Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are among the most heavily traded S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) healthcare shares.
But they've delivered some very disparate returns over the past three years.
One of the ASX healthcare juggernauts has smashed the 22.4% returns delivered by the ASX 200 since 22 September 2023, while the other materially trails that performance.
So, if you'd bought $10,000 worth of Pro Medicus and CSL shares three years ago, how much would you have now?
I'm glad you asked!
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Tipping $10,000 into CSL shares
On 22 September, shares in the ASX 200 biotech giant closed the day trading for $252.15 each.
Meaning for $10,000 you could have bought 39 CSL shares, with enough change left over to take your partner out to dinner. For the next 10 or so months, you would have watched those shares march higher.
But by August 2024, the ASX 200 healthcare share came under sustained selling pressure.
On Thursday, CSL shares were swapping hands for $179.09 apiece. Meaning those 39 shares you bought three years ago for $10,000 would be worth $6,985 today.
Now, we shouldn't entirely discount the CSL dividends.
If you owned the stock for the past three years you would have received (or shortly will) the past six unfranked dividend payments, totalling $12.55 a share. CSL stock traded ex-dividend on 9 September. If you owned shares at market close on 8 September, you can expect to receive the final FY 2026 dividend of $2.244 a share on 2 October.
So, if we add that $12.55 of passive income back into the recent share price, then the accumulated value of the CSL shares you bought three years ago is now worth $191.64. And the 39 shares you invested $10,000 into are worth $7,474.
Which brings us to…
Buying Pro Medicus shares in September 2023
Three years ago, shares in the ASX 200 health imaging company closed the day trading for $71.67 apiece.
Meaning your $10,000 investment would have netted you 139 shares, with enough change for popcorn and a movie.
On Thursday, Pro Medicus shares were changing hands for $159.52 each. So those 139 shares are worth $22,173 today.
And, as with CSL shares, you'd also have received (or shortly will) the last six fully franked Pro Medicus dividend payments, totalling $1.64 a share. Pro Medicus stock traded ex-dividend on 7 September. If you owned shares on 4 September, you can expect that record high 37 cent per share final dividend to land in your bank account on 29 September.
Now, if we add that passive income back into the recent share price, then the accumulated value of the 139 Pro Medicus shares you bought three years ago for $10,000 is now worth $22,401.
Which sees Pro Medicus clearly top CSL shares as the better investment over the past three years.
