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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 Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (NYSE: CMG) back in 2019, bought the stock, ignored the market’s ups and downs, and simply held through to today.

Start date: 04/30/2019
$10,000

04/30/2019
  $46,650

04/29/2024
End date: 04/29/2024
Start price/share: $688.04
End price/share: $3,209.47
Starting shares: 14.53
Ending shares: 14.53
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 366.47%
Average annual return: 36.05%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $46,650.79

The above analysis shows the five year investment result worked out exceptionally well, with an annualized rate of return of 36.05%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $46,650.79 today (as of 04/29/2024). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 366.47% (something to think about: how might CMG shares perform over the next 5 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

One more piece of investment wisdom to leave you with:
“Confronted with a challenge to distill the secret of sound investment into three words, we venture the motto, Margin of Safety.” — Benjamin Graham