Top Performing Stocks Over the Last 35+Years
Top Performing Stocks Over the Last 35+Years
How to Find the Right Dividend Growth Stock
The stock market is vast and the possibilities are endless. For example, just consider the many ups and downs over the last 35+ years. There have been huge success stories both individually and for the stock market as whole. On the flip side, there have been huge crashes for the entire market, as well as for many individual stocks. One thing is for sure with the stock market; there are no guarantees. Of course, there are some big names that have been doing well for years, along with some other names that might not receive the same notoriety as some of the bigger named companies, but their success is just as real.
Publicly Traded Since 1980
M&T Bank Corporation released a very interesting table recently, whichdetails the best performing stocks since 1980. To clarify, this table does not include any stocks that have gone public since 1980; so many of the best performing stocks in the last 37 years do not appear on the list. It does however take into account all 567 U.S.-based stocks that have been publicly traded since that year. While some of the names on the list will not surprise anyone, there are some others that could make you look twice.
Who Leads the Way?
So without further adieu, let’s take a look at who made the list.
| Rank | Company Name | Industry | Annual Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eaton Vance Corp. | Financials | 23.3 |
| 2 | TJX Companies Inc. | Consumer Discretionary | 23 |
| 3 | Hasbro, Inc. | Consumer Discretionary | 22.2 |
| 4 | Stryker Corporation | Healthcare | 22 |
| 5 | L Brands, Inc. | Consumer Discretionary | 20.8 |
| 6 | Progressive Corporation | Financials | 20.8 |
| 7 | Valspar Corporation | Materials | 20.7 |
| 8 | Mylan N.V. | Healthcare | 20.0 |
| 9 | Gap, Inc. | Consumer Discretionary | 19.9 |
| 10 | Danaher Corporation | Healthcare | 19.8 |
| 11 | vWal-Mart Stores, Inc. | Consumer Staples | 19.7 |
| 12 | State Street Corporation | Financials | 19.6 |
| 13 | Sherwin-Williams Company | Materials | 19.6 |
| 14 | Equifax Inc. | Industrials | 19.6 |
| 15 | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Class A | Financials | 19.6 |
| 16 | M&T Bank Corporation | Financials | 18.9 |
| 17 | Robert Half International Inc. | Industrials | 18.9 |
| 18 | Constellation Brands, Inc. Class B | Consumer Staples | 18.7 |
| 19 | Graco Inc. | Industrials | 18.7 |
| 20 | Lowe’s Companies, Inc. | Consumer Discretionary | 18.7 |
| 21 | Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. | Consumer Staples | 18.6 |
| 22 | Aflac Incorporated | Financials | 18.6 |
| 23 | Flowers Foods, Inc. | Consumer Staples | 18.5 |
| 24 | Astronics Corporation | Industrials | 18.4 |
| 25 | Church & Dwight Co., Inc. | Consumer Staples | 18.3 |
| 26 | V.F. Corporation | Consumer Discretionary | 18.0 |
| 27 | RLI Corp. | Financials | 17.9 |
| 28 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Information Technology | 17.9 |
| 29 | Raven Industries, Inc. | Industrials | 17.9 |
| 30 | HollyFrontier Corporation | Energy | 17.8 |
Interesting Facts
You can make several observations from this list, and each person might find different points of interest. Here are just a couple. Berkshire Hathaway, which is led by one of the world’s richest men, Warren Buffett, had to settle for number 15 on the list, and it trailed three other stocks in the financial sector. Meantime, financial stocks dominate the list, with seven different entries. Industrials and consumer stocks are also very common on the list, while only two materials companies made the top 30
We hope you found this article about “Top Performing Stocks Over the Last 35+Years” helpful. If you have questions or need expert tax or family office advice that’s refreshingly objective (we never sell investments), please contact us or visit our Family office page or our website at www.GROCO.com. Unfortunately, we no longer give advice to other tax professionals gratis.
To receive our free newsletter, contact us here.
Subscribe our YouTube Channel for more updates.
Alan Olsen, is the Host of the American Dreams Show and the Managing Partner of GROCO.com. GROCO is a premier family office and tax advisory firm located in the San Francisco Bay area serving clients all over the world.
Alan L. Olsen, CPA, Wikipedia Bio
GROCO.com is a proud sponsor of The American Dreams Show.
The American Dreams show was the brainchild of Alan Olsen, CPA, MBA. It was originally created to fill a specific need; often inexperienced entrepreneurs lacked basic information about raising capital and how to successfully start a business.
Alan sincerely wanted to respond to the many requests from aspiring entrepreneurs asking for the information and introductions they needed. But he had to find a way to help in which his venture capital clients and friends would not mind.
The American Dreams show became the solution, first as a radio show and now with YouTube videos as well. Always respectful of interview guest’s time, he’s able to give access to individuals information and inspiration previously inaccessible to the first-time entrepreneurs who need it most.
They can listen to venture capitalists and successful business people explain first-hand, how they got to where they are, how to start a company, how to overcome challenges, how they see the future evolving, opportunities, work-life balance and so much more..
American Dreams discusses many topics from some of the world’s most successful individuals about their secrets to life’s success. Topics from guest have included:
Creating purpose in life / Building a foundation for their life / Solving problems / Finding fulfillment through philanthropy and service / Becoming self-reliant / Enhancing effective leadership / Balancing family and work…
MyPaths.com (Also sponsored by GROCO) provides free access to content and world-class entrepreneurs, influencers and thought leaders’ personal success stories. To help you find your path in life to true, sustainable success & happiness. It’s mission statement:
In an increasingly complex and difficult world, we hope to help you find your personal path in life and build a strong foundation by learning how others found success and happiness. True and sustainable success and happiness are different for each one of us but possible, often despite significant challenges.
Our mission at MyPaths.com is to provide resources and firsthand accounts of how others found their paths in life, so you can do the same.
Connor Boyack on Empowering the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Connor Boyack never set out to be a children’s author or an architect of youth entrepreneurship programs. His career began in politics and web development, but a persistent search for meaning and impact ultimately led him to build one of the most influential educational movements of the past decade. Today, as founder of the Libertas…
Jerry Browder: A Mission Driven Legacy
Jerry Browder on Building Signet Health: A Legacy of Purpose, Faith, and Life-Saving Mental Health Care For most entrepreneurs, the journey is measured in revenues, exits, and market share. For Jerry Browder, founder of Signet Health, success is measured in lives saved, hope restored, and a mission that will outlive him. “I started Signet with a…
Why Scaling Requires Impossible Goals
Impossible Goals: Inside Dr. Ben Hardy’s Game Changing Psychology of Business Growth In a business world obsessed with incremental growth and conventional playbooks, Dr. Benjamin Hardy is breaking all the rules. An organizational psychologist and bestselling author, Hardy has spent the last decade redefining how entrepreneurs scale—not just their companies, but their very identities. Now,…
Howard Rosenfeld: Reshaping Local Food Systems
Bridging Fields and Communities: How Howard Rosenfeld’s Farmers Table Is Reshaping Local Food Systems At first glance, Warren, Connecticut, seems like countless New England towns—charming stone walls, rolling green hills, and sleepy roads winding past farmsteads. But beneath its pastoral calm, a quiet revolution in sustainable agriculture and community building is underway, led by Howard…