Top 10 Best Investors of All Time

Ever wondered who the top investors of all time are?

We compiled a list of the top 10 investors of all time so you can read about their impressive financial gains and learn from their success. Many of these investors published books that you can read to learn more about their individual investment strategies.

Top 10 Investors of All Time

Here are the top 10 most successful investors of all time.

Jack Bogle

Now 85 years old is still as mentally sharp as most 35 year-olds. He is the controversial founder of one of the largest passive investment firms in the world, Vanguard. He has recently been called a “bomb-throwing Marxist” due to his views passive investing, also called passive indexing upon which he wrote is 1956 senior thesis.

This thesis landed Bogle with his first job out of Princeton and has earned him billions since. Bogle has some pretty strong views on Donald Trump stating he feels that Trump presents a danger to the United States on nearly every front possible, from economics to inciting racial tension. He has written over 20 books over the years to include, The Little Book of Common Sense Investing, Common Sense Mutual Funds, and The Clash of the Cultures: Investment vs. Speculation.

Warren Buffett

He is one of the wealthiest men in the world, and is often cited for his sage words on life, work, and investing. He began working at an early age, filed his first tax return at 13, and has always given a significant amount of his income to charity. He along with most of the United States recently challenged Donald Trump to release his income tax returns. Buffet has written several books over the years to include his latest, Warren Buffet: The Life and Business Lessons of Warren Buffet

Philip Fisher

Fisher was a man truly ahead of his time. He made his money through patience and perseverance, believing in finding a stock that was well-managed and investing in it for the long-term. He certainly did that when he invested in Motorola in 1955, several decades before the first cellphones, and did not sell until 2004 – three years before Apple introduced the iPhone. He is still oft quoted from his 1958, Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits.

Benjamin Graham

While a billionaire in his own right, is probably most famous for being the mentor of Warren Buffet. Graham made money for his clients through careful analysis and did not believe in taking risks. This worked for him and his principles are still practiced by some of the most successful investors today. He believed in getting value for money, and spells this out in The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Guide on Value Investing.

Bill Gross

Since the election of Donald Trump, economists are turning to lead investors such as Bill Gross to obtain outlooks on how Trump’s presidency and economic policy will impact the economy. Gross does not foresee positive gains; in fact, he predicts the nation is “stuck in a 2% real GDP world.” His most recent book was co-written with Stacy Shaus in 2010, Designing Successful Target-Date Strategies for Defined Contribution Plans: Putting Participants on the Optimal Glide Path.

Sir John Templeton

He Was the originator of the first mutual fund, and the forerunner of many of the most successful investors today. He invested in very inexpensive stocks, spreading, or diversifying these and this has become a common method of investing for many. The Templeton Foundation continues his work through investments and philanthropic enterprises. He wrote seven books, and not had anything to do with investing money, but with investing in one’s spirituality and humanity.

Carl Ichan

Ichan Is a man who has not made his billions through mutual funds, or investing in the markets. He has made his billions by being a shark, looking for business that have potential, but is failing due mismanagement. His methods included insinuating himself into the board of directors and waiting for the right moment to strike. To his credit, and his wealth, he was able to turn the tides for many failing businesses, however, will never live down the death of TWA. He is a Trump supporter, in more ways than one, as he as recent as 2014 was their to aid Trump in one of his failed business ventures. It is hardly surprising that Trump considered Ichan for a Cabinet Post.

Peter Lynch

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Lynch debunked the myth that he had once advised people to invest in something they use and like. He says what he really said was to invest in what you know. He says that the person who knows an industry is likely to make the best call on future trends in a related stock. Though he no longer “goes to the office”, he still enjoys trading, and giving good sound advice. His last published book in 2000 was One Up on Wall Street: How to Use What You Already Know to Make Money in the Market.

George Soros

George Soros Is a Hungarian Born Jew who does not take his wealth for granted, nor does he take the freedom of living in a democracy for granted. He has recently spoken out in no uncertain terms of his fear of the rise of tyranny and dictatorship. Given that he made his billions following his “gut” when investing, perhaps the man should be heard. He wrote The Alchemy of Finance in 2003; among other prolific works and his weblog.

Michael Steinhardt

He Is touted the King of Wall Street, gone for awhile, he has now returned and has an agenda, which may seem surprising to some who know him as the rule maker and floor shaker of Wall Street in his early days. Now, Steinhardt says he is there for the “little guy”, and these small investors are there for him. Read his, No Bull: My Life in and out of The Markets.