Answer:
The investor's annualized rate of return (EAR) is approximately 0.0562 or 5.62%.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the EAR, we need to compare the initial investment value with the final investment value. In this case, the investor paid $36.7 per share for Berkshire Hathaway shares and sold them for $74.8 per share after 34 years.
Using the formula for EAR, we divide the final value ($74.8) by the initial value ($36.7) and raise it to the power of 1 divided by the number of years (34). Subtracting 1 from this value gives us the annualized rate of return.
Applying the calculations:
EAR = ($74.8 / $36.7) ^ (1 / 34) - 1
≈ 2.0403 ^ 0.0294 - 1
≈ 0.0562
Therefore, the investor achieved an annualized rate of return of approximately 5.62%. This indicates the average annual growth rate of the investment over the 34-year period.