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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 Dollar Tree Inc (NASD: DLTR) back in 2019, bought the stock, ignored the market’s ups and downs, and simply held through to today.

Start date: 03/08/2019
$10,000

03/08/2019
  $14,648

03/07/2024
End date: 03/07/2024
Start price/share: $102.40
End price/share: $150.02
Starting shares: 97.66
Ending shares: 97.66
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 46.50%
Average annual return: 7.93%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $14,648.79

As shown above, the five year investment result worked out well, with an annualized rate of return of 7.93%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $14,648.79 today (as of 03/07/2024). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 46.50% (something to think about: how might DLTR 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:
“People who invest make money for themselves; people who speculate make money for their brokers.” — Benjamin Graham