What if you'd held MLAB?
A $1,000 investment in Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (MLAB) at the month-end close of 1984-02 would be worth $53,209 at the close of 2026-08 — +5220.9% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $49,077.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included.
Every year, $1,000 from 1984
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | $1,000 | — |
| 1985 | $333 | -66.7% |
| 1986 | $208 | -37.5% |
| 1987 | $83.11 | -60.1% |
| 1988 | $83.11 | 0.0% |
| 1989 | $188 | +125.7% |
| 1990 | $250 | +33.2% |
| 1991 | $1,208 | +383.6% |
| 1992 | $1,020 | -15.5% |
| 1993 | $1,000 | -2.0% |
| 1994 | $792 | -20.8% |
| 1995 | $1,541 | +94.7% |
| 1996 | $1,792 | +16.2% |
| 1997 | $2,250 | +25.6% |
| 1998 | $1,458 | -35.2% |
| 1999 | $1,271 | -12.9% |
| 2000 | $2,000 | +57.4% |
| 2001 | $2,003 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | $2,206 | +10.1% |
| 2003 | $3,394 | +53.8% |
| 2004 | $4,522 | +33.2% |
| 2005 | $5,477 | +21.1% |
| 2006 | $7,099 | +29.6% |
| 2007 | $9,528 | +34.2% |
| 2008 | $6,799 | -28.6% |
| 2009 | $10,241 | +50.6% |
| 2010 | $12,115 | +18.3% |
| 2011 | $16,983 | +40.2% |
| 2012 | $20,761 | +22.2% |
| 2013 | $32,863 | +58.3% |
| 2014 | $32,588 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | $42,229 | +29.6% |
| 2016 | $52,413 | +24.1% |
| 2017 | $53,325 | +1.7% |
| 2018 | $89,733 | +68.3% |
| 2019 | $107,687 | +20.0% |
| 2020 | $124,076 | +15.2% |
| 2021 | $142,348 | +14.7% |
| 2022 | $72,348 | -49.2% |
| 2023 | $45,835 | -36.6% |
| 2024 | $58,008 | +26.6% |
| 2025 | $34,776 | -40.0% |
| 2026 | $53,209 | +53.0% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought MLAB was 1987-10 ($0.19): $1,000 then is $640,214 today. The worst was 2021-12 ($320): $1,000 then is $374.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in MLAB be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (MLAB) at the start of 1984 would be worth about $53,209 today, a total return of +5220.9%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for MLAB?
Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (MLAB)'s strongest calendar year since 1984 was 1991, a +383.6% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $4,836 by year-end. Its weakest year was 1985, at -66.7%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in MLAB have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1984-02 would have grown to about $3.01M on $51,100 invested.
Did MLAB beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $49,077. MLAB beat the S&P 500 by +8.4% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. Wall Street Regrets is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (MLAB) historical total-return data from 1984-02 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. Wall Street Regrets is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.