The value of a stock depends on many things. Profits and other monetary outcomes are separate. A third is the law of supply and demand. Afterwards, there are the numerous reports from analysts and suggestions from professionals. The market as a whole also has an impact on the value of particular stocks. A high stock price is not necessarily indicative of quality, so keep that in mind. Investors and traders frequently inflate stock prices. In the absence of a stock split, they can also be exaggerated. For whatever reason, the value of these stocks has skyrocketed. Unless they look into fractional trading, it’s too expensive for most ordinary investors. The typical individual investor probably couldn’t afford more than a few shares of these. Listed here are ten of the most exorbitant stock prices ever, along with some insights into the rationale behind such astronomical values.
1. Vehicle manufacturer GM ($697.00)
At the moment, GM stock is trading at about $56. The company is based in Detroit. Nonetheless, the legendary American firm has a lengthy history; at one point, its stock price was close to $700. Prior to Toyota’s 2008 takeover, they dominated the global vehicle market from 1931 to 2008. GM ranked among the world’s most valuable firms for a long time. The stock price of General Motors actually peaked in September 1916 at $697 per share. For that period, it was the priciest stock on the planet.
Now let’s go ahead to the Great Recession that hit in 2008 and 2009. Filing for bankruptcy protection was a necessary step for General Motors. The stock price dropped below $1 in May 2009. In the last ten years, it has been gradually getting better. Today, the stock price surpassed $55 per share, thanks in large part to the company’s recommitment to electric vehicles. After reaching its zenith over a century ago, it still has a ways to go.
2. Apple spent $702.
When it comes to technology, Apple is now far and away the leader. Their market valuation exceeds $2 trillion. Since going public in December 1980, the business’s stock has witnessed significant milestones. Steve Jobs co-founded the company in the 1970s in a garage. There have been five separate stock splits at Apple over the years. In August 2020, they conducted a 4-to-1 split for the last time.
The share price of Apple reached a record high in September 2012, despite the several splits. The news followed the company’s announcement of a 70% quarterly increase. Trading reached a high of $702.10. In 2014, Apple split its shares 7 to 1 since the stock price had risen so high. Now that the company’s shares have been divided in the summer, investors can buy Apple stock for a more reasonable $135. Considering the public’s hunger for Apple products, such as the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, it is quite probable that the stock will resume its upward trend soon.
3. Hecla and Calumet, $1,000.00
The companies Calumet and Hecla have disbanded. But in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was the most successful copper mining company in the world. Houghton County, Michigan, was a gold mine for the corporation. The success they had in 1906 was so great that they managed to manufacture approximately 100 million pounds of copper that year. A share of the company’s stock might fetch as much as $1,000 in 1907 thanks to this achievement, which was a substantial amount back then.
Between 1900 and 1920, the firm distributed dividends of $72 million to its shareholders. The copper boom was ultimately a bust, unfortunately. In 1970, the final U.S. mines operated by Calumet and Hecla closed their doors. Regardless, that was quite an impressive run for the organization.
4. I spent $1,550 at Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Even now, Chipotle Mexican Grill is among the world’s most beloved restaurant brands. Franchises for it can be found in several countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and France. Tacos and burritos are some of the company’s most famous dishes. It is named after the well-known Mexican spice chipotle. Both the company’s ethics and its commitment to sustainability have earned it a stellar reputation. For instance, they promote the usage of all-natural goods and authentic meat from animals.
Chipotle, first opened in 1993 by Steve Ells, is based out of Newport Beach, California. It intends to keep aggressively expanding, and there are already more than 2,500 restaurants in the United States alone. Since going public in 2006, Chipotle stock has increased at a steady rate. From an initial price of approximately $42 to a peak of $1,550, its value has increased by 3,400% throughout that period. Its current price is approximately $1,470. Chipotle is one of the companies on our list that has never done a share split.
5. Digital giant Alphabet ($2,386)
Everyone uses the top web search engine, which belongs to Alphabet. Google continues to be a major source of revenue for Alphabet, pulling in billions of dollars annually from advertising sales alone. But Alphabet isn’t limited to search engines. Among the various projects this multinational conglomerate is working on are autonomous vehicles, wearable technology, cellphones, and cloud computing. It also owns YouTube, by the way.
