Introduction: The Power of Holding Apple Long-Term Back in December 1980, Apple went public at $22 per share (about $0.10 adjusted for splits). If you had bought just one share back then, you might be wondering today: What’s that worth now? Spoiler: It’s more than just a decent lunch. In this article, we’ll break down Apple’s stock split history, how a single share transformed over the decades, and how many shares you'd have today. Apple's Stock Split History: The Key Events Apple (AAPL) has split its stock five times since its IPO. Each split increased the number of shares shareholders held — without changing the total value of their investment. Here’s the complete split timeline: Data source: MarketCapWatch So, if you bought 1 share in 1980, and held onto it through all these splits, you'd now have 224 shares. Let’s Crunch the Numbers 1 original share × 2 × 2 × 2 × 7 × 4 = 224 shares If Apple is trading at, say, $210 per share today (as of mid-2025), your original single share would now be worth: 224 × $210 = $47,040 Not bad for a $22 investment. That’s a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of around 17%+ over 44 years — beating most hedge funds. More Than Just Numbers: What This Teaches Us About Long-Term Investing This isn’t just a math trick. Apple’s growth story is a masterclass in: Long-term compounding The power of patience Why stock splits matter A lot of people get caught up chasing the next hot stock, but sometimes, it’s about picking a winner — and holding on for decades. And yes, while splits don't directly make you richer, they often increase liquidity and make shares more affordable for retail investors, sometimes boosting demand. Bonus: What If You Had Reinvested Dividends? Apple didn’t always pay dividends, but started again in 2012. If you’d reinvested those dividends? You’d be looking at even more shares today. That’s a story for another time — but it adds frosting to an already sweet cake. Final Thoughts: From 1 Share to $47,000 If you ever doubt the power of long-term investing, just look at what happened with Apple. One share, five splits, 224 shares, and nearly $50K later, the math speaks for itself. Next time you’re tempted to day-trade, maybe take a breath and ask: What would my future self thank me for holding?
