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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 Autodesk Inc (NASD: ADSK) 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: 10/08/2018
$10,000

10/08/2018
  $13,948

10/05/2023
End date: 10/05/2023
Start price/share: $146.21
End price/share: $203.96
Starting shares: 68.39
Ending shares: 68.39
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 39.50%
Average annual return: 6.89%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $13,948.48

The above analysis shows the five year investment result worked out well, with an annualized rate of return of 6.89%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $13,948.48 today (as of 10/05/2023). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 39.50% (something to think about: how might ADSK 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:
“People who succeed in the stock market also accept periodic losses, setbacks, and unexpected occurrences. Calamitous drops do not scare them out of the game.” — Peter Lynch