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“Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.”

— Warren Buffett

One of the most important things investors can learn from Warren Buffett, is about how they approach their time horizon for an investment into a stock under consideration. Because immediately after buying shares of a given stock, investors will then be able to check on the day-to-day (and even minute-by-minute) market value. Some days the stock market will be up, other days down. These daily fluctuations can often distract from the long-term view. Today, we look at the result of a ten year holding period for an investor who was considering Align Technology Inc (NASD: ALGN) back in 2009, bought the stock, ignored the market’s ups and downs, and simply held through to today.

Start date: 08/27/2009
$10,000

08/27/2009
$127,405

08/26/2019
End date: 08/26/2019
Start price/share: $13.75
End price/share: $175.19
Starting shares: 727.27
Ending shares: 727.27
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 1,174.11%
Average annual return: 28.97%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $127,405.95

The above analysis shows the ten year investment result worked out exceptionally well, with an annualized rate of return of 28.97%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 10 years ago into $127,405.95 today (as of 08/26/2019). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 1,174.11% (something to think about: how might ALGN shares perform over the next 10 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

One more investment quote to leave you with:
“There is nothing riskier than the widespread perception that there is no risk.” — Howard Marks