2 Great Stocks Under $100 to Buy and Hold for 10 Years

One of the good things about equity markets is that there are great stocks to be had at almost any price. Not all companies whose shares are worth buying are trading for hundreds or thousands of dollars apiece. For less than $100, investors can buy quality stocks that could deliver outsized returns over the next decade.

Let's look at two examples: CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP 0.34%) and Block (SQ 2.32%). For those with $100 (or less) to spare, buying either of these stocks would be money well spent.

1. CRISPR Therapeutics 

Finally launching a product on the market is always an important event for clinical-stage biotech companies. It can lead to a soaring share price, consistent revenue and earnings growth, and more cash to develop and market other therapies. CRISPR Therapeutics is inching closer to this milestone with its gene-editing treatment, exa-cel.

Under development together with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, exa-cel has proven effective in clinical studies at easing the burden of patients with sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia -- two rare blood diseases. Exa-cel is essentially a functional cure for both that uses the CRISPR gene-editing technology, the creators of which won a Nobel prize for their work. There are no approved gene-editing therapies using this groundbreaking technology.

That could change soon as exa-cel is being considered by regulatory authorities in the U.S. and Europe. The first approvals could come down late this year. A regulatory nod for exa-cel could mean much more to investors than the Nobel prize won by the pioneers of the CRISPR gene-editing technique. It would validate CRISPR Therapeutics' approach, as its other programs use the same technology.

It could also lead to improved financial results for CRISPR Therapeutics. Research firm Evaluate Pharma estimates global annual sales of $1.7 billion for exa-cel by 2028. This number is uncertain and subject to change. CRISPR and Vertex have yet to announce how they will price exa-cel although around $2 million seems like a fair cost.

And with at least 32,000 patients to work with in the U.S. and Europe -- and potentially substantially more -- exa-cel's opportunity is massive. Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics will share the profits associated with it on a 60% and 40% basis, respectively. If the two partners can treat an average of 500 patients annually in the next 10 years, they could generate $10 billion in sales, $4 billion of which would go to CRISPR Therapeutics.

That would just be the beginning for the biotech. It boasts several exciting candidates across multiple areas, at least a couple of which should make it to the market in the next five years. That's why CRISPR Therapeutics looks like a solid buy for the next decade, and investors can buy shares now for way less than $100 at just $51 apiece. 

2. Block 

Block has had a challenging year. The company's Bitcoin revenue dropped substantially, it was hit with a short-seller report, and its most recent quarterly update failed to impress investors despite progress on many fronts. But even with these issues, Block remains one of the best fintech stocks. Bitcoin revenue is bouncing back, and the company's two main ecosystems, Square (where it offers a suite of services to businesses) and its peer-to-peer payment app, Cash App, continue to be the stars of the show.

In the second quarter, Block's total revenue of $5.53 billion increased by 26% year over year. Block's total gross profit of $1.87 billion was 27% higher than the year-ago period. Gross profit at Square and Cash App rose by 18% and 37% year over year, respectively. However, Block remains unprofitable with a net loss of $123 million in the period, which was nevertheless better than the loss of $208 million recorded in the prior-year quarter.

The good news is that there are plenty of growth opportunities for Block. Its Square ecosystem is an excellent example of the strength of its business. Block's clients rely on its point-of-sale (POS) systems and accompanying tools, which include payroll and inventory services, the ability to create an online storefront and online and brick-and-mortar integration, and much more. Block arguably benefits from high switching costs, an important economic moat.

And with an expanding suite of services (it started offering just POS systems geared primarily toward small businesses), Block can squeeze increasingly more out of its existing customers within its Square ecosystem. Meanwhile, Cash App is doing a good job of democratizing finance, particularly for the underbanked, by offering traditional banking services largely at no cost. Cash App ended the second quarter with 54 million active accounts, an increase of 15% year over year.

This number has grown continuously in recent years and that growth isn't over. Block should be able to rely on its two core ecosystems to drive strong revenue growth -- and eventually profits -- through the next 10 years. The company's shares are currently changing hands for about $64 each.