What if you'd held NVS?
A $1,000 investment in Novartis AG (NVS) at the month-end close of 1996-11 would be worth $13,989 at the close of 2026-08 — +1298.9% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $10,182.
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 | $1,415 | +41.5% |
| 1998 | $1,704 | +20.4% |
| 1999 | $1,274 | -25.3% |
| 2000 | $1,600 | +25.6% |
| 2001 | $1,322 | -17.3% |
| 2002 | $1,348 | +1.9% |
| 2003 | $1,717 | +27.3% |
| 2004 | $1,926 | +12.2% |
| 2005 | $1,999 | +3.8% |
| 2006 | $2,224 | +11.3% |
| 2007 | $2,145 | -3.5% |
| 2008 | $2,025 | -5.6% |
| 2009 | $2,314 | +14.3% |
| 2010 | $2,599 | +12.3% |
| 2011 | $2,628 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | $3,040 | +15.7% |
| 2013 | $4,007 | +31.8% |
| 2014 | $4,775 | +19.2% |
| 2015 | $4,560 | -4.5% |
| 2016 | $4,011 | -12.0% |
| 2017 | $4,791 | +19.5% |
| 2018 | $5,075 | +5.9% |
| 2019 | $6,453 | +27.1% |
| 2020 | $6,669 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | $6,425 | -3.7% |
| 2022 | $6,942 | +8.1% |
| 2023 | $8,063 | +16.1% |
| 2024 | $8,065 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | $11,851 | +47.0% |
| 2026 | $14,199 | +19.8% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought NVS was 1996-12 ($11.29): $1,000 then is $14,199 today. The worst was 2026-02 ($164): $1,000 then is $980.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in NVS be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Novartis AG (NVS) at the start of 1996 would be worth about $13,989 today, a total return of +1298.9%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for NVS?
Novartis AG (NVS)'s strongest calendar year since 1996 was 2025, a +47.0% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,470 by year-end. Its weakest year was 1999, at -25.3%.
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 NVS have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1996-11 would have grown to about $202,483 on $35,800 invested.
Did NVS beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $10,182. NVS beat the S&P 500 by +37.4% 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
Novartis AG (NVS) historical total-return data from 1996-11 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.