What if you'd held ECF?
A $1,000 investment in Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF) at the month-end close of 1986-06 would be worth $28,844 at the close of 2026-08 — +2784.4% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $30,729.
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 1986
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | $1,000 | — |
| 1987 | $955 | -4.5% |
| 1988 | $1,020 | +6.8% |
| 1989 | $1,197 | +17.4% |
| 1990 | $1,042 | -12.9% |
| 1991 | $1,259 | +20.8% |
| 1992 | $1,506 | +19.6% |
| 1993 | $1,828 | +21.4% |
| 1994 | $1,611 | -11.9% |
| 1995 | $2,077 | +28.9% |
| 1996 | $2,514 | +21.0% |
| 1997 | $3,135 | +24.7% |
| 1998 | $3,451 | +10.1% |
| 1999 | $3,591 | +4.0% |
| 2000 | $4,117 | +14.7% |
| 2001 | $4,708 | +14.4% |
| 2002 | $4,234 | -10.1% |
| 2003 | $4,733 | +11.8% |
| 2004 | $4,965 | +4.9% |
| 2005 | $4,990 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | $5,823 | +16.7% |
| 2007 | $6,406 | +10.0% |
| 2008 | $4,052 | -36.7% |
| 2009 | $5,748 | +41.8% |
| 2010 | $6,721 | +16.9% |
| 2011 | $6,249 | -7.0% |
| 2012 | $7,012 | +12.2% |
| 2013 | $8,297 | +18.3% |
| 2014 | $9,389 | +13.2% |
| 2015 | $9,182 | -2.2% |
| 2016 | $10,374 | +13.0% |
| 2017 | $12,399 | +19.5% |
| 2018 | $11,940 | -3.7% |
| 2019 | $17,574 | +47.2% |
| 2020 | $23,147 | +31.7% |
| 2021 | $22,965 | -0.8% |
| 2022 | $15,703 | -31.6% |
| 2023 | $16,960 | +8.0% |
| 2024 | $21,621 | +27.5% |
| 2025 | $28,117 | +30.0% |
| 2026 | $31,721 | +12.8% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought ECF was 1987-10 ($0.34): $1,000 then is $37,085 today. The worst was 2026-05 ($13.31): $1,000 then is $955.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in ECF be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF) at the start of 1986 would be worth about $28,844 today, a total return of +2784.4%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for ECF?
Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF)'s strongest calendar year since 1986 was 2019, a +47.2% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,472 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -36.7%.
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 ECF have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1986-06 would have grown to about $474,469 on $48,300 invested.
Did ECF beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $30,729. ECF trailed the S&P 500 by +6.1% 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
Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF) historical total-return data from 1986-06 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.