If you bought Google shares 20 years ago, this is how much money you would have today

Alphabet (formerly Google) is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its IPO and is showing impressive share price development.
Someone who bought a share for $85 in 2004 would have about 40 shares worth $164.74 each today.
This would give investors around 6,589 euros in their portfolio. The Alphabet group is now worth around two trillion dollars.

When Google went public in August 2004, many were skeptical. But those who believed in the company back then can now boast of decent profits.

The tech giant made its stock market debut 20 years ago – and the company's shares are still performing strongly today. Anyone who bought a share for $85 (around €77.03) back then would now have around 40 shares worth $164.74 (€149.30) each thanks to price gains and stock splits. This would give an investor around €6,589 in their portfolio. The parent company Alphabet, to which Google belongs, is now worth around two trillion dollars

The stock market launch was slow at first

When the company went public on August 18, 2004, demand was initially low. Google wanted to sell almost 26 million shares for $108 to $135 each, but decided to use an auction process that is rarely used in IPOs. In the end, 19.6 million shares were sold at a price of $85, the lower end of the price range.

The first day of trading brought an increase of 18 percent. But as Google's popularity and success on the Internet grew, so did its share price. By the end of the year, the price had already doubled. In 2014 and 2022, Google carried out stock splits to make the shares more affordable for small investors.

Disclaimer: Shares, real estate and other investments are always associated with risk. A total loss of the invested capital cannot be ruled out. The published articles, data and forecasts are not an invitation to buy or sell securities or rights. Nor do they replace professional advice.