Microsoft's IPO turns 40 today. If you invested $1,000 in Microsoft in 1986, you'd have $5.5 million today.

This article focuses on Microsoft’s evolution from a small software startup to a trillion-dollar technology giant over the past four decades. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen after recognizing the need for software on the Altair 8800 personal computer, Microsoft went public in 1986 and has since transformed global computing through products like Windows and Excel. A $1,000 investment at its IPO would be worth approximately $5.5 million today due to stock splits, share price appreciation, and dividends, reflecting an annualized return of about 21.8%, nearly double the S&P 500 average. As of its fiscal second quarter 2026, Microsoft reported $81.3 billion in revenue and continues to expand, particularly in artificial intelligence, under CEO Satya Nadella’s leadership. [Extracted from the article]