What if you'd held PLAB?
A $1,000 investment in Photronics, Inc. (PLAB) at the month-end close of 1987-03 would be worth $10,996 at the close of 2026-08 — +999.6% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $26,424.
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 1987
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | $1,000 | — |
| 1988 | $478 | -52.2% |
| 1989 | $1,772 | +271.0% |
| 1990 | $3,317 | +87.2% |
| 1991 | $4,498 | +35.6% |
| 1992 | $3,999 | -11.1% |
| 1993 | $5,816 | +45.4% |
| 1994 | $10,815 | +86.0% |
| 1995 | $14,586 | +34.9% |
| 1996 | $14,858 | +1.9% |
| 1997 | $26,445 | +78.0% |
| 1998 | $26,138 | -1.2% |
| 1999 | $31,216 | +19.4% |
| 2000 | $25,559 | -18.1% |
| 2001 | $34,188 | +33.8% |
| 2002 | $14,940 | -56.3% |
| 2003 | $21,723 | +45.4% |
| 2004 | $17,993 | -17.2% |
| 2005 | $16,423 | -8.7% |
| 2006 | $17,819 | +8.5% |
| 2007 | $13,599 | -23.7% |
| 2008 | $2,126 | -84.4% |
| 2009 | $4,853 | +128.2% |
| 2010 | $6,445 | +32.8% |
| 2011 | $6,630 | +2.9% |
| 2012 | $6,499 | -2.0% |
| 2013 | $9,847 | +51.5% |
| 2014 | $9,062 | -8.0% |
| 2015 | $13,577 | +49.8% |
| 2016 | $12,323 | -9.2% |
| 2017 | $9,302 | -24.5% |
| 2018 | $10,556 | +13.5% |
| 2019 | $17,186 | +62.8% |
| 2020 | $12,170 | -29.2% |
| 2021 | $20,556 | +68.9% |
| 2022 | $18,353 | -10.7% |
| 2023 | $34,209 | +86.4% |
| 2024 | $25,692 | -24.9% |
| 2025 | $34,896 | +35.8% |
| 2026 | $33,479 | -4.1% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought PLAB was 1988-12 ($0.44): $1,000 then is $70,091 today. The worst was 2026-04 ($49.48): $1,000 then is $620.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in PLAB be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Photronics, Inc. (PLAB) at the start of 1987 would be worth about $10,996 today, a total return of +999.6%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for PLAB?
Photronics, Inc. (PLAB)'s strongest calendar year since 1987 was 1989, a +271.0% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $3,710 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -84.4%.
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 PLAB have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1987-03 would have grown to about $268,263 on $47,400 invested.
Did PLAB beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $26,424. PLAB trailed the S&P 500 by +58.4% 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
Photronics, Inc. (PLAB) historical total-return data from 1987-03 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.