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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

This inspiring quote from Warren Buffett teaches us the importance of considering our investment time horizon when approaching any given investment: Could we envision ourselves holding the stock we are considering for many years? Even a five year holding period potentially?

For “buy-and-hold” investors taking a long-term view, what’s important isn’t the short-term stock market fluctuations that will inevitably occur, but what happens over the long haul. Looking back 5 years to 2018, investors considering an investment into shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (NYSE: CMG) may have been pondering this very question and thinking about their potential investment result over a full five year time horizon. Here’s how that would have worked out.

Start date: 01/24/2018
$10,000

01/24/2018
  $48,473

01/23/2023
End date: 01/23/2023
Start price/share: $329.53
End price/share: $1,597.35
Starting shares: 30.35
Ending shares: 30.35
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 384.74%
Average annual return: 37.12%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $48,473.46

As shown above, the five year investment result worked out exceptionally well, with an annualized rate of return of 37.12%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $48,473.46 today (as of 01/23/2023). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 384.74% (something to think about: how might CMG 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:
“Though tempting, trying to time the market is a loser’s game.” — Christopher Davis