What if I had invested in Walmart
Every lump sum scenario for Walmart, start year by start year, using real prices and each month's exchange rate.
Walmart, a stock listed on Wall Street, grew 7.4-fold in dollar terms between December 2003 and November 2026, an average of +9.1% a year. Its monthly close has moved between $14.54 (August 2007) and $132 (April 2026); it now stands at $131, split-adjusted. Whatever the month of purchase since December 2003, a lump sum would be in profit today 99% of the time.
Data: Yahoo Finance monthly closing prices, up to date as of (latest update November 5, 2026) MethodAuthor: Yann Avondo
If I had invested $1,000 as a lump sum in Walmart in January 2016, today I would have $6,415
Over the same period
Worst moment: −22.6% between January 2018 and May 2018. To get this result, you had to hold on without selling.
Walmart at a glance
Walmart is the world's largest retailer and the largest private employer in the US. A defensive stock, it got a second wind from its e-commerce and advertising businesses.
The worst drop from a peak reached 34.6% in dollar terms (November 2014 to October 2015), erased by November 2017. Calendar year after calendar year, 15 of 22 ended higher; the best, 2024, returned +71.9%, the worst, 2015, cost 28.6%. Over the same period, the MSCI World (price index) returned +7.0% a year in dollar terms: Walmart did better.
$1,000 invested in Walmart, by start year
Bought in January, valued at the latest price. Click a year for the full story.
| Start | Worth today | Multiple | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,451 | ×1.45 | +21.4% | |
| $2,494 | ×2.49 | +36.8% | |
| $2,773 | ×2.77 | +29.7% | |
| $2,718 | ×2.72 | +22.5% | |
| $2,728 | ×2.73 | +18.5% | |
| $3,309 | ×3.31 | +18.9% | |
| $4,221 | ×4.22 | +20.0% | |
| $3,982 | ×3.98 | +16.8% | |
| $5,689 | ×5.69 | +19.2% | |
| $6,415 | ×6.41 | +18.6% | |
| $4,579 | ×4.58 | +13.6% | |
| $4,997 | ×5 | +13.3% | |
| $5,763 | ×5.76 | +13.4% | |
| $6,580 | ×6.58 | +13.5% | |
| $7,291 | ×7.29 | +13.3% | |
| $7,357 | ×7.36 | +12.5% | |
| $7,014 | ×7.01 | +11.5% | |
| $8,273 | ×8.27 | +11.8% | |
| $8,515 | ×8.51 | +11.4% | |
| $8,402 | ×8.4 | +10.7% | |
| $7,444 | ×7.44 | +9.6% | |
| $7,412 | ×7.41 | +9.1% |
Lump sum or DCA in Walmart?
Since January 2016, investing in Walmart all at once (lump sum) multiplied the stake by ×6.41, +18.6% a year. Investing every month (DCA) multiplied the total contributions by ×3.16, an annual return (IRR) of +19.8%.
Here DCA did better: spreading the purchases avoided putting all the money in at the wrong time.
Frequently asked questions
How much would $1,000 invested in Walmart 10 years ago be worth today?
$1,000 invested in Walmart in January 2016 would be worth about $6,415 today, an average annual return of +18.6% (price only, in the displayed currency).
What if I had invested $1,000 in Walmart in 2015?
Invested in January 2015, $1,000 would be worth about $4,579 today, +13.6% a year on average.
What if I had invested $1,000 in Walmart in 2020?
Invested in January 2020, $1,000 would be worth about $3,309 today, +18.9% a year on average.
What was the best year to invest in Walmart?
Among the start years covered, 2007 gave the best result: $1,000 would have become $8,515. The weakest was 2025, worth $1,451 today. This ranking is only known with hindsight.
Are dividends included?
By default, the calculation follows the market price only. The "Reinvest dividends" option uses the adjusted price, which includes dividends paid and stock splits: the closest measure of what an investor actually earned.
Are exchange rates taken into account?
Yes. Walmart trades in its own currency; every purchase and valuation is converted at that month's exchange rate. A US asset can gain in dollars and less in euros if the dollar weakened.
Are fees and taxes included?
No: results are before brokerage fees, fund fees and taxes. Your net result depends on the account you invest through.
Compare with
Before you have regrets
What this calculation does not tell you.
Hindsight bias
Picking Nvidia or Bitcoin today means picking known winners. Back then, nothing set them apart from hundreds of assets that went nowhere or vanished.
Holding on was the real test
The result assumes you never sold, including through the drawdowns shown above. Very few investors actually do.
The broad market, no bet required
The MSCI World never makes headlines, but it does not require guessing the winner. It is the fairest yardstick for any pick.
Method: past performance, computed from split-adjusted monthly closing prices (intra-month lows are smoothed out). Converted at each month’s exchange rate; no fees, no taxes. The MSCI World benchmark is the price index, excluding dividends. Sources: Yahoo Finance (prices, exchange rates, US Treasury bills), Eurostat (inflation), published regulated rates (Livret A). Not investment advice. NokxiHub.