Nvidia Is Down 20% From Its Peak. History Says This Is What Happens Next. | The Motley Fool

Nvidia (NVDA +0.87%) has been a top-performing stock every year since 2023. But 2026 looks to be a bit different. Nvidia hasn’t done well in 2026 and is continuing its slide that started in October 2025. At the time of this writing, it’s now down around 20% from its all-time high, and some investors may be starting to panic.

Nvidia is no stranger to being down a significant amount from all-time highs, and history has a pretty clear indication of what’s likely to happen next. I think this can give investors confidence in Nvidia’s stock, as now is not the time to lose hope.

This isn’t the deepest sell-off Nvidia has faced

Since 2023 (when the artificial intelligence (AI) arms race kicked off), Nvidia has been down 20% from its all-time high four times.

NVDA data by YCharts

Two of those were in back-to-back moments in 2024, the deepest sell-off was the tariff-induced panic of 2025, and the fourth is happening right now. The reasons behind each sell-off were different, but the result was the same: Nvidia achieved a new, all-time high six months later.

But is this time different? I don’t think so.

Today’s Change

(0.87%) $1.53

Current Price

$177.28

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$4.3T

Day’s Range

$171.38 – $177.48

52wk Range

$86.62 – $212.19

Volume

4.9M

Avg Vol

181M

Gross Margin

71.07%

Dividend Yield

0.02%

Two factors are causing Nvidia’s current sell-off. First, geopolitical instability caused by the war in Iran is negatively affecting the market’s confidence….