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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

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 five year holding period possibly?

Suppose a “buy-and-hold” investor was considering an investment into Adobe Inc (NASD: ADBE) back in 2018: back then, such an investor may have been pondering this very same question. Had they answered “yes” to a full five year investment time horizon and then actually held for these past 5 years, here’s how that investment would have turned out.

Start date: 04/13/2018
$10,000

04/13/2018
  $16,511

04/12/2023
End date: 04/12/2023
Start price/share: $224.06
End price/share: $369.89
Starting shares: 44.63
Ending shares: 44.63
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 65.09%
Average annual return: 10.55%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $16,511.77

The above analysis shows the five year investment result worked out quite well, with an annualized rate of return of 10.55%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $16,511.77 today (as of 04/12/2023). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 65.09% (something to think about: how might ADBE shares perform over the next 5 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

One more investment quote to leave you with:
“When everyone is going right, look left.” — Sam Zell