In a candid discussion at the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, Nvidia Corporation's CEO Jensen Huang shared a personal anecdote revealing a decision he now views with some remorse. Shortly after Nvidia's initial public offering in 1999, Huang chose to sell company shares valued at approximately $300 million to purchase a luxury Mercedes S-Class for his parents. While the car was considered among the most expensive in the world at that time, Huang disclosed that both he and his parents have since felt some regret about the transaction.
The conversation, conducted with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, underscored Nvidia’s extraordinary market journey. Fink highlighted the company’s long-term shareholder returns, noting that since Nvidia's IPO, shareholders have enjoyed annualized returns estimated between 30% and 37%. This performance starkly contrasts with BlackRock's total annualized return of about 21% over the same period, underscoring Nvidia's exceptional growth under Huang's leadership.
Nvidia’s IPO took place on January 22, 1999, with shares initially priced at $12 each. Shortly afterward, Huang capitalized on the opportunity to reward his parents with a major gift, selling shares to acquire a Mercedes S-Class. He humorously described the vehicle as "the most expensive car in the world". However, reflecting on the decision today, he labels it his sole regret from the IPO era. Upon Fink's inquiry, Huang confirmed that the vehicle remains with his parents, who also share in the sentiment of regret regarding the purchase.
Beyond this personal narrative, the discussion spotlighted Nvidia's pivotal role in shaping modern computing, especially in artificial intelligence (AI). Founded in 1993, Nvidia revolutionized computing in 1999 by inventing the graphics processing unit (GPU), a technology that has since become foundational for AI workloads.
In 2012, Nvidia marked a significant milestone with the introduction of AlexNet, a neural network that signaled the onset of a new era in AI. This initiative demonstrated Nvidia's foresight regarding AI's transformative capabilities, positioning the company ahead of many competitors in embracing AI technologies.
Continuing with technological advancements, in March 2024, Nvidia unveiled its Blackwell GPU platform. Furthermore, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, Huang announced that Nvidia's forthcoming Vera Rubin platform has entered full production. These developments underscore the company's ongoing commitment to innovation and its central position in the evolving AI landscape.
From a market perspective, Nvidia’s stock has reflected its technological leadership and growth trajectory. The firm reached a landmark $5 trillion market valuation last year and currently holds a market cap of approximately $4.45 trillion. Over the past 12 months, Nvidia's shares have appreciated by 30.07%, while over a five-year span, the stock surged an impressive 1,236.11% according to financial analytics. This performance places Nvidia high in quality metrics within stock rankings, even as the price trend shows some short- and medium-term weakness.
The engagement between Huang and Fink offered insights not only into Nvidia’s financial and technological successes but also revealed the human side of leadership decisions. Huang’s reflection on his early stock sale serves as a reminder of the personal dimensions intersecting with corporate achievements.