Osama Bin Laden’s death comes nearly 10 years after the al Qaeda leader launched the horrific attacks of 9/11. In the wake of that dreaded day, many market observers thought the U.S. equity market would be hobbled for years to come. Well, that didn’t happen, and much of the reason why is due to the incredible resolve inherent in the American spirit — and in the capital markets that this spirit exemplifies.
In fact, while many stocks have held strong or seen measured gains, some have seen tremendous profits over the last decade. I put a short list together of some of the best performing stocks over the past decade — and here are 10 of my top picks. This list is by no means exclusive; a Bloomberg screen of stocks up more than 10 times over the past 10 years revealed over 130 names. I chose to focus on companies that are widely held, well-known corporate names that can be found in many portfolios.
Here are 10 familiar stocks up more than 10 times over the past 10 years.
Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN). The paradigm for online retailing over the past decade has unquestionably been Amazon. The company practically started the idea with books, but now it sells just about anything you can imagine. The company was an easy sell with investors, who sent the stock surging 1,075% during the past 10 years.
Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN). The online travel industry really took off after the Great Recession, as über-cost conscious consumers and businesses adopted travel sites en masse. Yet even before the very widespread use by consumers and industry, investors booked big gains with Priceline.com shares to the tune of 1,231% over the past 10 years.
Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI). The diesel engine maker really powered up its shares over the last 10 years, and if you’ve ever ridden in a Cummins-powered vehicle, you’ll understand why. The company makes some of the best products in the industry, and investors rewarded that quality by bidding up the stock big time. CMI shares drove to a 1,273% return over the past decade.
Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN). The eclectic fashion retailer hit the mark among teens and college students over the past decade, offering stylish clothes for everyday life. The stock also hit the mark over the past decade with investors, with URBN shares serving up a stylish 1,845% return.
Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ: CTSH). The IT and technology consulting firm came into its own over the past decade, as scores of companies realized the virtue and profit-producing savings of implementing Cognizant’s customer relationship management and enterprise resources planning software. Investors also realized the virtue of CTSH shares, sending the stock up 2,178% over the past 10 years.
Jos. A. Bank Clothing
(NASDAQ: JOSB). This clothing company provides businessmen with stylish work clothes at an affordable price. The company’s frequent sales attract big revenue, and that big revenue has translated into big gains for the stock. Over the past 10 years, JOSB shares have donned a 2,550% return.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL). What can be said about the iconic personal technology maker that hasn’t already been said? Well, how about the fact that over the last decade, CEO Steve Jobs has helped engineer a remarkable gain of 2,505% in AAPL stock.
Southern Copper Corp. (NYSE: SCCO). One of the best-performing stocks over the past decade has been a metals stock, but it deals in neither gold nor silver. Rather, it provides a copper-hungry world with the materials needed to build out the globe. Investors also have built out SCCO shares, sending it 2,764% higher over the past 10 years.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR). The coffee company really caffeinated its profits with the Keurig single-cup brewer products and other accessories, and that helped investors drink up a flavorful return of 3,268% over the past decade.
Hansen Natural (NASDAQ: HANS). One of the very best performers over the past decade also was a beverage company, but this company’s beverages are carbonated and full of juice. Investors loved the taste of Hansen shares, and they juiced the stock up an incredible 16,229% over the past 10 years. Now that’s a return worth raising a tall glass of soda to.
At the time of publication, Jim Woods held no positions in any of the stocks mentioned in this article.
