What if you'd held GAB?
A $1,000 investment in Gabelli Equity Trust, Inc. (The) (GAB) at the month-end close of 1986-08 would be worth $38,649 at the close of 2026-08 — +3764.9% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $30,475.
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 | $945 | -5.5% |
| 1988 | $1,367 | +44.6% |
| 1989 | $2,141 | +56.6% |
| 1990 | $1,758 | -17.9% |
| 1991 | $1,922 | +9.3% |
| 1992 | $2,125 | +10.6% |
| 1993 | $2,711 | +27.6% |
| 1994 | $2,398 | -11.5% |
| 1995 | $2,594 | +8.1% |
| 1996 | $2,883 | +11.1% |
| 1997 | $3,977 | +37.9% |
| 1998 | $4,336 | +9.0% |
| 1999 | $5,734 | +32.3% |
| 2000 | $5,844 | +1.9% |
| 2001 | $5,922 | +1.3% |
| 2002 | $4,148 | -29.9% |
| 2003 | $5,320 | +28.2% |
| 2004 | $6,438 | +21.0% |
| 2005 | $6,313 | -1.9% |
| 2006 | $8,172 | +29.5% |
| 2007 | $9,594 | +17.4% |
| 2008 | $4,328 | -54.9% |
| 2009 | $7,047 | +62.8% |
| 2010 | $8,758 | +24.3% |
| 2011 | $8,555 | -2.3% |
| 2012 | $10,555 | +23.4% |
| 2013 | $16,031 | +51.9% |
| 2014 | $14,938 | -6.8% |
| 2015 | $13,664 | -8.5% |
| 2016 | $15,836 | +15.9% |
| 2017 | $19,734 | +24.6% |
| 2018 | $18,008 | -8.7% |
| 2019 | $23,703 | +31.6% |
| 2020 | $27,188 | +14.7% |
| 2021 | $34,867 | +28.2% |
| 2022 | $29,180 | -16.3% |
| 2023 | $30,164 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $35,609 | +18.1% |
| 2025 | $45,234 | +27.0% |
| 2026 | $44,688 | -1.2% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought GAB was 1987-10 ($0.12): $1,000 then is $48,889 today. The worst was 2026-02 ($5.80): $1,000 then is $986.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in GAB be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Gabelli Equity Trust, Inc. (The) (GAB) at the start of 1986 would be worth about $38,649 today, a total return of +3764.9%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for GAB?
Gabelli Equity Trust, Inc. (The) (GAB)'s strongest calendar year since 1986 was 2009, a +62.8% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,628 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -54.9%.
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 GAB have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1986-08 would have grown to about $492,615 on $48,100 invested.
Did GAB beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $30,475. GAB beat the S&P 500 by +26.8% 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
Gabelli Equity Trust, Inc. (The) (GAB) historical total-return data from 1986-08 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.