On this day in 1965, Warren Buffett took control of an ailing textile company named Berkshire Hathaway when its shares were valued at $19 each.
Regardless, Buffett would later admit the takeover was a mistake, saying in 2014 that “I found myself…invested in a terrible business about which I knew very little.” His shareholders would probably disagree with that assessment.
Here’s what the historic ride has looked like:
From 1964 to 2017, Berkshire has returned a mouthwatering compound annual gain of 20.9%, more than doubling the 9.9% on the S&P.
Here’s a look at the companies that have helped Buffett deliver:
At last check, shares of Berkshire Hathaway were up slightly to flirt with $300,000, while the Dow was enjoying a triple-digit surge.