What if you bought Samsung at its all-time high?
This uses real historical data to show what would have happened if you had made a lump-sum investment on January 11, 2021 — the day Samsung Electronics hit its intraday all-time high — and held it until now.
⚠️ Know the risk first
After this peak, Samsung failed to recover that price for a long time, declining and stagnating. That mark remains in the maximum drawdown and recovery metrics, so check them first.
⚠️ 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
On January 11, 2021, Samsung Electronics rose to about 96,800 won intraday, its all-time high. It was a symbolic peak of Korea's retail-investor frenzy, when hopes for a '90,000-' then '100,000-won' stock reached their height.
Why this date
To teach the worst-timing case — 'buying at the hottest, most expensive moment' — we set the assumed purchase to the day of the all-time high.
Investment conditions
Asset · Samsung Electronics (005930) · lump-sum, then held
Method · Lump-sum (all at once)
Period · 2021-01-11 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $7,407
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-42.9%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
56months
Months in loss: 56
Recovery period
8months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $7,407 → Final value $28,517 (+285.0%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -42.9%
Why this period and asset
January 11, 2021 was the day Samsung Electronics rose to around 96,800 won intraday, its all-time high. Expectations of a '90,000-' then '100,000-won' stock peaked, and amid Korea's retail-investor boom many individuals bought at this most expensive moment. Samsung then failed to recover that price for a long time.
Interpreting the result
'Bought at the all-time high' is an educational scenario assuming the worst timing. In the metrics below, see the current value and return, but also confirm how the long decline and stagnation after the peak remain in the maximum drawdown and recovery metrics. Even for the same stock, a different entry point changes everything.
Caveats & limits
As a single stock, be mindful of survivorship bias. Figures use adjusted close (dividends and splits reflected), exclude fees and taxes, and there is no FX variable since it is KRW-denominated. This is one past date's result and does not guarantee the future.
Event fact sources
- Korea Exchange: Samsung (005930) all-time high on 2021-01-11 (~96,800 won)
- Korean market press coverage of the '90k/100k-won stock'
Requested date vs actual trading date
The assumed purchase date is the event date (2021-01-11). If closed, it fills at the next trading day's close. As a KRW-denominated stock, there is no FX variable.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-25
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: Cierre ajustado (refleja dividendos y desdoblamientos de acciones)
- 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
Was this really the all-time high?
January 11, 2021 is when Samsung Electronics hit its intraday all-time high (about 96,800 won). This scenario deliberately assumes the most expensive moment.
So is Samsung a bad stock?
No. This page does not judge whether a stock is good or bad. It only shows that even a flagship blue chip's outcome depends heavily on 'when you bought.'
Would recurring buying have been different?
Compare with the related 'Samsung 10-year monthly investing' scenario. Putting it all in at the peak versus spreading it out feels very different in maximum drawdown.
What is survivorship bias?
Looking back while picking only surviving flagship stocks creates an illusion that single-stock investing is safer than it is. This service flags this warning on single stocks.
Related scenarios
📋 Los resultados se basan en datos históricos; las rentabilidades pasadas no garantizan rentabilidades futuras.
📋 Este servicio se ofrece con fines educativos para ayudarte a entender la inversión, no como asesoramiento de inversión.
⚠️ Calculado usando los activos representativos de hoy, que pueden diferir de la composición del mercado de aquel momento.