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

— 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 Biogen Inc (NASD: BIIB) back in 2004, holding through to today.

Start date: 08/16/2004
$10,000

08/16/2004
  $34,527

08/13/2024
End date: 08/13/2024
Start price/share: $59.07
End price/share: $204.05
Starting shares: 169.29
Ending shares: 169.29
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 245.44%
Average annual return: 6.39%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $34,527.38

As shown above, the twenty year investment result worked out well, with an annualized rate of return of 6.39%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $34,527.38 today (as of 08/13/2024). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 245.44% (something to think about: how might BIIB shares perform over the next 20 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

Here’s one more great investment quote before you go:
“A 10% decline in the market is fairly common, it happens about once a year. Investors who realize this are less likely to sell in a panic, and more likely to remain invested, benefitting from the wealthbuilding power of stocks.” — Christopher Davis