Some P/E as of this moring:
Proctor & Gamble: 15
Kraft Foods: 19
Weyerhouser: 5.9
Microsoft: 9.2
Raytheon: 7.4
Ford: 6.1
Wal*Mart: 10.9
The implied ROI:
Proctor & Gamble 6.7%
Kraft Foods 5.3%
Weyerhouser 16.9%
Microsoft 10.9%
Raytheon 13.5%
Ford 16.4%
Wal*Mart 9.2%
It I had invested a dollar in gold on December 31, 1983, today it would be worth $4.25. The same dollar in my 401k would worth $8.17 without the company match. In a savings account at 5% it would be worth $3.84. If I had invested it in residential real estate locally, it would be worth about $2.98. I am ignoring taxes in all cases. However, only in a 401k, can I avoid taxes.
What if you invested in December 1973, 1993, 2003 ... I guess it depends on when you get in. i was looking at a ten year investment due to the fact that most often we use a 10 year look at performance
Just to pick a different date .. Decemebr 31, 1971.
If you put $1 into Gold it is worth $50, and if you put $1 into stocks it is worth $12 [without your company match, I guess!]