What if you'd held GERN?
A $1,000 investment in Geron Corporation (GERN) at the month-end close of 1996-07 would be worth $217 at the close of 2026-08 — -78.3% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $12,045.
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 1996
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | $1,000 | — |
| 1997 | $623 | -37.7% |
| 1998 | $821 | +31.8% |
| 1999 | $953 | +16.1% |
| 2000 | $1,165 | +22.3% |
| 2001 | $657 | -43.6% |
| 2002 | $272 | -58.6% |
| 2003 | $752 | +176.9% |
| 2004 | $601 | -20.1% |
| 2005 | $650 | +8.0% |
| 2006 | $663 | +2.0% |
| 2007 | $429 | -35.3% |
| 2008 | $352 | -17.8% |
| 2009 | $419 | +18.8% |
| 2010 | $392 | -6.5% |
| 2011 | $112 | -71.5% |
| 2012 | $106 | -4.7% |
| 2013 | $358 | +236.1% |
| 2014 | $260 | -27.5% |
| 2015 | $386 | +48.9% |
| 2016 | $165 | -57.2% |
| 2017 | $144 | -13.0% |
| 2018 | $79.85 | -44.4% |
| 2019 | $109 | +36.0% |
| 2020 | $127 | +16.9% |
| 2021 | $97.41 | -23.3% |
| 2022 | $193 | +98.4% |
| 2023 | $168 | -12.8% |
| 2024 | $283 | +67.8% |
| 2025 | $105 | -62.7% |
| 2026 | $127 | +20.5% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought GERN was 2018-12 ($1.00): $1,000 then is $1,590 today. The worst was 2000-02 ($51.81): $1,000 then is $30.69.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in GERN be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Geron Corporation (GERN) at the start of 1996 would be worth about $217 today, a total return of -78.3%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for GERN?
Geron Corporation (GERN)'s strongest calendar year since 1996 was 2013, a +236.1% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $3,361 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2011, at -71.5%.
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 GERN have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1996-07 would have grown to about $19,489 on $36,200 invested.
Did GERN beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $12,045. GERN trailed the S&P 500 by +98.2% 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
Geron Corporation (GERN) historical total-return data from 1996-07 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.