SpaceX is the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history, raising a record $75 billion and attracting interest from investors keen on owning a stake in Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company.1 While a blockbuster IPO can fuel expectations of outsized gains, the value of any investment ultimately depends on how the stock performs after it begins trading. Here’s an estimate of how much you would have today if you had invested $15,000 at SpaceX’s $135 IPO price.
Why This IPO Drew So Much Attention
Most trillion-dollar companies reached that valuation only after decades of growth and sustained profitability. Apple took 38 years to cross the threshold, and even Nvidia, the fastest of the group, still took 24 years as a public, profitable company before hitting that level. 2 SpaceX took a different path, debuting at a valuation of about $1.77 trillion even though it reported a net loss in its most recent fiscal year. 3
That valuation wasn’t the only unusual aspect of the IPO. SpaceX initially earmarked up to 30% of the offering for retail investors through brokerages including Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Robinhood, SoFi and E-Trade by Morgan Stanley, which is far above the roughly 5% to 10% typically allocated in most IPOs. 4 That allocation was ultimately cut to the low 20% range as institutional demand proved even stronger than expected. Even with the reduced slice, retail orders topped $100 billion. 5
Elon Musk’s profile likely also played a role. He’s known for Tesla’s push into robotaxis, and at SpaceX, for goals that include a potential crewed mission to Mars. Investors drawn to that vision may be weighing a payoff that could take decades against a company currently posting a net loss. A financial advisor can help you decide whether your investment horizon matches that kind of long-term commitment, and how a stock like this might fit your broader portfolio.
What $15,000 in the SpaceX IPO Is Worth Now
A $15,000 investment at SpaceX’s $135 IPO price would have bought about 111 shares. The table below tracks how the value of that investment has changed since the stock began trading on June 12.
| Point in Time | Date | Share Price | Value of $15,000 Investment | Change from IPO Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPO price | June 12, 2026 | $135.00 | $15,000 (111 shares × $135) | — |
| Peak | 52-week high | $225.64 6 | ~$25,070 (111 shares × $225.64) | +67% |
| Recent close | July 17, 2026 | $123.99 7 | ~$13,763 (111 shares × $123.99) | ~-8.2% |
The table shows that early gains from one month ago did not hold. As of the July 17 close, shares had fallen to $123.99, about $11.01 below the original $135 IPO price, which means that in this example, your $15,000 investment would be worth approximately $13,763, a loss of about 8.2% ($1,237).
The drop came shortly after a wave of bullish price targets from the IPO’s underwriting banks, with a median target of $225 and forecasts as high as $800. 8 The stock fell anyway, which shows that analyst price targets do not guarantee how a stock will actually perform.
What Can Determine a Good Investment?
The stock’s swing from a 67% gain, when shares reached $225.64 shortly after the IPO, to a loss by mid-July highlights how quickly investor sentiment can change, even when a company’s underlying business remains largely the same. Longer term, investors will be watching whether SpaceX can translate its heavy investment in Starlink, AI infrastructure and Starship into sustainable profitability. The company reported a $4.9 billion net loss on $18.7 billion of revenue in 2025. 9
Whether you bought at the IPO or are still watching from the sidelines, those results are likely to matter far more than the stock’s early trading. A financial advisor can help you decide how a stock like this might fit into your broader portfolio and revisit that decision as more information becomes available over time.
Photo credit: ©iStock.com/Darren415, ©iStock.com/Alex Cristi
