History Says No 20-Year Stretch in the S&P 500 Has Lost Money Since 1950. Here's What the Worst One Returned.
Key PointsUsing month-end closes from 1950 through September 2026, none of the S&P 500's 681 completed 20-year stretches finished lower.
Since 1950, no 20-year period in the S&P 500 has produced a loss in value, according to data from January 1950 month-end closes. Out of 681 completed 20-year periods, all ended with a higher value. Even the weakest stretch, from March 1962 to March 1982, gained about 61% before dividends, and about 7% after accounting for inflation, before reinvesting dividends.
The S&P 500's dividend yield varied, but reinvested dividends more than doubled the annual return in the worst 20-year period. While today's starting point appears worse than in 1962, history suggests buying near a high can still be a viable strategy if the investment can be held for two decades.
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