Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

“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 2005.

Start date: 02/07/2005
$10,000

02/07/2005
  $31,077

02/06/2025
End date: 02/06/2025
Start price/share: $33.80
End price/share: $105.02
Starting shares: 295.86
Ending shares: 295.86
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 210.71%
Average annual return: 5.83%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $31,077.47

As shown above, the two-decade investment result worked out well, with an annualized rate of return of 5.83%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $31,077.47 today (as of 02/06/2025). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 210.71% (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.]

Here’s one more great investment quote before you go:
“The investor’s chief problem, even his worst enemy, is likely to be himself.” — Benjamin Graham