If You Had Invested $5,000 in Tesla Stock 1 Year Ago, Here's How Much You Would Have Today
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By Lawrence Rothman, CFA – Dec 15, 2025 at 11:03PM ESTKey PointsTesla's share price has been volatile.Management has promised new initiatives to reignite growth.These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›NASDAQ: TSLATeslaMarket Cap$1.5TToday's Changeangle-down(3.61%) $16.55Current Price$475.51Price as of December 15, 2025 at 3:58 PM ETTesla's stock has lagged the S&P 500.Tesla (TSLA +3.61%) and its CEO and significant shareholder, Elon Musk, frequently make the news. It's not always positive, with Musk's potentially $1 trillion dollar pay package vote garnering sharp reactions. But looking purely at the stock's performance, how much would you have today had you invested $5,000 in Tesla shares a year ago? Image source: Getty Images. A volatile stock Tesla's stock has certainly been volatile. The shares have a 52-week low of $214.25 and a high of $488.54. Through the ups and downs over the last year, Tesla's share price rose 8.8% through Dec. 11. However, the S&P 500 index went up 13.4%. While Tesla doesn't pay dividends, the S&P 500 had a total return of 14.8% after including the payouts. ExpandNASDAQ: TSLATeslaToday's Change(3.61%) $16.55Current Price$475.51Key Data PointsMarket Cap$1.5TDay's Range$467.74 - $481.7552wk Range$214.25 - $488.54Volume4MAvg Vol86MGross Margin17.01% That means your $5,000 investment would be worth $5,444. That's below the $5,737 if you'd invested passively in the S&P 500.Advertisement A look ahead Tesla's stock has certainly rewarded investors with market-beating returns over the long term. Over five years, the shares' 126% appreciation beat the S&P 500's 102.4% return. With growing competition in the electric car industry and U.S. tax incentives disappearing, its core automotive business' growth has slowed. Third-quarter automotive revenue increased 6% year over year to $21.2 billion. Musk has promised a future of artificial intelligence, robotics, and self-driving cars. It's unclear if and when these initiatives will pay off. Given the long wait and current climate for its core business, I'd pass on Tesla shares right now. For those investing, you should prepare yourself for the stock's wild price swings.About the AuthorLawrence Rothman, CFA, has been a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst since 2019, covering consumer goods and retail stocks. Previously, Lawrence worked on Wall Street and at independent research firms before devoting his attention to finding successful long-term investments for individual investors.TMFLarryrothmanRead NextDec 15, 2025 •By Howard SmithWhy Tesla Stock Hit an All-Time High TodayDec 15, 2025 •By John BromelsPrediction: Elon Musk Will Reveal Tesla Is Already Losing Money in Q4Dec 13, 2025 •By Parkev Tatevosian, CFAShould Investors Buy Tesla Stock Before 2026?Dec 9, 2025 •By Neil PatelShould You Buy Tesla While It's Below $500?Dec 9, 2025 •By Bram BerkowitzIf You'd Invested $3,500 in Tesla 12 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have TodayDec 7, 2025 •By Jeremy BowmanWill Tesla Stock Pop or Drop in 2026?