The 10 Best Performing Stocks in the Last 25 Years
Published: February 2, 2026 | Analysis by YCharts Research Team
Introduction
Understanding which companies have stood the test of time is invaluable for advisors guiding clients through uncertain markets. That’s why we used the YCharts Stock Screener to identify the best performing stocks across key lookback periods, including year-to-date, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 25 years, across the entire Russell 1000.
Rather than focus solely on recent winners, this analysis reveals which companies consistently rewarded investors over time, whether through capital appreciation, strong fundamentals, or dividend reinvestment. These insights help advisors put short-term volatility in context while positioning for long-term growth.
From 2025’s leaders to the stunning 25-year returns of household names like Monster Beverage and NVIDIA, here’s what advisors need to know about the stocks that delivered year after year.
Click to jump to a section:
- Best-Performing Stocks YTD
- Best-Performing Stocks in the Last Year
- Best-Performing Stocks in the Last 3 Years
- Best-Performing Stocks in the Last 5 Years
- Best-Performing Stocks in the Last 10 Years
- Best-Performing Stocks in the Last 25 Years
- What Was the Growth of $10,000 Over the Last 25 Years?
- How Would Making Regular Contributions Affect Overall Returns?
For a look at the best performers with a dividend focus, check out our analysis on the Best Performing Dividend Stocks.
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Best Performing Stocks YTD
These are the top-performing stocks year-to-date in 2026, as of January 31st, 2026.
| Ticker | Name | YTD Price Return | YTD Total Return | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASTS | AST Spacemobile, Inc. | 53.12% | 53.12% | $30.92B |
| MRNA | Moderna, Inc. | 49.44% | 49.44% | $17.22B |
| MKSI | MKS, Inc. | 47.32% | 47.32% | $15.81B |
| MU | Micron Technology, Inc. | 45.36% | 45.36% | $466.95B |
| WDC | Western Digital Corp. | 45.25% | 45.25% | $84.84B |
| ENTG | Entegris, Inc. | 40.14% | 40.26% | $17.90B |
| ALGM | Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. | 39.92% | 39.92% | $6.833B |
| FTAI | FTAI Aviation Ltd. | 38.34% | 38.34% | $27.93B |
| LRCX | Lam Research Corp. | 36.38% | 36.38% | $291.54B |
| SCCO | Southern Copper Corp. | 32.65% | 32.65% | $155.89B |
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Best Performing Stocks in the Last Year
These are the top-performing stocks between February 1, 2025 and January 31, 2026.
| Ticker | Name | 1Y Price Return | 1Y Total Return | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASTS | AST Spacemobile, Inc. | 449.46% | 449.46% | $30.92B |
| WDC | Western Digital Corp. | 408.45% | 410.35% | $84.84B |
| LITE | Lumentum Holdings, Inc. | 360.66% | 360.66% | $27.79B |
| MU | Micron Technology, Inc. | 354.71% | 356.21% | $466.95B |
| AU | Anglogold Ashanti Plc | 207.41% | 222.90% | $46.89B |
| CIEN | Ciena Corp. | 188.97% | 188.97% | $35.47B |
| LRCX | Lam Research Corp. | 188.04% | 190.66% | $291.54B |
| RKLB | Rocket Lab Corp. | 175.63% | 175.63% | $42.77B |
| FTAI | FTAI Aviation Ltd. | 170.88% | 173.51% | $27.93B |
| MP | MP Materials Corp. | 167.62% | 167.62% | $10.42B |
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Best Performing Stocks in the Last 3 Years
These are the top-performing stocks between February 1, 2023 and January 31, 2026.
| Ticker | Name | 3Y Price Return | 3Y Total Return | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVNA | Carvana Co. | 3844.05% | 3844.05% | $56.73B |
| APP | Applovin Corp. | 3625.28% | 3625.28% | $159.89B |
| ASTS | AST Spacemobile, Inc. | 1965.18% | 1965.18% | $30.92B |
| PLTR | Palantir Technologies, Inc. | 1784.19% | 1784.19% | $349.39B |
| RKLB | Rocket Lab Corp. | 1511.07% | 1511.07% | $42.77B |
| VRT | Vertiv Holdings Co. | 1209.28% | 1213.37% | $71.18B |
| FTAI | FTAI Aviation Ltd. | 1117.89% | 1195.84% | $27.93B |
| NVDA | NVIDIA Corp. | 878.30% | 879.28% | $4.645T |
| HOOD | Robinhood Markets, Inc. | 855.62% | 855.62% | $89.45B |
| FIX | Comfort Systems USA, Inc. | 843.57% | 855.04% | $40.28B |
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Best Performing Stocks in the Last 5 Years
These are the top-performing stocks between February 1, 2021 and January 31, 2026.
