In March 2000, Cisco Briefly Became The World's Most Valuable Company As Its Stock Closed At $80.06. Buyers That Day Waited More Than 25 Years For It To Close Higher.

The article frames Cisco’s long-term shareholder returns as a paradox: the company was described as the world’s best business at its peak and continued growing for decades, yet some shareholders lost a generation. The provided text gives no figures or specific explanation for the gap between business growth and shareholder returns.