If you are looking for the next big stock, then a peek at history could help you. You can learn valuable investment lessons by studying the most successful stocks of all time. Although the most successful stocks tend to change over time, their characteristics are often the same.
For instance, successful stocks or companies are often profitable, outperform the S&P 500 for decades, and are usually household names. Let’s take look at the most successful stocks of all time.
These Are The Most Successful Stocks Of All Time
It is almost impossible to compile a true list of the most successful stocks of all time because successful companies often are acquired, split up, or merge with other successful companies.
Apple
Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) designs, makes and sells smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and related services.
Five institutions holding the stock
Microsoft
Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) designs, makes and sells software, services, devices and solutions.
Five institutions holding the stock
Alphabet
Founded 2015 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) delivers online advertising, cloud-based solutions, and other related products and services, including apps, subscription-based products, and more.
Five institutions holding the stock
Amazon.com
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) deals in cloud computing, digital streaming, e-commerce, online advertising and artificial intelligence.
Five institutions holding the stock
NVIDIA
Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) designs, makes, and sells computer graphics processors, chipsets, and related multimedia software.
Five institutions holding the stock
Tesla
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) designs, develops, makes, and sells electric vehicles and energy generation and storage systems.
Five institutions holding the stock
Berkshire Hathaway
Founded in 1839 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE:BRK.A) deals in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, freight rail transportation, finance, utilities and energy, and more.
Five institutions holding the stock
Meta Platforms
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META) develops and operates social media applications to help people connect, find communities and grow businesses.
Five institutions holding the stock
UnitedHealth Group
Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) offers healthcare coverage, software and data consultancy services.
Five institutions holding the stock
Visa
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in San Francisco, California Visa Inc (NYSE:V) offers digital payment services and facilitates global commerce. The company also provides debit cards, credit cards, commercial payment solutions and prepaid products.
Five institutions holding the stock
Exxon Mobil
Founded in 1882 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) deals in the exploration, development, and distribution of oil, gas, and petroleum products.
Five institutions holding the stock
Eli Lilly
Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE:LLY) discovers, develops, makes and sells pharmaceutical products, including for diabetes, oncology, immunology, neuroscience and other treatment areas.
Five institutions holding the stock
Johnson & Johnson
Founded in 1886 and headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) develops, makes and sells healthcare-related products.
Five institutions holding the stock
JPMorgan Chase
Founded in 1968 and headquartered in New York City, JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) is a financial holding company that offers a range of financial and investment banking services in all capital markets.
Five institutions holding the stock
Walmart
Founded in 1945 and headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) operates in the retail and wholesale business and offers an assortment of merchandise and services at everyday low prices.
Five institutions holding the stock
Mastercard
Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Purchase, New York, Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) operates in the payments industry and helps connect consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses.
Five institutions holding the stock
Procter & Gamble
Founded in 1837 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) is among the world’s largest consumer goods companies. The company owns several popular brands, including Tide, Ariel, Pampers and more.
Five institutions holding the stock
Broadcom
Founded in 1961 and headquartered in San Jose, California, Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO) designs, develops and sells semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions.
Five Institutions holding the stock
Home Depot
Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) deals in the sale of building materials, home improvement products, lawn and garden products, and decor products.
Five institutions holding the stock
Chevron
Founded in 1906 and headquartered in San Ramon, California, Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) offers administrative, financial management and technology support to companies for energy and chemical operations.
Five institutions holding the stock
Oracle
Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) offers products and services that target all corporate information technology needs.
Five institutions holding the stock
Merck
Founded in 1891 and headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey, Merck & Co Inc (NYSE:MRK) provides health solutions through its prescription medicines, biologic therapies, animal health and consumer care products, and vaccines.
Five institutions holding the stock
Coca-Cola
Founded in 1886 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) makes and sells non-alcoholic beverages.
Five institutions holding the stock
FAQ
Which stock has had the highest return in the last 30 years?
- Monster Beverage Corp (NASDAQ:MNST) (on the basis of 30-year total return – 213,088%)
- Apple (on the basis of annualized dollar weighted return – 23.5%)
What would $1,000 invested in Apple in 1984 be worth today?
Apple shares traded at a split-adjusted price of 13 cents on Jan. 23, 1984. Thus, one could have purchased 7,692.31 Apple shares with $1,000. Based on Apple’s current share price of $181.43 (at the time of writing), a $1,000 investment in 1984 would be worth nearly $1.4 million today.
What is the fastest-growing stock in history?
Daqo New Energy Corp (NYSE:DQ) is considered to be the fastest-growing stock in history. This China-based company is a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon, which is a key component for solar panels. It has generated a total return of 280% over the last three years (compared to 25% for the S&P 500).
What is the best stock to buy right now?
Many stocks could fall in the category of the best stocks to buy right now, including Apple, Microsoft, Tesla, Etsy Inc (NASDAQ:ETSY), JD.Com Inc (NASDAQ:JD), Alphabet, Amazon and CubeSmart (NYSE:CUBE).
