What if you'd held PCG?
A $1,000 investment in Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PCG) at the month-end close of 1972-06 would be worth $20,595 at the close of 2026-08 — +1959.5% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $71,943.
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 1972
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | $1,000 | — |
| 1973 | $750 | -25.0% |
| 1974 | $721 | -3.8% |
| 1975 | $814 | +12.9% |
| 1976 | $989 | +21.5% |
| 1977 | $1,116 | +12.9% |
| 1978 | $1,133 | +1.5% |
| 1979 | $1,294 | +14.2% |
| 1980 | $1,298 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | $1,511 | +16.4% |
| 1982 | $2,275 | +50.6% |
| 1983 | $2,663 | +17.0% |
| 1984 | $3,216 | +20.7% |
| 1985 | $4,217 | +31.1% |
| 1986 | $5,535 | +31.3% |
| 1987 | $4,076 | -26.4% |
| 1988 | $4,849 | +19.0% |
| 1989 | $6,540 | +34.9% |
| 1990 | $7,949 | +21.5% |
| 1991 | $10,980 | +38.1% |
| 1992 | $11,832 | +7.8% |
| 1993 | $13,243 | +11.9% |
| 1994 | $9,916 | -25.1% |
| 1995 | $12,399 | +25.0% |
| 1996 | $9,902 | -20.1% |
| 1997 | $15,014 | +51.6% |
| 1998 | $16,206 | +7.9% |
| 1999 | $11,011 | -32.1% |
| 2000 | $11,287 | +2.5% |
| 2001 | $10,859 | -3.8% |
| 2002 | $7,845 | -27.8% |
| 2003 | $15,672 | +99.8% |
| 2004 | $18,781 | +19.8% |
| 2005 | $21,827 | +16.2% |
| 2006 | $28,721 | +31.6% |
| 2007 | $26,973 | -6.1% |
| 2008 | $25,229 | -6.5% |
| 2009 | $30,316 | +20.2% |
| 2010 | $33,840 | +11.6% |
| 2011 | $30,443 | -10.0% |
| 2012 | $30,966 | +1.7% |
| 2013 | $32,400 | +4.6% |
| 2014 | $44,506 | +37.4% |
| 2015 | $46,050 | +3.5% |
| 2016 | $54,294 | +17.9% |
| 2017 | $40,987 | -24.5% |
| 2018 | $21,714 | -47.0% |
| 2019 | $9,939 | -54.2% |
| 2020 | $11,392 | +14.6% |
| 2021 | $11,100 | -2.6% |
| 2022 | $14,866 | +33.9% |
| 2023 | $16,494 | +11.0% |
| 2024 | $18,514 | +12.2% |
| 2025 | $14,863 | -19.7% |
| 2026 | $16,419 | +10.5% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought PCG was 1974-09 ($0.67): $1,000 then is $26,265 today. The worst was 2017-08 ($68.63): $1,000 then is $257.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in PCG be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PCG) at the start of 1972 would be worth about $20,595 today, a total return of +1959.5%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for PCG?
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PCG)'s strongest calendar year since 1972 was 2003, a +99.8% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,998 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2019, at -54.2%.
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 PCG have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1972-06 would have grown to about $287,356 on $65,100 invested.
Did PCG beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $71,943. PCG trailed the S&P 500 by +71.4% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. What If I'd Held is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PCG) historical total-return data from 1972-06 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.
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. What If I'd Held is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.