You don’t have to be Warren Buffett to make a killing in the stock market. In fact, many people have made millions by buying and holding at the right time, where the S&P 500 is concerned. Sticking with a strong investment strategy can be the difference between earning a middle-class salary and pushing you to become a high-net-worth individual.
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When you catch lightning in a bottle, you may be tempted to cash in quickly, but rich people know that playing the long game with certain stocks can grow your wealth exponentially. Here are a few stocks you should hold on to indefinitely.
Apple (AAPL)
- Stock price year range: $169.21 to $260.10
- Market cap: $3.39 trillion
Generally, Apple is never a bad investment. Though it has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating from analysts, with some suggesting potential upside based on price targets and positive earnings reports, there are worries about slower iPhone growth and potential tariff risks.
However, Apple has proven over and over again to be an extraordinary company that has a massive following and fan base. This, along with its consistent performance and track record, makes it a true profit-generating machine. It also pays dividends that allow you to reinvest and buy more shares, which only strengthens your position and boosts your wealth.
For example, and for the sake of easy math, if you had invested $100,000 in Apple 10 years ago, you would be sitting on a good chunk of change now. At the end of that year (2015), the stock closed around $23.78 a share, which would have given you just over 4,205 shares.
As of Aug. 11, 2025, the stock price is $228.55, which means if you just held on to the stock, you’d have about $961,053. This example doesn’t factor in reinvested dividends or splits, but still shows you how you could have nearly become a millionaire with just one big upfront investment that you didn’t sell.
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Tesla (TSLA)
- Stock price year range: $194.68 to $488.54
- Market cap: $1.08 trillion
One of the most important lessons you can learn about making money in the market is to invest in what you know and love — i.e. companies that are aligned with your vision of the future. Tesla is known for developing tech that is better for the environment, so buying stock is considered green investing in clean energy, autonomous driving and battery technology.
Despite Tesla’s somewhat rocky 2025, it’s still a stock that has made many investors very, very rich. To continue the example, if you had invested $100,000 in Tesla 10 years ago, which had an average closing price of $15.34 in 2015, it would have given you about 6,519 shares. As the current stock price is around $343, you would now have just over $2.2 million.
Shopify (SHOP)
- Stock price year range: $69.84 to $156.85
- Market cap: $193.9 billion
Shopify is another, somewhat sneakier stock you shouldn’t sell. The company is not just a platform for online stores, but a partner for entrepreneurs, creators and innovators, which creates a pretty solid network and growth trajectory.
Because Shopify empowers millions of people to start and grow their own businesses online, it has a lot of growth potential and will continue to support the future of commerce for new entrepreneurs and small businesses alike.
Shopify went public in 2015, and if you had invested straight away, you would have been able to scoop up shares for $17. If you had a really good feeling about the company and invested $100,000, it would have given you about 5,882 shares. As of Aug. 11, 2025, the stock price is $149, which means your original investment would be worth a whopping $876,418.
Amazon (AMZN)
- Stock price year range: $161.43 to $242.52
- Market cap: $2.37 trillion
Seasoned investors have learned that the key to building wealth is patience, diversification and investing in companies that have a proven track record and a clear vision for the future. In turn, that’s why many have decided to never sell Amazon.
Amazon is a diversified technology giant with a leading market share in multiple industries, including e-commerce, cloud computing, digital advertising and artificial intelligence. Diversification provides a level of stability and growth potential that is hard to find in other companies.
Not only this, but Amazon has shown resilience and growth potential despite facing challenges and controversy. It doesn’t seem this global juggernaut is going anywhere, and neither should your investment, according to the many, many self-made millionaires it has created.
If you had invested $100,000 in Amazon stock 10 years ago (2015 showed an average closing price of $33.79), you would have obtained about 2,959 shares. The current stock price is $221.77, which would have boosted your original investment to about $656,217, not factoring in splits.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 4 Big Stocks That Rich Investors Never Sell
