Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) undoubtedly has helped some investors reach the million-dollar mark in recent years. The artificial intelligence (AI) chip leader has seen its stock climb more than 2,400% in five years. Moreover, Nvidia generated triple-digit gains in revenue and profits quarter after quarter. In fact, quarterly profits today are higher than a full year of profits as recently as fiscal 2023.
So, it's clear Nvidia has been a winning investment for those who got in on the stock early before it became an AI powerhouse. Now, the big question: Moving forward, could Nvidia once again help investors reach millionaire status? Demand hasn't let up for Nvidia's AI chips, and the company is aggressively focused on staying ahead of the curve in the AI market. At the same time, some investors worry competition could eat into Nvidia's market share or put pressure on its pricing power.
Considering all of this, could a $10,000 investment in Nvidia today make you a millionaire down the road, or is it too late to count on Nvidia as a millionaire maker? Let's find out.
Image source: Getty Images.
Nvidia's past performance
First, it's important to note that it's unlikely one single stock will make you a millionaire unless you invest an incredibly huge amount of money in it. That would be very risky, so I wouldn't recommend it. But a quality company -- such as Nvidia -- could play a big role in the path to millions. We'll use Nvidia's past performance as an example.
If you'd invested $10,000 in the stock five years ago, today your investment would be worth more than $256,000. Along with a collection of other solid companies, you might have seen your portfolio reach $1 million in value. So, a good company may not do the complete job, but it could offer you a significant boost to make it to your goal.
Now, let's turn to Nvidia's potential to do this again and help you reach millionaire status. In recent weeks, Nvidia stock has lost some momentum. The shares have slipped 7% over the past month, and investors have worried that rivals may hurt Nvidia's market share or any disappointments in economic growth could slow spending on AI projects -- and that would mean less revenue for Nvidia.
Earlier this week, I wrote about why Nvidia shareholders really shouldn't worry about the competition. The bottom line is, major players who want to win in the AI race see Nvidia as the source for the best graphics processing units (GPUs) to power their projects. "There is currently nothing better than Nvidia hardware for AI," Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said earlier this year when Nvidia announced its new architecture, Blackwell.
As for the economy, yes, any potential troubles here could weigh on growth projects, but this wouldn't impact only Nvidia. In difficult economies, most companies that are in high-growth mode suffer as projects are delayed or rolled out more slowly. But here's the good news: History shows us these phases are never permanent and are always followed by a return to growth.
Nvidia's biggest customers
It's also important to keep in mind that Nvidia's biggest customers are believed to be some of the strongest companies around -- from Microsoft to Meta Platforms -- meaning that even in tough times, they're unlikely to completely drop all growth investments.
Finally, another thing to consider is that it's still the early days of the AI buildout, and Nvidia promises to update its AI chips annually, so there's plenty of room for Nvidia to keep growing well into the future. And Nvidia isn't just about chips. The company has the products and services that make it a one-stop shop for its customers.
Let's get back to our question: Could Nvidia help you become a millionaire with a $10,000 investment today? I think the stock, as it's done in the past, could help you along the path over the long term. It's impossible to predict whether share performance will be as impressive, more impressive, or slower than in the past. But, over time, Nvidia has what it takes to play a key role in your goal of building a million-dollar portfolio, making it a great stock to buy right now.
Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?
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Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Adria Cimino has positions in Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
