“When we own portions of outstanding businesses with outstanding managements, our favorite holding period is forever.”
— 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 two-decade holding period for an investor who was considering United Rentals Inc (NYSE: URI) back in 2001, bought the stock, ignored the market’s ups and downs, and simply held through to today.
| Start date: | 06/04/2001 |
|
|||
| End date: | 06/03/2021 | ||||
| Start price/share: | $23.80 | ||||
| End price/share: | $336.12 | ||||
| Starting shares: | 420.17 | ||||
| Ending shares: | 420.17 | ||||
| Dividends reinvested/share: | $0.00 | ||||
| Total return: | 1,312.27% | ||||
| Average annual return: | 14.15% | ||||
| Starting investment: | $10,000.00 | ||||
| Ending investment: | $141,301.96 | ||||
As shown above, the two-decade investment result worked out quite well, with an annualized rate of return of 14.15%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $141,301.96 today (as of 06/03/2021). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 1,312.27% (something to think about: how might URI 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:
“Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.” — Woody Allen
