29.05.2025

From Newspaper Delivery Boy to Multibillionaire: Warren Buffett’s Investment Success

Historical Performance

The extraordinary investment performance of Warren Buffett is impressive. Anyone who entrusted him with just $100 in 1957 could have achieved a total performance of around 27,671,389 percent by the end of 2024. This means:

  • $100 turned into about $27,671,489
  • $1,000 became approximately $276.7 million
  • $10,000 turned into a fortune of about $2.77 billion

These figures are based on investments in Buffett’s early investment partnerships and later in Berkshire Hathaway.

Comparison to Market Development

An investment of $100 in the S&P 500 in 1957 would have grown to about $82,000 by May 2025, adjusted for inflation to about $7,100. The difference to Buffett’s performance is therefore enormous.

Buffett’s Investment Strategy

Warren Buffett built his wealth based on the following principles:

  • Long-term Perspective: Investing over decades.
  • Focus on Quality: Seeking companies with strong competitive advantages.
  • Discipline: Freedom in capital allocation without external influences.
  • Understanding: Relying on sound knowledge before investing.

Berkshire Hathaway serves as an investment vehicle – transformed from a textile ruin into one of the most successful corporate structures.

Special Features of His Method

Buffett distinguished himself through the following approaches:

  • No procyclical fund structures: Independent of short-term market fluctuations.
  • Strong cash positions: Utilizing crisis times for favorable investments.
  • Transparency and Predictability: Clear, long-term oriented strategy.

Conclusion for Private Investors

Important lessons for private savers are:

  1. Long-term thinking pays off.
  2. Quality over quantity.
  3. Disciplinary execution is essential.
  4. Understanding investments is crucial – diversification alone is not enough.

Although no one can expect Buffett’s exact returns, his method remains a model for sustainable investing.