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“I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five 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 five year holding period for an investor who was considering Amazon.com Inc (NASD: AMZN) back in 2015, bought the stock, ignored the market’s ups and downs, and simply held through to today.

Start date: 07/21/2015
$10,000

07/21/2015
$65,501

07/20/2020
End date: 07/20/2020
Start price/share: $488.00
End price/share: $3,196.84
Starting shares: 20.49
Ending shares: 20.49
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 555.09%
Average annual return: 45.60%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $65,501.90

The above analysis shows the five year investment result worked out exceptionally well, with an annualized rate of return of 45.60%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $65,501.90 today (as of 07/20/2020). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 555.09% (something to think about: how might AMZN shares perform over the next 5 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

One more piece of investment wisdom to leave you with:
“If you don’t study any companies, you have the same success buying stocks as you do in a poker game if you bet without looking at your cards.” — Peter Lynch