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“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 twenty year holding period for an investor who was considering F5 Inc (NASD: FFIV) back in 2003, bought the stock, ignored the market’s ups and downs, and simply held through to today.

Start date: 03/17/2003
$10,000

03/17/2003
  $228,112

03/15/2023
End date: 03/15/2023
Start price/share: $6.07
End price/share: $138.54
Starting shares: 1,647.45
Ending shares: 1,647.45
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 2,182.37%
Average annual return: 16.92%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $228,112.00

The above analysis shows the twenty year investment result worked out exceptionally well, with an annualized rate of return of 16.92%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $228,112.00 today (as of 03/15/2023). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 2,182.37% (something to think about: how might FFIV shares perform over the next 20 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

One more investment quote to leave you with:
“Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent.” — John Maynard Keynes