If You Invested $1,000 In Microsoft When Windows 95 Was Launched 28 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Now

Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT Windows operating system entered a new era 28 years ago with the launch of Windows 95. One of the most iconic features of Windows to this day, the Start Menu, debuted with Windows 95.

Microsoft launched Windows 95 on August 24, 1995. It was so successful that the company sold a million copies of it in the first four days of launch.

Now, if you would have invested $1,000 in Microsoft when it launched Windows 95, here's how much it would be worth today.

What Happened: Windows 95, one of the most iconic versions of Windows, turned 28 on Thursday. Microsoft debuted the Start Menu, taskbar, and Internet Explorer with this release of Windows, setting the tone for decades to come.

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Bill Gates shared a GIF on Twitter to celebrate Windows 95's birthday, showing an enthusiastic Steve Ballmer hyping up the crowd at the launch event.

Some memories stick with you forever. Others follow you around the internet for 28 years. Happy birthday, @Windows. pic.twitter.com/CUqLN2fqlW

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) August 24, 2023

Microsoft has since then launched several versions of Windows – of these, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 98, and now Windows 11 are amongst the best versions, apart from Windows 95.

On the other hand, Windows ME, Windows 8, and Windows Vista were overwhelmingly panned for bad performance and features.

Hypothetical Returns: If you had invested in Microsoft on August 24, 1995, when Windows 95 was launched, you would have 10.4 shares, adjusted for the several stock splits that Microsoft has announced since then.

Today, that investment's value would be worth $53,596, based on the closing price of $319.97 as of August 24, 2023. Approximately, this is a 5,224% return in 28 years.

During this period, the Nasdaq Composite index has delivered a return of 1,714%.

Image Credits – Shutterstock

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