Here’s How Much You’d Have if You Bought the Top 15 Stocks at Their Pandemic Lows

It’s been over three years, but you may still remember the major hit your investments took when the market crashed in a black swan event or a rare and unpredictable event that shook the economy.

The market has recovered since the March 2020 lows, but what would’ve happened if you bought stocks while everyone was panicking? 

Here’s how much you would have grown your wealth if you had invested $5,000 into these popular stocks when they were at their lowest point during the early days of the pandemic.

Proctor and Gamble, which is a consumer goods company, probably has one of its goods in your home. The company’s brands include Tide, Gillette, Cascade, and Crest.

Proctor and Gamble hit its market low on March 23, 2020, at a closing price of $97.70, while closing on July 28, 2023, at $156.41. 

If you invested $5,000 in P&G; on March 23, 2020, your investment now would be worth $8,327.48, which is a $3,327.48 increase on your initial investment.

Semiconductor Broadcom took a hit a bit earlier than other companies on this list, reaching its lowest point on March 18, 2020. The company closed that day at $167.87.

A year later, the company also had to weather a semiconductor chip shortage that affected multiple consumer markets and caused the stock price to struggle.

But Broadcom has rebounded since then, with the stock closing at $899.79 on July 28. That $5,000 you invested on March 18, 2020, would’ve climbed to $21,588.94.

Like several other companies on this list, the credit card giant Visa reached its low point on March 23, 2020.

That day, the stock closed at $135.74. But the stock hasn’t increased as much as others on this list, ending the day on July 28 at $235.75. The $5,000 you invested at its low would be worth $8,209.86, marking $3,209.86 in profit.

Exxon Mobil hit its pandemic low on March 23, 2020, when the stock closed at $31.45. The stock struggled throughout 2020 as fewer people were on the road due to working from home or traveling less.

Since then, the stock has rebounded and closed at $104.16 on July 28. Today, that $5,000 invested in March 2020 would be worth $18,995.38.

Johnson and Johnson, the medical and pharmaceutical company, hit its low on March 23, 2020, of $111.14.

But you wouldn’t have seen a huge increase in your investment if you put $5,000 down on the stock that day. The company currently trades for $174.48, giving you a $2,930.24 gain for a total of $7,930.24 by July 28.

Banking firm JP Morgan saw its stock take a hit, ending March 23, 2020, at $79.03. The stock rebounded but not as much as others on this list. 

If you bought $5,000 shares in March 2020, you would’ve made $5,531.93 in profits since then based on a July 28 closing price of $156.91.

Healthcare stock UnitedHealth Group Group took a major hit on March 23, 2020, when it closed at $194.86.

But the stock never closed below $200 again and continues to increase. It closed on July 28 at $502.91, marking more than a $300 rise since that March 2020 low.

So what could you have made if you had invested $5,000 in UnitedHealth Group Group back then? Your $5,000 position would be worth $12,838.04 today.

Berkshire Hathaway invests in companies from Apple, Coca-Cola, Visa, and more. Led by financial icon Warren Buffett, the stock weathered the pandemic after reaching a low of $162.13 on March 23, 2020.

On July 28, the stock closed at $349.81. So if you had $5,000 invested in the stock in 2020, you would have made $5,402.50 in profit for a total of $10,402.50.

Meta Platforms (Facebook) fell to its lowest trading point earlier than some of the other stocks on this list, resulting in a closing low of $146.01 on March 16, 2020.

It made a comeback, however, closing at $325.08 on July 28. That hypothetical $5,000 you put down on the stock in March would now be worth $9,355.18.

Electric vehicle maker Tesla fell to its lowest pandemic point on March 18, 2020, closing at $24.08.

But Tesla’s stock became popular with traders during the pandemic, giving its price a boost, and the company closed at $266.44 on July 28. If you bought the stock on the pandemic low, you could’ve made $30,580.51 in profits.

Software company Nvidia also saw a stock low around a similar time as other tech companies during the pandemic, hitting a closing price of $49.10 on March 16, 2020. That was the last time it closed below $50.

On July 28, the stock closed at $467.50, turning your original $5,000 investment into a whopping $35,924.94.

Online shopping heavyweight Amazon hit its low point before other major stocks, reaching $83.83 on March 12.

But the company saw an increase in popularity as locked-down residents turned to online shopping instead of shopping in person.

And Amazon has continued to increase in price. The stock closed at $132.21 on July 28, giving you $2,031.76 in profits if you bought at the pandemic low.

One thing to note about Amazon’s stock is that the company had a 20-for-1 stock split in June 2022, so your original investment would now include more company shares.

Software company Microsoft hit a pandemic low of $135.42 on March 16, 2020. But your $5,000 investment that day would still have made a nice profit for you. 

Based on the July 28 close of $338.37, your original investment would be worth $10,900.03 now.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, took a little longer compared to other tech companies to feel the pain of the pandemic stock crash. The stock reached a low of $52.83 on March 23, 2020.

The stock closed at $133.01 on July 28, giving you a total investment of $12,413.27 including your initial $5,000 investment.

Technology giant Apple reached its pandemic low on March 23, 2020, when it closed at $56.09.

The stock rebounded after that low point and closed at $195.83 on July 28, giving you a total of $17,503.89. You also would have more shares due to a 4-for-1 stock split in August 2020.

Remember that past performance is no guarantee of future results. It’s important to always research a company before deciding if you’re comfortable investing in it.

It’s also important to consider how different stocks fit into your overall investment plan and any major goals like retiring early. 

Build a budget so you have money to invest consistently, and consider talking to a financial planner to help you navigate your different options.