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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

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 five year holding period for an investor who was considering Meta Platforms Inc (NASD: META) back in 2018, bought the stock, ignored the market’s ups and downs, and simply held through to today.

Start date: 06/26/2018
$10,000

06/26/2018
  $14,511

06/23/2023
End date: 06/23/2023
Start price/share: $199.00
End price/share: $288.73
Starting shares: 50.25
Ending shares: 50.25
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 45.09%
Average annual return: 7.74%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $14,511.34

The above analysis shows the five year investment result worked out well, with an annualized rate of return of 7.74%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $14,511.34 today (as of 06/23/2023). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 45.09% (something to think about: how might META 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:
“The person who starts simply with the idea of getting rich won’t succeed; you must have a larger ambition.” — John Rockefeller