Buffett's Coca-Cola Bet: How $1,000 Became $33,755.90 Over 38 Years

Berkshire Hathaway's chairman Warren Buffett has been buying Coca-Cola shares since 1988. At that time, he acquired 14,172,500 shares at an average price point of $41.81.

In his annual letter in 1988, Buffett mentioned the purchase of Coca-Cola shares and stated that Berkshire Hathaway plans to hold them 'for a long time.' He even joked about drinking five cans of Coke or Cherry Coke daily.

The company has continued to add to its Coca-Cola position over the years and now owns 400 million shares, making up around 11% of its portfolio. This is a significant holding for Berkshire Hathaway, as it owns over 9% of Coca-Cola's shares.

A $1,000 investment at the time could have purchased 23.92 shares of Coca-Cola. After accounting for four stock splits (2-for-1 in 1990, 1992, 1996, and 2012), the original investment would be worth 382.72 shares today.

The value of this investment has grown significantly over the years, with a total return of 3,275.6% since Buffett first started buying Coca-Cola shares in 1988. This means that a $1,000 investment at the time would now be worth approximately $33,755.90.