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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

The Warren Buffett investment philosophy calls for a long-term investment horizon, where a five year holding period, or even longer, would fit right into the strategy. How would such a strategy have worked out for an investment into Caesars Entertainment Inc (NASD: CZR)? Today, we examine the outcome of a five year investment into the stock back in 2020.

Start date: 07/17/2020
$10,000

07/17/2020
  $7,893

07/16/2025
End date: 07/16/2025
Start price/share: $38.00
End price/share: $30.00
Starting shares: 263.16
Ending shares: 263.16
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: -21.05%
Average annual return: -4.62%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $7,893.81

As shown above, the five year investment result worked out poorly, with an annualized rate of return of -4.62%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 5 years ago into $7,893.81 today (as of 07/16/2025). On a total return basis, that’s a result of -21.05% (something to think about: how might CZR shares perform over the next 5 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

Here’s one more great investment quote before you go:
“You can’t be a good value investor without being an independent thinker; you’re seeing valuations that the market is not appreciating. But it’s critical that you understand why the market isn’t seeing the value you do.” — Joel Greenblatt