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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

The investment philosophy practiced by Warren Buffett calls for investors to take a long-term horizon when making an investment, such as a ten 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 Intuitive Surgical Inc (NASD: ISRG) back in 2010, holding through to today.

Start date: 01/13/2010
$10,000

01/13/2010
$58,713

01/10/2020
End date: 01/10/2020
Start price/share: $102.01
End price/share: $598.72
Starting shares: 98.03
Ending shares: 98.03
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 486.92%
Average annual return: 19.37%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $58,713.95

As shown above, the ten year investment result worked out exceptionally well, with an annualized rate of return of 19.37%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 10 years ago into $58,713.95 today (as of 01/10/2020). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 486.92% (something to think about: how might ISRG shares perform over the next 10 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

Another great investment quote to think about:
“Don’t look for the needle in the haystack, just buy the haystack.” — John Bogle