Here's how much you would have had if you invested $1,000 in the Amazon IPO

On May 15, exactly 20 years ago, Amazon's initial public offering took place. The company became public as an online book seller, which was only three years old.
Perhaps no one, however, expected the company's share growth of about 50,000% over the next twenty years. In other words, $1,000 invested in its shares on the first day after the IPO at a closing price would be over $491,000 to the current date if they are still held.
This kind of profit overcomes even registered, by great investors like Warren Buffett.
There is a peculiarity of course. Having held the company's shares throughout those years required iron discipline. Because they had a drop period on average 36% of their highest value each year over the past twenty years.
To a large extent, Amazon's success lies in its cloud-based business, as well as the expansion of its major trading business, which has led to bankruptcy, to many traditional retail chains.