For almost two decades, Alphabet stock has been a major player. The stock price of Alphabet has increased 4,320% to over $2,386 per share since the company went public in 2004. The only time Alphabet has split its stock was in 2014, when it was split in half. The momentum of the stock was unabated after the split.
6. Amazon made $3,465
Amazon stock is currently too expensive for most individual investors at $3,465 per share. But a large number of Wall Street analysts predict that by year’s end 2021, shares of the top online retailer in the world will have risen above $4,000. Because of the pandemic’s retail lockdowns and stay-at-home directives, which encouraged everyone to buy even more things online, the company and its shares have only benefited.
Much as Google is now associated with search engines, Amazon is now practically a byword for internet shopping. Having all that, Amazon stock hasn’t had it easy. Following the late 2000 DotCom bubble crash, the stock price of the once-great online bookstore dropped below $10. Following its 1997 initial public offering, the company’s stock split three times in a row. But for almost 20 years, Amazon has ignored demands for yet another stock split. Their sky-high stock price is a reflection of that.
7. Ocean ($3,605)
The worldwide pandemic has caused Seaboard, a meat and agriculture corporation, to witness a decline in its stock price. It has actually reached far greater heights at different points in time. The stock price of Seaboard, however, is still fairly high at around $3,700 per share. Individual retail investors will find that particularly costly.
The 2019 stock price of Seaboard reached an all-time high of $4,650 before the pandemic hit. In the time after, the stock price dropped significantly. Nonetheless, things seem to be looking up once more. When it comes to U.S. grain and agricultural product production, Seaboard is still among the top. The company’s milling plants process and market grain products internationally. They rank high among the world’s leading pork producers as well. But the “Butterball” turkey brand is likely the most well-known product of the corporation.
8. $5.089 for NVR
NVR definitely isn’t a well-known brand. Despite this, the stock price is high since the company is still successful. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based builder has a number of trade names under which it does business, including Ryan Homes, NVHomes, and Fox Ridge Homes. Homebuyers can take advantage of the company’s mortgage financing and title insurance services, in addition to purchasing newly constructed homes in a number of states.
At the moment, one share of NVR stock is worth $5,089.00, which is a record high. In the early stages of the pandemic, NVR’s stock price fell significantly. Two weeks after it peaked at $3,845 on March 6, 2020, it dropped to $2,327. However, since then, NVR stock has not only fully recovered but has also reached unprecedented levels of success. Despite analysts’ repeated requests, the business has never split the stock.
9. Costing $92,800, Lindt & Sprüngli
A share of Lindt & Sprüngli AG, a Swiss chocolate manufacturer, is one of the most expensive stocks in the world, costing just under $100,000. Since its founding in Zurich in 1836, the company has been a significant Swiss enterprise. It manages a chain of over 400 branded stores and cafés globally. A family-run, once-small candy store is now home to one of the most successful corporations in the world.
Russell Stover Candies is only one of many global candy and chocolate enterprises that it now owns. Various plants in the United States, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, and Austria produce Lindt’s world-renowned chocolate. The firm makes ice cream in addition to chocolate bars and other desserts. The “Lindor” line of chocolates is currently the company’s best-selling item. Despite the current stock price of around $90,000 per share, Lindt & Sprüngli has never split its shares. Its all-time high was just before the pandemic, when the price touched about $93,000 per share. Quite pricey, making Lindt the second most costly stock here.
10.Berkshire Hathaway($422,724)
Warren Buffett, the famous investor, likes to think of himself as a regular guy. His holding company Berkshire Hathaway’s stock price, however, would have you believe otherwise. Each class A share of Berkshire Hathaway is now worth $422,724. I agree with that. An investment of approximately $500,000 would be required to buy one share of the company’s class A stock. Some investors have gone to extreme lengths, such as selling or remortgaging their homes, in order to purchase a single share of Berkshire Hathaway stock.
Two well-known brands that Berkshire Hathaway owns are Helzberg Diamonds and Geico Auto Insurance. Apple, Coca-Cola, and Bank of America are all companies in which Berkshire is a major shareholder. Berkshire’s share price soared thanks to Buffett’s astute investing decisions. Warren Buffett has consistently declined to divide the shares, despite the company’s meteoric rise in value. But there’s no cause for concern for regular investors who can’t afford to purchase such a pricey stock. About $275 is the going rate for a share of Berkshire Hathaway’s class B stock.
