What if you bought POSCO Holdings the day it hit a record high on the battery theme?
This uses real data to show what would have happened if you had invested a lump sum in POSCO Holdings (005490) on July 26, 2023 — when it hit an all-time high (about 764,000 won) amid the 2023 secondary-battery mania. We honestly examine how risky buying at the top of a themed frenzy can be.
⚠️ Know the risk first
As the theme cooled, POSCO Holdings fell substantially from its peak. The final result only holds if you held through that decline without selling.
⚠️ This asset is an individual stock chosen as of today, so past returns can look better than they really were (survivorship bias).
What happened that day
In July 2023, amid a secondary-battery mania, steelmaker POSCO Holdings was repriced on materials-business expectations and surged to an all-time high (about 764,000 won), briefly overtaking Hyundai Motor in market cap. As the theme cooled, the stock fell substantially.
Why this date
The buy date is around the all-time high when the battery-theme heat crested, computing 'what if you bought at the top of a hot theme.'
Investment conditions
Asset · POSCO Holdings (005490) · lump-sum at the 2023 battery-theme peak, then held long-term
Method · Lump-sum (all at once)
Period · 2023-07-26 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $7,407
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Buy and final prices are shown in the asset's local currency (US & crypto $, Japan ¥, Korea ₩). Total invested and final value are in Korean won (₩).
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-63.0%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
37months
Months in loss: 37
Recovery period
0months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $7,407 → Final value $3,997 (-46.0%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -63.0%
Why this period and asset
In July 2023, Korean stocks were on fire with a secondary-battery theme mania. POSCO Holdings, a steelmaker, was repriced on expectations for its battery-materials business such as lithium, and its shares soared to an all-time high around 764,000 won near July 26 — its market cap briefly overtook Hyundai Motor. But the theme's heat did not last, and POSCO Holdings' stock then fell substantially from its peak. It shows how the top of a hot theme is often the most dangerous time to buy.
Interpreting the result
Review the final result versus total invested together with the maximum drawdown in the metrics below. After buying at the peak of a themed frenzy, prices often fall hard as expectations cool, and this stock was no exception. Instead of putting everything into a hot theme at the top at once, investing gradually each month would have lowered your average cost through the decline — see the 'lump-sum vs monthly' comparison.
Caveats & limits
The core of this event is 'the risk of buying at the top of a themed mania.' When a theme is hot, expectations outrun earnings and prices surge, but they can crash once the heat fades. Be sure to review the maximum drawdown and loss period after entry in the metrics below. As a single stock, be mindful of survivorship bias. Figures use adjusted close; as a Korean stock priced in won, FX does not apply, while trading fees and taxes are excluded (pre-tax). Past results do not guarantee the future.
Event fact sources
- The Korea Times — POSCO Holdings surpasses Hyundai Motor in market cap on battery boom (2023-07)
- Seoul Economic Daily — POSCO Holdings 764,000-won peak / two-year wait context (2026-05)
Requested date vs actual trading date
If the event date is a holiday, the fill uses the next trading day's close. Figures use won-denominated adjusted close; the 'effective trading date' below is the date actually used.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-28
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: Adjusted close (reflects dividends and stock splits)
- This asset is an individual stock chosen as of today, so past returns can look better than they really were (survivorship bias).
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Why use July 26, 2023 as the buy date?
Around this time POSCO Holdings rose to an all-time high of about 764,000 won amid the secondary-battery mania. It best captures the question 'what if you bought at the record high when the theme's heat crested.'
It's a steelmaker — why did it surge so much?
POSCO Holdings was repriced on growth expectations for its battery-materials business such as lithium. Future expectations outran earnings and the stock surged, briefly overtaking Hyundai Motor in market cap. But such theme-driven expectations can unwind quickly once they cool.
How much did it fall after the peak?
As the theme's heat faded, POSCO Holdings fell substantially from its record high. See that stretch in the maximum drawdown and loss-period metrics below — looking at the final result alone hides that decline.
Are FX and taxes reflected?
As a Korean stock priced in won, FX does not apply. However, trading fees and taxes are not reflected (pre-tax). This page only shows historical data and recommends no specific stock.
Related scenarios
📋 Results are based on historical data; past returns do not guarantee future returns.
📋 This service is provided for educational purposes to help you understand investing, not as investment advice.
⚠️ Calculated using today's representative assets, which may differ from the market composition at the time.