A big part of retiring early is having enough passive income and savings built up to help you live comfortably before collecting Social Security. Dividend stocks are fantastic buys for this reason, but growth stocks can also be an advantageous investment for early retirement.
Two growth stocks that could be major moneymakers if held long term are Airbnb (ABNB 0.54%) and Shopify (SHOP -2.85%). Here's a closer look at each and why they could help you retire early.
1. Airbnb: Transforming travel one stay at a time
True industry disrupters like Airbnb don't come along that often. While the vacation rental listing giant has its fair share of headwinds to overcome to thrive long term, it's got all the signs for being a massive moneymaker over the next 10 to 20 years.
Its site has 4 million hosts and over 6 million active listings on the platform, making it the largest vacation rental platform in the world. The recent travel boom helped the company achieve its most profitable quarter yet in the second quarter of 2022. Its revenue grew by 58% year over year, while its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) were over three times Q2 2021's number.
But a trend favoring unique or alternative accommodations that Airbnb offers has been developing for a while. COVID-19 just accelerated it. And it's one I feel is here to stay. More and more hosts are joining the platform, and nightly bookings and experiences on Airbnb were up 25% over the prior year.
A growing number of cities are banning short-term vacation rentals, which could impact its ability to grow long term. However, given the country's diverse hosting locations, Airbnb should be able to offset the impact of this trend. General stock market volatility and concern over recessionary impacts on travel spending have pushed the stock down 32% this year, making today's pricing a great time to buy in.
2. Shopify: An online shopping leader
Shopify offers merchant solutions for retail and e-commerce websites. Its products are used in 175 countries, from small local businesses to international retail giants like Netflix and Kraft Heinz, and is rapidly growing.
Like many other tech shares, Shopify has had a tough year. The slump in growth stocks -- and now, concerns over the economy and the retail spending -- have sent shares of the e-commerce platform sliding close to 81%. While the stock has certainly seen better days, it still has lots of potential over the long term, making it a perfect buy for early retirement.
Despite the general wavering confidence in the markets, Shopify's foundation for continued growth remains strong. Revenue was up 16% in Q2 2022 thanks to more merchants using its platform as well as a steady increase in the use of its merchant solutions like Shopify Payments and Shopify Capital. The company also launched its own distribution network to provide faster shipping for its merchants and customers.
Yet the company still saw a net loss of $38.5 million in Q2 2022. Shopify's management team overestimated growth projections, forcing the company to cut roughly 10% of its employees this September and leaving a bad taste in investors' mouths.
However, I still think it's a worthy growth stock for investors to consider. Aside from temporary economic downturns, e-commerce sales should continue to grow over the next decade. Shopify is perfectly positioned to grow with it, especially with the introduction of its new programs and distribution channels.
Growth stocks can be tricky for retirement because there's no guarantee they will grow as hoped. If stability is what you're looking for, it's likely better to invest in dividend-paying stocks with a long track record of dividend growth. However, if you are willing to invest a little to potentially get paid off big, these two growth stocks are definitely worth considering.
