Micron's $1,000 IPO bet in 1984 is now worth over $400,000 today
Micron Technology, a memory chip specialist, has seen steady growth since its 1984 stock market debut. The company's shares have climbed from a modest start to a market value of around $120 billion by early 2026. With memory technology playing a key role in modern computing, analysts now eye further potential for the stock market today.
The firm went public in Boise, Idaho, with a stock market value of roughly $20 million. A $1,000 investment at that time would have required a broker's call—today, that same stake would be worth about $414,500. Over four decades, Micron's compound annual growth rate has hovered between 15% and 18%, a solid performance in the semiconductor industry though slower than giants like NVIDIA or Intel.
Micron's early years saw a fivefold stock surge from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, driven by the boom in personal computers and DRAM chips. By the dot-com peak in March 2000, a $1,000 investment would have ballooned to over $50,000. However, the subsequent crash hit hard, leaving the stock struggling to recover its highs for nearly 20 years.
In 2026, Micron continues its upward trend, trading at around 12 times forward earnings—a valuation below the tech sector's average. This comes as demand for memory solutions remains strong, reinforcing the company's position in a competitive stock market today.
From its 1984 IPO to today, Micron has delivered substantial returns for long-term investors. Each dollar invested at launch is now worth roughly $414. The stock's current momentum, paired with its role in essential tech infrastructure, suggests continued relevance in the semiconductor landscape.
