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“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

— Warren Buffett

The Warren Buffett investment philosophy calls for a long-term investment horizon, where a two-decade holding period, or even longer, would fit right into the strategy. How would such a strategy have worked out for an investment into Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE: BSX)? Today, we examine the outcome of a two-decade investment into the stock back in 2004.

Start date: 07/22/2004
$10,000

07/22/2004
  $23,305

07/19/2024
End date: 07/19/2024
Start price/share: $33.27
End price/share: $77.56
Starting shares: 300.57
Ending shares: 300.57
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 133.12%
Average annual return: 4.32%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $23,305.17

As shown above, the two-decade investment result worked out as follows, with an annualized rate of return of 4.32%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $23,305.17 today (as of 07/19/2024). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 133.12% (something to think about: how might BSX shares perform over the next 20 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

One more investment quote to leave you with:
“The most important three words in investing is: “I don’t know.” If someone doesn’t say that to you then they are lying.” — James Altucher