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

— Warren Buffett

Investors can learn a lot from Warren Buffett, whose above quote teaches the importance of thinking about investment time horizon, and asking ourselves before buying any given stock: can we envision holding onto it for years — even a twenty year holding period possibly?

Suppose a “buy-and-hold” investor was considering an investment into Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASD: ALXN) back in 2001: back then, such an investor may have been pondering this very same question. Had they answered “yes” to a full twenty year investment time horizon and then actually held for these past 20 years, here’s how that investment would have turned out.

Start date: 07/16/2001
$10,000

07/16/2001
$372,590

07/14/2021
End date: 07/14/2021
Start price/share: $5.01
End price/share: $186.61
Starting shares: 1,996.01
Ending shares: 1,996.01
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 3,624.75%
Average annual return: 19.82%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $372,590.48

As shown above, the twenty year investment result worked out exceptionally well, with an annualized rate of return of 19.82%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $372,590.48 today (as of 07/14/2021). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 3,624.75% (something to think about: how might ALXN shares perform over the next 20 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

Another great investment quote to think about:
“The investor’s chief problem, even his worst enemy, is likely to be himself.” — Benjamin Graham