Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) minted a lot of millionaires in its first four years as a public company. The streaming device and software maker went public at $14 on Sept. 28, 2017, and it soared 3,325% to its all-time high of $479.50 on July 26, 2021. A $30,000 investment in its IPO would have blossomed to $1.03 million.

Roku is the leading TV streaming platform in the United States. The company is growing revenue due to its advertising and promotional services, but still losing money. Investors will be underwhelmed by future results unless the company can greatly improve ...

Roku shares dipped sharply after posting Q3 results, owing to a less-than-optimistic adjusted EBITDA outlook for Q4. Read why I remain bullish on ROKU stock.

However, Roku's adjusted EBITDA excludes stock-based compensation, which added up to $100.1 million last quarter, or enough to wipe out the company's adjusted EBITDA profit entirely. That expense is the main reason Roku is still reporting an operating loss every quarter.

Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) and Shopify (NYSE: SHOP) both experienced major growth spurts during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. More people stayed at home and streamed videos through Roku's devices, while more shoppers made online purchases through Shopify-powered stores.