Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares held up better than most S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) companies during the pandemic fuelled market crash in early 2020.
From 21 February through to 20 March 2020, the ASX 200 plunged 33% amid global fears surrounding the new COVID-19 virus.
During that same period shares in the ASX 200 telco 'only' fell 18%.
On 20 March of that year, the Telstra share price closed the day at $3.07.
Now it took a brave investor to go bargain hunting as one nation after another began shuttering their borders amid grim headlines of rising global fatalities from the virus.
Indeed, investors would have been better off biding their time a few more months and buying Telstra shares on 30 October 2020. That's when the stock bottomed out after reporting a steep fall in profits.
On 30 October, Telstra closed trading for $2.68 a share.
How much have Telstra shares gained since the pandemic crash?
In afternoon trade today Telstra shares are trading for $4.25 apiece, up 0.5% for the day.
That sees the ASX 200 telco up 59% since its 30 October pandemic crash lows.
If I'd been brave enough to wade in on that day, I could have bought 746 shares with my $2,000, with a bit of pocket change left over.
Today those shares would be worth $3,170.50, representing a gain of $1,170.50.
But wait! There's more.
Over that period I'd also have received a total of five, fully franked dividend payments from the company totalling 41 cents per share.
That would see me with another $305.86, bringing the gains on my $2,000 post-pandemic crash investment in Telstra shares to $1,476.36.
