What if you'd held MARPS?
A $1,000 investment in Marine Petroleum Trust (MARPS) at the month-end close of 1980-03 would be worth $8,057 at the close of 2026-08 — +705.7% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $75,502.
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 1980
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | $1,000 | — |
| 1981 | $615 | -38.5% |
| 1982 | $599 | -2.6% |
| 1983 | $522 | -12.8% |
| 1984 | $462 | -11.6% |
| 1985 | $423 | -8.3% |
| 1986 | $315 | -25.5% |
| 1987 | $340 | +8.0% |
| 1988 | $484 | +42.2% |
| 1989 | $552 | +14.1% |
| 1990 | $669 | +21.2% |
| 1991 | $538 | -19.5% |
| 1992 | $756 | +40.4% |
| 1993 | $1,044 | +38.2% |
| 1994 | $1,170 | +12.0% |
| 1995 | $973 | -16.8% |
| 1996 | $1,704 | +75.1% |
| 1997 | $2,180 | +28.0% |
| 1998 | $1,683 | -22.8% |
| 1999 | $2,217 | +31.7% |
| 2000 | $4,003 | +80.5% |
| 2001 | $6,392 | +59.7% |
| 2002 | $4,774 | -25.3% |
| 2003 | $7,274 | +52.4% |
| 2004 | $6,670 | -8.3% |
| 2005 | $8,543 | +28.1% |
| 2006 | $7,212 | -15.6% |
| 2007 | $11,294 | +56.6% |
| 2008 | $7,178 | -36.5% |
| 2009 | $5,530 | -23.0% |
| 2010 | $9,294 | +68.1% |
| 2011 | $11,006 | +18.4% |
| 2012 | $6,530 | -40.7% |
| 2013 | $7,111 | +8.9% |
| 2014 | $5,556 | -21.9% |
| 2015 | $2,475 | -55.5% |
| 2016 | $3,439 | +39.0% |
| 2017 | $2,354 | -31.6% |
| 2018 | $1,432 | -39.2% |
| 2019 | $1,636 | +14.3% |
| 2020 | $3,209 | +96.1% |
| 2021 | $4,343 | +35.4% |
| 2022 | $7,854 | +80.8% |
| 2023 | $4,876 | -37.9% |
| 2024 | $5,234 | +7.3% |
| 2025 | $5,892 | +12.6% |
| 2026 | $7,056 | +19.8% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought MARPS was 1986-06 ($0.20): $1,000 then is $24,213 today. The worst was 2012-04 ($8.53): $1,000 then is $559.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in MARPS be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Marine Petroleum Trust (MARPS) at the start of 1980 would be worth about $8,057 today, a total return of +705.7%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for MARPS?
Marine Petroleum Trust (MARPS)'s strongest calendar year since 1980 was 2020, a +96.1% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,961 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2015, at -55.5%.
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 MARPS have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1980-03 would have grown to about $301,323 on $55,800 invested.
Did MARPS beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $75,502. MARPS trailed the S&P 500 by +89.3% 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
Marine Petroleum Trust (MARPS) historical total-return data from 1980-03 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.