Honestly, looking at general motors stock historical prices is kinda like watching a fifteen-year game of financial Tetris. You think the pieces are finally fitting together, and then a global supply chain crisis or a sudden shift in EV sentiment drops a block right where you didn't want it. If you’re checking the ticker today, you'll see GM sitting around $81, which is a far cry from the "boring" range it occupied for nearly a decade.
But let's be real. To understand where we are, we have to look back at the "New GM" birth in 2010.
The 2010 Rebirth: Not Your Grandpa’s GM
The original General Motors—the one that basically defined the American 20th century—effectively died in 2009. Bankruptcy is a messy business. When the "New GM" launched its IPO on November 18, 2010, the goal was simple: shed the "Government Motors" nickname and prove to Wall Street that a leaner, meaner automaker could actually turn a profit.
The IPO price was $33.00.
Initially, things looked great. The stock popped about 3.6% on the first day, closing at $34.19. Investors were hungry for a turnaround story. For the next few years, though, the stock price acted like it was stuck in a Detroit snowdrift. By late 2011, it had tumbled into the low $20s. Why? Because the ghost of the U.S. government still loomed large. Uncle Sam didn't fully exit his position until December 2013. Once the Treasury finally sold its last share, the stock hit a high of nearly $42, finally catching some wind in its sails.
A Decade of Moving Sideways
Between 2014 and 2019, general motors stock historical prices were notoriously flat. If you bought in 2014, you were basically holding a high-yield savings account that sometimes made you nervous.
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- 2014-2015: The stock hovered between $30 and $38. The ignition switch scandal was a PR nightmare and a legal money pit, keeping a lid on any real rallies.
- 2017: A brief spike hit $46. This was the "Mary Barra Effect." Investors started believing in her vision for an autonomous, electric future (remember the Cruise acquisition?).
- 2018-2019: Trade wars and tariff fears dragged things back down. The stock ended 2019 right around $36—barely $3 above its IPO price nine years earlier.
The Volatility Era: 2020 to 2026
Then came 2020. Everything changed.
The pandemic sent GM stock screaming down to about $16.80 in March 2020. It was terrifying for shareholders. But the rebound was even more aggressive than the drop. By early 2021, the market went absolutely nuts for anything with the letters "EV" attached to it. GM leaned in hard, announcing they were going "all-in" on electric vehicles.
The stock price practically doubled, hitting an all-time high (at the time) of roughly $64 in mid-2021.
But as anyone who follows the auto industry knows, "all-in" is easier said than done. By 2022, reality set in. Inflation, rising interest rates, and the sheer difficulty of scaling battery production caused a massive retreat. By late 2023, the stock had surrendered almost all its "EV hype" gains, bottoming out near $27.
The Recent Surge (2024–2026)
If you've looked at the charts lately, you'll notice a massive vertical line. General Motors has been one of the top performers in the S&P 500 over the last 18 months. What changed?
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- Aggressive Buybacks: GM management decided that if the market wouldn't value the stock fairly, they'd just buy it themselves. They retired billions of dollars worth of shares, which boosted earnings per share (EPS) significantly.
- The "Hybrid" Pivot: While others stayed dogmatic about being 100% electric, GM signaled a willingness to keep selling the high-margin gas trucks people actually buy.
- Earnings Beats: As of early 2026, GM has beaten Wall Street estimates for 13 consecutive quarters. That’s not a fluke; it's an execution machine.
On January 8, 2026, the stock hit its current all-time high of $85.13.
What the Numbers Tell Us (The Non-Boring Version)
Looking at general motors stock historical prices from a purely statistical lens, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from the 2010 IPO to 2026 is roughly 8.4%. That’s decent, but it pales in comparison to the tech sector.
However, if you look at the total return—which includes those fat dividends they paid out before the 2020 pause and the recent massive buybacks—the story is much better. An investor who put $10,000 into the IPO and reinvested everything would be sitting on over $21,000 today.
It hasn't been a smooth ride. GM has seen drawdowns of over 60% in its short "New GM" history. It’s a stock for people with a high tolerance for cyclical drama.
Factors That Actually Move the Needle
Forget the fancy analyst reports for a second. Only three things really drive this stock:
The massive profits from the Silverado and Sierra basically fund everything else. If gas prices spike or a recession hits, these profit centers dry up, and the stock tanks.
The market is finally rewarding GM for slower, more profitable EV growth rather than the "burn cash as fast as possible" strategy of 2021.
Piper Sandler and Morgan Stanley have recently upgraded the stock to "Overweight," with price targets reaching into the $90s and $100s.
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Actionable Insights for Investors
If you’re tracking general motors stock historical prices to decide on a move, here’s the ground truth for 2026.
First, check the P/E ratio. Historically, GM trades at a "trap" valuation—often as low as 4x or 5x earnings. Right now, it's closer to 16x. That means the market is finally giving them credit for being a "technology company" rather than just a "metal bender." If that multiple starts shrinking back to historical norms, even good earnings won't save the stock price.
Second, watch the share count. GM has been cannibalizing its own float. This is great for short-term price action, but it can’t last forever. Eventually, they need the actual business growth to take over from the financial engineering.
Lastly, keep an eye on China. GM used to make a killing there, but domestic Chinese brands like BYD are eating their lunch. Any further deterioration in Chinese equity income will be a major drag on the stock, regardless of how well they do in North America.
The "New GM" is no longer the stagnant dividend play of the 2010s. It’s a high-beta, high-execution stock that is finally breaking out of a decade-long slump. Just don't expect the ride to be anything other than bumpy.
To stay ahead, focus on the quarterly Adjusted Automotive Free Cash Flow figures. That is the single most important metric for determining if the company can continue to fund its EV transition while simultaneously rewarding shareholders with buybacks. If that number dips below $5 billion annually, the current rally might run out of gas.