Investment Horizon

Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Investment Horizon'

The total length of time that an investor expects to hold a security or portfolio. The investment horizon is used to determine the investor's income needs and desired risk exposure, which is then used to aid in security selection.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Investment Horizon'

As investment horizons increase in length, equities represent a higher risk-adjusted return than fixed-income securities and cash. Across shorter investment horizons, equities become the riskier asset class because they carry higher levels of volatility. 

For example, a young professional with a 401(k) plan should be mostly invested in equities because this person's time horizon could be 30 years or more. For someone nearing retirement, however, preservation of capital becomes much more important, so fixed-income investments become more attractive.   

Some trading strategies, especially those based on technical analysis, can employ investment horizons of days, hours or even minutes.
Search results for

'Investment Horizon'

  • Predicting Investment Losses

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/09/quantum-potential-losses.asp
    ... losses and what you can afford, rather than the notion that you can simply "wait
    until they go up." Nonetheless, the shorter your investment horizon, the less ...
  • How To Pump Up Your Portfolio With ETFs

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/mutualfund/07/etf-portfolio.asp
    ... falls. Investment Horizon An individual's investment horizon generally depends
    on the number of years until that person's retirement. ...
  • Key Players In Mergers And Acquisitions

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/07/ma-competition.asp
    ... partner. The investment horizon can be as short as two or three years, or
    the group may own the company for 20 years or more. There ...
  • Scenario Analysis Provides Glimpse Of Portfolio Potential

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-theory/08/scenario-analysis.asp
    ... Although both investments may provide the same overall return for a given investment
    horizon, the periodic returns demonstrate the risk differentials in these ...
  • Why The Consumer Price Index Is Controversial

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/07/consumerpriceindex.asp
    ... method should be used because the approximate method will introduce additional
    inaccuracy, which will be compounded as the investment horizon increases. ...
  • What Is Private Equity?

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-careers/09/private-equity.asp
    ... equity firm acquires a company, they work together with management in order to
    significantly increase EBITDA during its investment horizon (typically between ...
  • CFA Question of the Week 03/28/2006 | Investopedia

    http://www.investopedia.com/professionals/questionoftheweek/cfa/032806.asp
    ... The longer the investment horizon, the more emphasis must be placed on any current
    expectations with regards to the relative performance of the various asset ...
  • Survival Tips For A Stormy Market

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/08/market-downturn.asp
    ... As a general rule, investors should not get involved in equities unless they have
    an investment horizon of at least five years, but preferably more. ...
  • Activist Investors: A Good Or Bad Thing?

    http://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/09/activist-investors.asp
    ... Activists May Have a Different Investment Horizon Activists can be a very fickle
    bunch. In some cases they may latch onto a position and hold it for years. ...
  • A Long-Term Play On The Horizon

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2009/A-Long-Term-Play-On-The-Horizon-HRZ-COST-LOW-WMT-TM1001.aspx
    ... In order to appreciate the potential of this investment idea, you are going to have
    a long-term investment horizon and faith that the economy will get better. ...

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