Performance Ranking: These stocks have posted the best returns over the last 30 years

11th place: The ranking

The vast majority of U.S. investors seek to accumulate long-term capital that will grow over time and potentially improve their quality of life in retirement. Charlie Bilello, chief market strategist at Creative Planning, compiled a list of the 10 best-performing stocks in the market from July 1993 to July 2023, according to US.News. These stocks could offer investors some valuable insights for the next 30 years. For stocks that have been listed on the stock exchange for less than 30 years, the total return since the IPO is given. The ranking is current as of July 2023.

Source: US.News, Image: Virojt Changyencham / Shutterstock.com

10th place: Netflix

Shares of streaming video giant Netflix have declined over the past three years, but there is no question that Netflix has been one of the fastest-growing stocks on the market since its IPO in May 2002. At the time of the IPO, the company was still sending DVDs to its customers by mail. Today, Netflix has around 238 million paid memberships and is one of the largest media companies in the world. Since 2002, Netflix has generated a total return of 40,680 percent, which translates to an average annual return of about 32.8 percent. An initial investment of $10,000 in Netflix stock just 21 years ago would be worth about $4.1 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: XanderSt / Shutterstock.com

9th place: Pool Corp.

The Pool Corp. is the world’s largest wholesaler of swimming pool accessories and equipment, as well as related outdoor and irrigation products. The company went public back in 1995 and has achieved an impressive total return of 57,251 percent since its IPO. This corresponds to an average annual return of 25.7 percent. A $10,000 investment in pool stocks in 1995 would be worth about $5.7 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: StacieStauffSmith Photos / Shutterstock.com

8th place: Altria Group

Eighth place among the top performers goes to tobacco giant Altria. Altria went public for the first time in July 1985. Despite continued public attention and regulatory pressure on the tobacco industry over the years, Altria’s shares have overall increased 60,589 percent over the past three decades, representing an average annual return of 23.8 percent. An initial investment of $10,000 in Altria stock in 1993 would be worth about $6.1 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: istockphoto / djordje zivaljevic

7th place: Cooper Cos.

Cooper Cos. specializes in the development and manufacture of specialty products in the healthcare sector. The company’s CooperVision division focuses on contact lens production, while its CooperSurgical unit produces medical devices, genomics and fertility products. Cooper has been listed on the stock exchange since December 1983 and has achieved a return of 61,029 percent for investors over the last 30 years. Since 1993, Cooper has delivered investors an average annual return of 23.8 percent. A $10,000 investment in COO stock 30 years ago is worth about $6.1 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: Guido Mieth/Getty Images

6th place: NVR

NVR is one of the premier home building companies in the United States, specializing in the construction and sale of custom homes, townhomes, single-family and luxury homes under the Ryan Homes, NVHomes and Heartland Homes brands. The company went public in June 1986 and has posted a total return of 62,186 percent over the past 30 years. Since 1993, NVR has recorded an average annual return of 23.9 percent. At this point, an original $10,000 investment in NVR stock 30 years ago would be worth about $6.2 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: DCStockPhotography / Shutterstock.com

5th place: NVIDIA

Semiconductor giant NVIDIA ranks 5th among the best performers of the last 30 years. The company went public in January 1999. Despite cyclical fluctuations in the semiconductor industry, NVIDIA shares have gained as much as 64,223 percent since the IPO, representing an average annual return of 30.2 percent. Predictions say artificial intelligence, cloud computing, autonomous vehicles and other high-end technology trends will continue to drive NVIDIA’s revenue growth over the next 30 years. If you had made an initial investment of $10,000 in NVIDIA stock in 1999, it would be worth about $6.4 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: michelmond / Shutterstock.com

4th place: Biogenic

Biogen is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Biogen celebrated its stock market debut in September 1991. Since 1993, the company has generated a total return of 74,990 percent for its investors, which corresponds to an annual return of 24.7 percent. A $10,000 investment in Biogen stock in 1993 would be worth about $7.5 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: Biogen Inc

3rd place: Apple

Third place in the ranking goes to the tech giant Apple. Apple went public in December 1980 and developed into one of the most innovative tech companies of all time. Over the past 30 years, Apple has been able to generate a total return of 96,333 percent for its investors, or 25.7 percent per year. A $10,000 investment in Apple stock in 1993 would be worth about $9.6 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: Marek Szandurski / Shutterstock.com

2nd place: Amazon

The e-commerce and cloud service provider Amazon made it to second place among the top performers. The company made its stock market debut in May 1997. Since then, Amazon has achieved a total return of 178,141 percent, more than any other technology stock in the last 30 years. $10,000 invested in AMZN stock in 1997 would be worth about $17.8 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com

1st place: Monster Beverage

First place in the ranking goes to Monster Beverage. The beverage maker, best known for its energy drinks, went public in 1990 and has generated a total return, including dividends, of 191,852 percent over the past 30 years. In 2015, Monster entered into a deal with Coca-Cola in which Coca-Cola took a 16.7 percent stake in Monster and in return Coca-Cola became Monster’s primary global distributor. Over the past three decades, Monster stocks have generated an average annual return of 31 percent. A $10,000 share of Monster stock in 1993 would be worth about $19.2 million today.

Source: US.News, Image: Monster Energy