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“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 Biogen Inc (NASD: BIIB)? Today, we examine the outcome of a two-decade investment into the stock back in 1999.

Start date: 07/23/1999
$10,000

07/23/1999
$26,345

07/22/2019
End date: 07/22/2019
Start price/share: $88.25
End price/share: $232.48
Starting shares: 113.31
Ending shares: 113.31
Dividends reinvested/share: $0.00
Total return: 163.43%
Average annual return: 4.96%
Starting investment: $10,000.00
Ending investment: $26,345.52

The above analysis shows the two-decade investment result worked out as follows, with an annualized rate of return of 4.96%. This would have turned a $10K investment made 20 years ago into $26,345.52 today (as of 07/22/2019). On a total return basis, that’s a result of 163.43% (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:
“Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you’re generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don’t make.” — Donald Trump