What if I had invested in Berkshire Hathaway
Every lump sum scenario for Berkshire Hathaway, start year by start year, using real prices and each month's exchange rate.
Since December 2003, Berkshire Hathaway (a stock listed on Wall Street) grew 10-fold in dollar terms: an annualized return of +10.6% over nearly 23 years. The price sits close to its highest monthly close of the period ($564 in November 2026); the low, $51.28, dates back to February 2009, split-adjusted. A lump sum invested in any month since December 2003 would be showing a gain today in 100% of cases.
Data: Yahoo Finance monthly closing prices, up to date as of (latest update November 4, 2026) MethodAuthor: Yann Avondo
If I had invested $1,000 as a lump sum in Berkshire Hathaway in January 2016, today I would have $4,269
Over the same period
Worst moment: −24.3% between March 2022 and September 2022. To get this result, you had to hold on without selling.
Berkshire Hathaway at a glance
Berkshire Hathaway is the conglomerate built by Warren Buffett: insurance, railroads, energy and a large stock portfolio (Apple, Coca-Cola…). It pays no dividend and reinvests all its profits.
At the worst point, between December 2007 and February 2009, Berkshire Hathaway gave up 45.9% in dollar terms; it took 5 years and 1 month to get back to its peak. Its best calendar year was 2013 (+32.2%), its worst 2008 (−32.1%); in all, 18 up years out of 22. Against the MSCI World, this calculator's yardstick (+7.0% a year in dollar terms over the same period), Berkshire Hathaway did better.
$1,000 invested in Berkshire Hathaway, by start year
Bought in January, valued at the latest price. Click a year for the full story.
| Start | Worth today | Multiple | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,243 | ×1.24 | +12.0% | |
| $1,580 | ×1.58 | +17.0% | |
| $1,825 | ×1.82 | +16.6% | |
| $1,885 | ×1.89 | +13.8% | |
| $2,431 | ×2.43 | +16.2% | |
| $2,488 | ×2.49 | +14.1% | |
| $2,761 | ×2.76 | +13.7% | |
| $2,844 | ×2.84 | +12.4% | |
| $3,458 | ×3.46 | +13.3% | |
| $4,269 | ×4.27 | +14.2% | |
| $3,754 | ×3.75 | +11.7% | |
| $4,754 | ×4.75 | +12.8% | |
| $6,284 | ×6.28 | +14.1% | |
| $7,387 | ×7.39 | +14.3% | |
| $7,036 | ×7.04 | +13.0% | |
| $8,576 | ×8.58 | +13.5% | |
| $8,769 | ×8.77 | +12.9% | |
| $5,951 | ×5.95 | +9.9% | |
| $7,687 | ×7.69 | +10.8% | |
| $9,600 | ×9.6 | +11.4% | |
| $9,599 | ×9.6 | +10.9% | |
| $10,011 | ×10 | +10.6% |
Lump sum or DCA in Berkshire Hathaway?
Since January 2016, investing in Berkshire Hathaway all at once (lump sum) multiplied the stake by ×4.27, +14.2% a year. Investing every month (DCA) multiplied the total contributions by ×2.26, an annual return (IRR) of +14.2%.
Here the lump sum did better: money invested early rode the whole rise. That is the most common outcome on an asset that goes up.
Frequently asked questions
How much would $1,000 invested in Berkshire Hathaway 10 years ago be worth today?
$1,000 invested in Berkshire Hathaway in January 2016 would be worth about $4,269 today, an average annual return of +14.2% (price only, in the displayed currency).
What if I had invested $1,000 in Berkshire Hathaway in 2015?
Invested in January 2015, $1,000 would be worth about $3,754 today, +11.7% a year on average.
What if I had invested $1,000 in Berkshire Hathaway in 2020?
Invested in January 2020, $1,000 would be worth about $2,488 today, +14.1% a year on average.
What was the best year to invest in Berkshire Hathaway?
Among the start years covered, 2004 gave the best result: $1,000 would have become $10,011. The weakest was 2025, worth $1,243 today. This ranking is only known with hindsight.
Are dividends included?
By default, the calculation follows the market price only. The "Reinvest dividends" option uses the adjusted price, which includes dividends paid and stock splits: the closest measure of what an investor actually earned.
Are exchange rates taken into account?
Yes. Berkshire Hathaway trades in its own currency; every purchase and valuation is converted at that month's exchange rate. A US asset can gain in dollars and less in euros if the dollar weakened.
Are fees and taxes included?
No: results are before brokerage fees, fund fees and taxes. Your net result depends on the account you invest through.
Compare with
Before you have regrets
What this calculation does not tell you.
Hindsight bias
Picking Nvidia or Bitcoin today means picking known winners. Back then, nothing set them apart from hundreds of assets that went nowhere or vanished.
Holding on was the real test
The result assumes you never sold, including through the drawdowns shown above. Very few investors actually do.
The broad market, no bet required
The MSCI World never makes headlines, but it does not require guessing the winner. It is the fairest yardstick for any pick.
Method: past performance, computed from split-adjusted monthly closing prices (intra-month lows are smoothed out). Converted at each month’s exchange rate; no fees, no taxes. The MSCI World benchmark is the price index, excluding dividends. Sources: Yahoo Finance (prices, exchange rates, US Treasury bills), Eurostat (inflation), published regulated rates (Livret A). Not investment advice. NokxiHub.