Four decades ago, Oracle’s IPO paved the way for one of history’s greatest personal fortunes.

For enthusiasts of extreme wealth stories, March 12 marks a significant milestone. On this date, four decades ago, Oracle, a database company founded in Silicon Valley, made its public debut. The ensuing journey not only minted countless millionaires but also helped to create one of the largest fortunes in history. What would have happened if you had invested back then? Let’s dive into Oracle’s remarkable legacy.

Founding and Early Days of Oracle

Established in 1977 by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates, Oracle began its journey as Software Development Laboratories (SDL). Inspired by a groundbreaking paper from an IBM researcher on relational database theory, Ellison quickly recognized the vast commercial prospects. Interestingly, their initial client was the CIA, which contracted them to develop a database system codenamed “Oracle.” The success of this project led to a rebranding, and the company officially became Oracle Systems Corporation.

The IPO and Diverging Paths of Fortune

March 1986 became legendary as it marked the public offerings of two tech titans. Just one day after Oracle’s launch on March 12, Microsoft followed suit. At that time, Bill Gates held 45% of Microsoft, but his decision to sell off a substantial portion of his shares over the years resulted in him owning less than 1% today. If he had retained just 30%, he could have been a trillionaire given Microsoft’s current market cap of $3 trillion.

Contrarily, when Oracle debuted at $15 per share, Larry Ellison owned a remarkable 39% of the company. Rather than liquidating his shares, he held on tightly. Through strategic share buybacks that reduced outstanding stock, his ownership proportion actually increased, and now at 81 years old, he maintains approximately 42% of Oracle, directly linking his wealth to the firm’s incredible expansion.

Oracle’s Rise as an AI Leader

Initially perceived as a conservative player in the tech field, Oracle dramatically shifted its position as the demand for artificial intelligence surged. This transformation found the company well-prepared with robust cloud infrastructure and specialized GPU clusters, which were essential for firms like OpenAI.

As Oracle secured multi-billion dollar infrastructure contracts and forecasted impressive cloud growth, its stock surged. Consequently, Larry Ellison’s wealth skyrocketed; at Oracle’s peak in September 2025, his net worth rose by $100 billion in a matter of months, briefly making him the richest individual globally with a staggering net worth of nearly $400 billion.

While Oracle’s stock has seen some fluctuations since those heights, Ellison’s net worth stands at approximately $214 billion, ranking him as the sixth richest person worldwide, compared to Bill Gates’ $105 billion, placing him at 17th.

Ellison: The Epitome of a Modern Billionaire

Larry Ellison embodies a billionaire caricature, reminiscent of a real-life Tony Stark—opulent, fiercely competitive, and beautifully unrestrained by modesty. While other billionaires may promote “quiet luxury,” Ellison is known for acquiring extravagant properties, such as a $175 million mansion in Florida and a $300 million luxury resort next door. His assets include a fleet of private jets and ownership of 1.4% of Tesla, alongside a remarkable transaction where he purchased 98% of the Hawaiian island of Lāna’i for $300 million.

Additionally, his influence extends into the media realm through his son, David Ellison, CEO of Skydance Media, who recently executed significant acquisitions of major Hollywood studios, including an $8 billion merger with Paramount and a staggering $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, backed by Larry’s substantial personal guarantee.

The Value of an Early Investment

If you had followed Ellison’s strategy and invested in Oracle shares on its IPO day, how much would you be worth today? Let’s break it down:

• Initial Purchase: At the IPO price of $15 per share, a $10,000 investment would have acquired 666 shares of Oracle.
• Stock Splits: Over time, Oracle executed ten stock splits, multiplying the shares significantly. This exponential growth resulted in a single share multiplying by a factor of 324.
• Pre-DRIP Share Count: Your initial 666 shares would have expanded to approximately 215,784 shares.
• The DRIP Advantage: With Oracle initiating a dividend in 2009 and if you had enrolled in a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP), today’s share count would be around 280,000.

Given today’s trading price of about $150 per share, your initial $10,000 investment would now be valued at an astonishing $42 million.

Further, Oracle’s annual dividend of $2 per share means your roughly 280,000 shares would yield about $560,000 in passive income each year, allowing you to enjoy a lavish lifestyle without having to sell any shares.