
19.28%
268,678.46
314.18
2024
9
3.76%
278,774.08
315.30
2024
12
2.01%
284,384.26
315.61
2025
3
-16.86%
236,442.96
319.80
2025
6
15.73%
273,636.33
322.56
2025
9
20.26%
329,068.99
324.80
2025
12
-5.17%
312,059.29
324.05
2026
3
11.69%
348,554.56
330.21
Click to show 160 more rows
Apple dollar-cost averaging
Dollar-cost averaging is an alternative to investing the full lump-sum of $100 up front. Instead, the capital is invested over a period of time.
Consider a strategy in which $100 was invested in Apple stock (AAPL) over a period of no more than 24 months beginning in 1984. This would result in a final amount of $200,888.24. In this particular case, dollar-cost average returns are less than the returns of a lump-sum investment (which ends with $348,554.56).
Year
Month
Contribution ($)
Amount ($)
1984
12
4.16
4.16
1985
3
4.16
5.85
1985
6
4.16
8.63
1985
9
4.16
17.16
1985
12
4.16
26.50
1986
3
4.16
45.38
1986
6
4.16
49.54
1986
9
4.16
58.03
1986
12
4.16
108.86
1987
3
4.16
127.58
1987
6
4.16
180.35
1987
9
4.16
112.90
1987
12
4.16
152.84
1988
3
4.16
151.84
1988
6
4.16
150.21
1988
9
4.16
145.89
1988
12
4.16
144.97
1989
3
4.16
196.96
1989
6
4.16
187.89
1989
9
4.16
191.43
1989
12
4.16
150.61
1990
3
4.16
188.43
1990
6
4.16
173.22
1990
9
4.32
176.86
1990
12
-
276.44
1991
3
-
227.40
1991
6
-
257.07
1991
9
-
246.77
1991
12
-
328.96
1992
3
-
291.72
1992
6
-
224.60
1992
9
-
282.10
1992
12
-
260.55
1993
3
-
278.97
1993
6
-
130.82
1993
9
-
156.19
1993
12
-
181.63
1994
3
-
146.10
1994
6
-
181.43
1994
9
-
187.43
1994
12
-
199.37
1995
3
-
210.35
1995
6
-
218.19
1995
9
-
193.98
1995
12
-
140.37
1996
3
-
133.34
1996
6
-
123.80
1996
9
-
123.11
1996
12
-
82.94
1997
3
-
84.85
1997
6
-
111.04
1997
9
-
90.58
1997
12
-
120.59
1998
3
-
135.94
1998
6
-
159.19
1998
9
-
163.01
1998
12
-
177.68
1999
3
-
224.95
1999
6
-
333.05
1999
9
-
499.61
1999
12
-
585.08
2000
3
-
428.75
2000
6
-
622.11
2000
9
-
168.47
2000
12
-
186.34
2001
3
-
203.67
2001
6
-
189.41
2001
9
-
217.44
2001
12
-
221.54
2002
3
-
237.84
2002
6
-
150.60
2002
9
-
158.24
2002
12
-
153.26
2003
3
-
183.27
2003
6
-
230.81
2003
9
-
213.49
2003
12
-
244.18
2004
3
-
286.47
2004
6
-
352.08
2004
9
-
684.52
2004
12
-
915.95
2005
3
-
811.80
2005
6
-
957.42
2005
9
-
1,384.73
2005
12
-
1,398.44
2006
3
-
1,220.35
2006
6
-
1,385.35
2006
9
-
1,871.52
2006
12
-
1,727.54
2007
3
-
2,474.47
2007
6
-
2,827.51
2007
9
-
3,720.54
2007
12
-
2,552.64
2008
3
-
3,853.88
2008
6
-
3,461.49
2008
9
-
1,892.12
2008
12
-
1,823.51
2009
3
-
2,772.94
2009
6
-
3,434.48
2009
9
-
4,081.76
2009
12
-
4,177.93
2010
3
-
5,244.96
2010
6
-
4,963.61
2010
9
-
6,353.04
2010
12
-
7,211.84
2011
3
-
7,101.95
2011
6
-
7,857.41
2011
9
-
7,803.73
2011
12
-
11,075.54
2012
3
-
11,796.08
2012
6
-
13,582.82
2012
9
-
12,001.51
2012
12
-
9,092.50
2013
3
-
9,318.13
2013
6
-
10,161.71
2013
9
-
11,674.26
2013
12
-
11,112.51
2014
3
-
13,446.95
2014
6
-
15,327.14
2014
9
-
17,872.41
2014
12
-
19,388.23
2015
3
-
19,740.52
2015
6
-
17,157.19
2015
9
-
18,081.60
2015
12
-
14,841.91
2016
3
-
15,411.64
2016
6
-
16,474.37
2016
9
-
17,253.63
2016
12
-
21,495.75
2017
3
-
24,074.24
2017
6
-
25,952.31
2017
9
-
27,301.30
2017
12
-
28,399.16
2018
3
-
29,915.73
2018
6
-
36,581.44
2018
9
-
28,799.46
2018
12
-
28,021.22
2019
3
-
28,453.45
2019
6
-
34,056.36
2019
9
-
43,768.03
2019
12
-
44,903.06
2020
3
-
52,349.87
2020
6
-
85,217.52
2020
9
-
78,761.96
2020
12
-
80,362.43
2021
3
-
82,706.01
2021
6
-
100,943.60
2021
9
-
110,063.72
2021
12
-
110,104.30
2022
3
-
99,375.05
2022
6
-
105,124.33
2022
9
-
99,116.95
2022
12
-
98,865.54
2023
3
-
119,060.25
2023
6
-
126,368.33
2023
9
-
127,940.01
2023
12
-
121,903.72
2024
3
-
129,825.18
2024
6
-
154,851.92
2024
9
-
160,670.50
2024
12
-
163,903.91
2025
3
-
136,273.10
2025
6
-
157,709.37
2025
9
-
189,657.80
2025
12
-
179,854.32
2026
3
-
200,888.24
Click to show 160 more rows
Data Sources
Monthly adjusted close data is from Yahoo Finance via yfinance. Adjusted close reflects stock splits and dividends reported by the source. Inflation data is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI.
About the author
Ian Webster is an engineer and data expert based in San Mateo, California. He has worked for Google, NASA, and consulted for governments around the world on data pipelines and data analysis. Disappointed by the lack of clear resources on the impacts of inflation on economic indicators, Ian believes this website serves as a valuable public tool. Ian earned his degree in Computer Science from Dartmouth College.
