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

— 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: 09/07/2004
$10,000

09/07/2004
  $20,803

09/03/2024
End date: 09/03/2024
Start price/share: $39.00
End price/share: $81.14
Starting shares: 256.41
Ending shares: 256.41
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 108.05%
Average annual return: 3.73%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $20,803.25

As we can see, the two-decade investment result worked out as follows, with an annualized rate of return of 3.73%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $20,803.25 today (as of 09/03/2024). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 108.05% (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:
“You make most of your money in a bear market, you just don’t realize it at the time.” — Shelby Davis