| Ticker | Name | 5Y Price Return | 5Y Total Return | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIX | Comfort Systems USA, Inc. | 1960.44% | 2009.52% | $40.28B |
| NVDA | NVIDIA Corp. | 1371.39% | 1375.46% | $4.645T |
| FTAI | FTAI Aviation Ltd. | 1343.02% | 1621.75% | $27.93B |
| WFRD | Weatherford International plc | 1283.53% | 1315.21% | $6.748B |
| CRS | Carpenter Technology Corp. | 917.38% | 995.86% | $15.83B |
| SMCI | Super Micro Computer, Inc. | 839.03% | 839.03% | $17.38B |
| VRT | Vertiv Holdings Co. | 825.35% | 829.30% | $71.18B |
| HWM | Howmet Aerospace, Inc. | 746.54% | 758.11% | $83.75B |
| ASTS | AST Spacemobile, Inc. | 723.78% | 723.78% | $30.92B |
| EME | EMCOR Group, Inc. | 716.23% | 730.37% | $32.26B |
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Best Performing Stocks in the Last 10 Years
These are the top-performing stocks between February 1, 2016 and January 31, 2026.
| Ticker | Name | 10Y Price Return | 10Y Total Return | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVDA | NVIDIA Corp. | 26001.74% | 26648.82% | $4.645T |
| AMD | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | 10660.45% | 10660.45% | $385.41B |
| CELH | Celsius Holdings, Inc. | 7655.66% | 7655.66% | $13.53B |
| DRS | Leonardo DRS, Inc. | 6736.50% | 6804.57% | $10.92B |
| FIX | Comfort Systems USA, Inc. | 3929.99% | 4205.76% | $40.28B |
| ANET | Arista Networks, Inc. | 3677.84% | 3677.84% | $178.49B |
| MU | Micron Technology, Inc. | 3661.38% | 3755.54% | $466.95B |
| TSLA | Tesla, Inc. | 3276.65% | 3276.65% | $1.615T |
| LRCX | Lam Research Corp. | 3151.99% | 3639.55% | $291.54B |
| AXON | Axon Enterprise, Inc. | 3042.17% | 3042.17% | $38.16B |
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Best Performing Stocks in the Last 25 Years
These are the top-performing stocks between February 1, 2001 and January 31, 2026.
| Ticker | Name | 25Y Price Return | 25Y Total Return | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MNST | Monster Beverage Corp. | 190858.10% | 190858.10% | $78.79B |
| NVDA | NVIDIA Corp. | 88746.02% | 96790.91% | $4.598T |
| AAPL | Apple, Inc. | 67079.29% | 79900.70% | $3.878T |
| DECK | Deckers Outdoor Corp. | 57645.07% | 57645.07% | $16.72B |
| FIX | Comfort Systems USA, Inc. | 46138.87% | 57598.53% | $41.13B |
| ODFL | Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. | 39836.36% | 41441.85% | $38.13B |
| TPL | Texas Pacific Land Corp. | 39496.35% | 50359.83% | $23.52B |
| BKNG | Booking Holdings, Inc. | 31239.91% | 31749.99% | $165.07B |
| CLH | Clean Harbors, Inc. | 29604.00% | 29604.00% | $13.94B |
| AMZN | Amazon.com, Inc. | 27548.76% | 27548.76% | $2.620T |
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What Was the Growth of $10,000 Over the Last 25 Years?
If you invested $10,000 25 years ago into any of the ten best-performing stocks over the last 25 years, your balance today would be in the millions of dollars.
The best-performing stock in the last 25 years was Monster Beverage (MNST). A $10,000 investment into Monster Beverage 25 years ago would be worth $19.10 million today. Right behind it is NVIDIA (NVDA); $10,000 invested into NVIDIA in 2001 would’ve turned into $8.89 million today, or $9.69 million after dividend reinvestment.
| Ticker | Name | 25Y Price Growth | 25Y Total Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| MNST | Monster Beverage Corp. | $19.10 million | $19.10 million |
| NVDA | NVIDIA Corp. | $8.885 million | $9.689 million |
| AAPL | Apple, Inc. | $6.718 million | $8.000 million |
| DECK | Deckers Outdoor Corp. | $5.775 million | $5.775 million |
| FIX | Comfort Systems USA, Inc. | $4.624 million | $5.770 million |
| ODFL | Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. | $3.994 million | $4.154 million |
| TPL | Texas Pacific Land Corp. | $3.960 million | $5.046 million |
| BKNG | Booking Holdings, Inc. | $3.134 million | $3.185 million |
| CLH | Clean Harbors, Inc. | $2.970 million | $2.970 million |
| AMZN | Amazon.com, Inc. | $2.765 million | $2.765 million |
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How Would Making Regular Contributions Affect Overall Returns?
Using NVIDIA (NVDA)–one of the world’s most valuable companies and second-best performer over the last 25 years–as an example, contributing $100 each month since February 2001 would’ve equaled a net total contribution of $30,000, with a total return of $13.82 million.
If the monthly contribution was $250 each month ($75,000 total), the net balance after those 25 years would be $34.54 million today.
Download Visual | Create Your Own Scenarios
Though total returns achieved via monthly contributions over the 25 year time horizon wouldn’t have been as large as an upfront lump-sum investment, tools like Scenarios illustrate the importance of “staying the course” as an equity investment strategy to clients.
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