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“When we own portions of outstanding businesses with outstanding managements, our favorite holding period is forever.”

— Warren Buffett

The investment philosophy practiced by Warren Buffett calls for investors to take a long-term horizon when making an investment, such as a twenty year holding period (or even longer), and reconsider making the investment in the first place if unable to envision holding the stock for at least five years. Today, we look at how such a long-term strategy would have done for investors in Henry Schein Inc (NASD: HSIC) back in 2003, holding through to today.

Start date: 12/08/2003
$10,000

12/08/2003
  $52,395

12/06/2023
End date: 12/06/2023
Start price/share: $13.48
End price/share: $70.62
Starting shares: 741.84
Ending shares: 741.84
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 423.89%
Average annual return: 8.63%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $52,395.15

As shown above, the twenty year investment result worked out well, with an annualized rate of return of 8.63%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $52,395.15 today (as of 12/06/2023). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 423.89% (something to think about: how might HSIC shares perform over the next 20 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

More investment wisdom to ponder:
“I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money.” — Pablo Picasso