PANW vs DIA: which was the better investment?
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. against SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Jul 20, 2012 to Jul 13, 2026.
Set up your comparison
What are you comparing?
Pick one investment — or add several to build a portfolio.
Compare against
The benchmark your investment has to beat.
Time & money
When the money goes in, and how much.
Leave empty for earliest
Leave empty for today
0 for a one-time investment
Daily total-return data — dividends reinvested. Monthly additions buy on the first trading day.
Track your entire portfolio in one free Google Sheet
Enter your trades once and values update automatically. We'll send it straight to your inbox.
Related comparisons
Browse all match-ups on the comparison hub, build your own in the Compare Investments tool, or check a single asset's exact-date returns with the Investment Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Did PANW beat DIA?
Yes — measured from Jul 20, 2012 to Jul 13, 2026 with dividends reinvested, PANW came out ahead: $373,010 versus $54,520 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 29.5% annual return against 12.9%.
What would $10,000 in PANW be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) on Jul 20, 2012 would be worth about $373,010 as of Jul 13, 2026, a total return of 3630.1% (29.5% per year). The same $10,000 in DIA would be worth $54,520.
Which was riskier — PANW or DIA?
PANW swung with an annualized volatility of 39.5% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -48.0%; DIA ran at 16.3% volatility with a -36.7% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.70 for PANW vs 0.67 for DIA.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Jul 20, 2012 through Jul 13, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with PANW vs DIA. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.