What if you'd held WPC?
A $1,000 investment in W. P. Carey Inc. REIT (WPC) at the month-end close of 1998-01 would be worth $21,869 at the close of 2026-08 — +2086.9% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $7,863.
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 1998
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | $1,000 | — |
| 1999 | $947 | -5.3% |
| 2000 | $1,121 | +18.3% |
| 2001 | $1,557 | +39.0% |
| 2002 | $1,783 | +14.5% |
| 2003 | $2,334 | +30.9% |
| 2004 | $2,842 | +21.8% |
| 2005 | $2,189 | -23.0% |
| 2006 | $2,774 | +26.7% |
| 2007 | $3,269 | +17.9% |
| 2008 | $2,480 | -24.1% |
| 2009 | $3,198 | +29.0% |
| 2010 | $3,876 | +21.2% |
| 2011 | $5,359 | +38.3% |
| 2012 | $7,176 | +33.9% |
| 2013 | $8,907 | +24.1% |
| 2014 | $10,774 | +21.0% |
| 2015 | $9,650 | -10.4% |
| 2016 | $10,285 | +6.6% |
| 2017 | $12,743 | +23.9% |
| 2018 | $12,879 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | $16,594 | +28.8% |
| 2020 | $15,601 | -6.0% |
| 2021 | $19,170 | +22.9% |
| 2022 | $19,260 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $17,362 | -9.9% |
| 2024 | $15,523 | -10.6% |
| 2025 | $19,402 | +25.0% |
| 2026 | $22,276 | +14.8% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought WPC was 1999-11 ($2.88): $1,000 then is $24,983 today. The worst was 2026-07 ($74.08): $1,000 then is $971.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in WPC be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in W. P. Carey Inc. REIT (WPC) at the start of 1998 would be worth about $21,869 today, a total return of +2086.9%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for WPC?
W. P. Carey Inc. REIT (WPC)'s strongest calendar year since 1998 was 2001, a +39.0% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,390 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -24.1%.
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 WPC have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1998-01 would have grown to about $237,430 on $34,400 invested.
Did WPC beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $7,863. WPC beat the S&P 500 by +178.1% 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
W. P. Carey Inc. REIT (WPC) historical total-return data from 1998-01 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.