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“Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.”

— Warren Buffett

One of the most important things investors can learn from Warren Buffett, is about how they approach their time horizon for an investment into a stock under consideration. Because immediately after buying shares of a given stock, investors will then be able to check on the day-to-day (and even minute-by-minute) market value. Some days the stock market will be up, other days down. These daily fluctuations can often distract from the long-term view. Today, we look at the result of a decade-long holding period for an investor who was considering Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASD: REGN) back in 2011, bought the stock, ignored the market’s ups and downs, and simply held through to today.

Start date: 05/09/2011
$10,000

05/09/2011
$95,849

05/06/2021
End date: 05/06/2021
Start price/share: $52.04
End price/share: $498.68
Starting shares: 192.16
Ending shares: 192.16
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 858.26%
Average annual return: 25.36%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $95,849.50

The above analysis shows the decade-long investment result worked out exceptionally well, with an annualized rate of return of 25.36%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 10 years ago into $95,849.50 today (as of 05/06/2021). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 858.26% (something to think about: how might REGN shares perform over the next 10 years?). [These numbers were computed with the Dividend Channel DRIP Returns Calculator.]

Here’s one more great investment quote before you go:
“If you have trouble imagining a 20% loss in the stock market, you shouldn’t be in stocks.” — John Bogle