Warren Buffett has been incredibly successful, and he's extremely wealthy. In fact, he's worth about $62.1 billion right now. But how much is $62.1 billion really, and how good is Buffett at investing? We've put together some facts that put his skill in perspective:
Ninety-nine percent of Buffett's wealth was earned after his 50th birthday.
When Buffett was 52, his net worth was about $376 million. Plus, he made about 94% of his wealth after turning 60. At 59, he was worth "only" $3.8 billion.
Talk about long-term investment strategies. (Source: ValueWalk)
Related: Warren Buffett Scolds Donald Trump: Have You No Sense of Decency, Sir?
Berkshire's Book Value beat the S&P 500 in 43 out of 46 years on a five-year rolling-average basis.
This chart shows the five-year moving-average annual price returns for Berkshire's stock and the S&P 500 since Buffett's takeover. Since 1999, although Buffett has still tended to beat the market, it has been by a more modest amount than in the past. (Source: Business Insider)
Among legends, Buffett has the longest track record for beating the market.
This chart compares investors with the S&P 500 over time. Buffett's outperformance has lasted longer than that of other great investors. (Source: Business Insider)
Buffett's net worth of $62.3 billion is equal to the combined GDPs of Lebanon and Iceland.
Lebanon's 2014 GDP was an estimated $45.73 billion. Iceland's 2014 GDP was as estimated $17.04 billion. (Source: World Bank)
In 2013, Buffett made on average $37 million per day — more than what Jennifer Lawrence made that year.
According to Forbes, Jennifer Lawrence was the second-highest-paid actress in 2013, and she is estimated to have made $34 million that year. Warren Buffett made $37 million per day in 2013. (Source: MarketWatch)
You could pay a year's tuition for seven Columbia students with what Buffett made in an hour in 2013.
Columbia University was the second most expensive university in the US. Tuition and fees is about $53,523. Buffett made $1.5 million per hour in 2013. (Source: CNBC)
Related: Warren Buffett defends 3G, touts economy in record year for Berkshire
Buffett made his first stock purchase the same year Pearl Harbor was bombed.
Warren Buffett's first stock purchase was in 1941. He bought three preferred shares of the predecessor to the oil company Citgo for himself and three for his sister for $38. The stock dropped nearly 30%, and when it finally got back up to $40, Buffett sold. A few months later, the stock soared to $200.
Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7 of that year. (Source: Old School Value)
Buffett has so far donated enough money to charity in his lifetime to build five Apple "spaceship" campuses.
Buffett has donated a lifetime total of $25.5 billion, as of June 2015 data. The Apple campus is a $5 billion project. (Source: Forbes)
The chairman of a Chinese company bid $2.35 million for lunch with Buffett in 2015. That amount could've provided more than 8,700 students with a calculus textbook.
In case you don't have college-age kids yet and you've been out of college for a while, textbooks are extremely expensive. The one that we used in our calculation costs $269.41. (Source: Reuters)
If you invested $1,000 in Berkshire Hathaway in 2000, that investment would be worth $1,801 more today.
Berkshire Hathaway closed at $71,000 on December 29, 2000. On Thursday, Berkshire Hathaway closed at $198,899. So if you invested $1,000 at the end of 2000, that amount would be worth $2,801 today. (Source: Business Insider)
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If you invested $1,000 in Berkshire Hathaway in 1990, that amount would be worth $28,798 more today.
Berkshire Hathaway closed at $6,675 on December 31, 1990. On Thursday, Berkshire Hathaway closed at $198,899. So if you invested $1,000 at the end of 1990, that amount would be worth $29,798 today. (Source: Business Insider)
If you invested $1,000 in Berkshire Hathaway in 1980, that investment would be worth $458,351 more today.
Berkshire Hathaway closed at $425 on December 31, 1980. On Thursday, Berkshire Hathaway closed at $198,899. So if you invested $1,000 at the end of 1980, that amount would be worth $459,351 today. (Source: Business Insider)
If you invested $1,000 in Berkshire Hathaway in 1970, that amount would be worth $4.42 million more today.
Berkshire Hathaway closed at $41 at the end of 1970. On Thursday, Berkshire Hathaway closed at $198,899. So if you invested $1,000 at the end of 1970, that amount would be worth $4,419,978 today. (Source: Business Insider)
If you invested $1,000 in Berkshire Hathaway the year Buffett became the majority shareholder, that amount would be worth $10.5 million more today.
In 1964, the year Buffett became a majority shareholder, the stock was valued at $19 per share. On Thursday, Berkshire Hathaway closed at $198,899. So if you invested $1,000 in 1964, that amount would be worth $10,468,368 today. (Source: Business Insider)
This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Read more from Business Insider:
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