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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

The Warren Buffett investment philosophy calls for a long-term investment horizon, where a five year holding period, or even longer, would fit right into the strategy. How would such a strategy have worked out for an investment into DISH Network Corp (NASD: DISH)? Today, we examine the outcome of a five year investment into the stock back in 2017.

Start date: 02/09/2017
$10,000

02/09/2017
$5,033

02/08/2022
End date: 02/08/2022
Start price/share: $61.07
End price/share: $30.73
Starting shares: 163.75
Ending shares: 163.75
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: -49.68%
Average annual return: -12.83%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $5,033.10

As we can see, the five year investment result worked out poorly, with an annualized rate of return of -12.83%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $5,033.10 today (as of 02/08/2022). On a total return basis, that’s a result of -49.68% (something to think about: how might DISH shares perform over the next 5 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

Here’s one more great investment quote before you go:
“Wide diversification is only required when investors do not understand what they are doing.” — Warren Buffett