Five years ago, Applied Digital Corporation $APLD shares were trading around $1.80 each. Today, it's closed at $35.28—a huge 1,860% jump that comes from its growth in data centers, high-performance computing, and AI infrastructure, riding demand for cloud and digital services. The chart shows a long flat period through 2023, then steady gains in 2024 and a sharp rise in 2025, with after-hours at $35.02. That 52-week high of $42.25 marks the recent top strength.

In simple terms, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 79.5%. That's the average yearly boost—calculated by raising the total growth factor to the 1/5 power and subtracting 1. It means growing your money by nearly 80% each year, on average.

Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) keeps it steady: Invest $500 every month for five years, totaling $30,000. This buys more shares on dips and fewer on peaks, balancing the tech swings. Projecting forward at the same historical pace, with a monthly growth rate of about 5.0% from $35.28, your shares add up over time.

After 60 months, your total could reach $183,998. That's a gain of $153,998—a 513% return on your investment. The early buys get the biggest compounding lift, while later ones still catch the trend.

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This is based on the past, which isn't a guarantee ahead—tech infrastructure stocks can fluctuate with data center demand or energy costs, but no P/E listed keeps the focus on growth. With that 52-week high of $42.25 in view and a $9.86B market cap, APLD has potential. If DCA's your reliable plan, it could turn your $500 habit into a strong payoff by 2031. Charge ahead?