CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) has been selling health and beauty products since 1963. Over those six decades, the pharmacy operator and retailer built up a giant operation that now includes a pharmacy benefits business (CVS Caremark) and a health insurance business (Aetna). With more than 300,000 employees and a ranking of fourth on the Fortune 500, CVS Health can lay claim to being the world's largest healthcare company.

But how has CVS Health's stock performed for investors? Let's take a closer look at how much a $25,000 investment in CVS would have grown over the past two decades, and whether that would have made for a better investment than simply putting your money in the S 500.

On Sept. 6, 2003, CVS' stock closed at a price of $15.60. Buying $25,000 worth of stock back then would have gotten you approximately 1,602 shares of the healthcare company. The stock now trades around $65.65 a share, so that investment would be worth roughly $104,320, for a 317% return. That looks to be some good growth over the years -- but it's also important to put it into context since it does span 20 years.

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Source Fool.com