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“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

— Warren Buffett

The investment philosophy practiced by Warren Buffett calls for investors to take a long-term horizon when making an investment, such as a twenty year holding period (or even longer), and reconsider making the investment in the first place if unable to envision holding the stock for at least five years. Today, we look at how such a long-term strategy would have done for investors in Gartner Inc (NYSE: IT) back in 1999, holding through to today.

Start date: 09/23/1999
$10,000

09/23/1999
$81,252

09/20/2019
End date: 09/20/2019
Start price/share: $17.69
End price/share: $143.64
Starting shares: 565.37
Ending shares: 565.37
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 712.10%
Average annual return: 11.04%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $81,252.79

As shown above, the twenty year investment result worked out quite well, with an annualized rate of return of 11.04%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $81,252.79 today (as of 09/20/2019). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 712.10% (something to think about: how might IT shares perform over the next 20 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

Here’s one more great investment quote before you go:
“Every once in a while, the market does something so stupid it takes your breath away.” — Jim Cramer