What if you'd held CSQ?
A $1,000 investment in Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund (CSQ) at the month-end close of 2004-04 would be worth $9,295 at the close of 2026-08 — +829.5% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $6,961.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included.
Every year, $1,000 from 2004
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | $1,000 | — |
| 2005 | $1,040 | +4.0% |
| 2006 | $1,305 | +25.5% |
| 2007 | $1,270 | -2.7% |
| 2008 | $642 | -49.5% |
| 2009 | $1,004 | +56.6% |
| 2010 | $1,146 | +14.1% |
| 2011 | $1,106 | -3.5% |
| 2012 | $1,420 | +28.4% |
| 2013 | $1,708 | +20.2% |
| 2014 | $1,951 | +14.2% |
| 2015 | $1,854 | -5.0% |
| 2016 | $2,128 | +14.8% |
| 2017 | $2,726 | +28.1% |
| 2018 | $2,593 | -4.9% |
| 2019 | $3,602 | +38.9% |
| 2020 | $4,549 | +26.3% |
| 2021 | $5,951 | +30.8% |
| 2022 | $4,509 | -24.2% |
| 2023 | $5,447 | +20.8% |
| 2024 | $6,982 | +28.2% |
| 2025 | $8,119 | +16.3% |
| 2026 | $9,212 | +13.5% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought CSQ was 2008-11 ($1.22): $1,000 then is $17,066 today. The worst was 2026-08 ($20.82): $1,000 then is $1,000.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in CSQ be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund (CSQ) at the start of 2004 would be worth about $9,295 today, a total return of +829.5%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for CSQ?
Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund (CSQ)'s strongest calendar year since 2004 was 2009, a +56.6% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,566 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -49.5%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in CSQ have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 2004-04 would have grown to about $142,607 on $26,900 invested.
Did CSQ beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $6,961. CSQ beat the S&P 500 by +33.5% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. Wall Street Regrets is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund (CSQ) historical total-return data from 2004-04 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. Wall Street Regrets is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.