Three stocks which have generated 100-bagger returns for investors over the past 20 years are Booking Holdings (BKNG 0.99%), Apple (AAPL 0.96%), and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN 0.66%). Here's a look at how much a $1,000 investment into each of these stocks back then would be worth now, and whether it's still a good idea to invest in them.
NASDAQ: BKNG
Key Data Points
Booking Holdings: $180,000
Over the past two decades, Booking Holdings has experienced significant growth as demand for its online booking services has skyrocketed. Back in 2004, the company generated more than $914 million in sales, posting profits of $31.5 million. The business was profitable and the long-term potential was alluring, with massive opportunities opening up due to more widespread use of the internet.
Today, the business is worth around $150 billion, and it would have a turned a $1,000 investment into approximately $180,000 over 20 years. Last year, it reported $23.7 billion in sales, and its profits totaled $5.9 billion. Booking.com, Kayak.com, and Priceline.com are some of the names travelers first go to when looking to book a trip -- and Booking Holdings owns all those brands.
As well as it has done over the past couple of decades, it still looks like a good buy and a way to bet on the travel industry's future growth. Even if the near term may be a challenging one for economies around the world, investing in Booking Holdings can still be a great move for the long haul.
NASDAQ: AAPL
Key Data Points
Apple: $151,000
At a market cap of $3.3 trillion, Apple is the most valuable company in the world today. Even though it may not be the innovative company it was a decade or so ago, its ability to build on its flagship iPhone and create the iPad and other products and services along the way has enabled the business to become a behemoth.
Apple's growth these days is a bit modest, as revenue for the last three months of 2024 was up just 4%, but it still has opportunities in its services business to drive more growth. That segment generated 14% revenue growth last quarter, and at $26.3 billion, it now accounts for more than one-fifth of the company's total revenue.
The stock may not generate 100-fold returns for investors who buy it today, but it can still make for a dependable investment to buy, hold, and simply forget about. Apple's business looks rock-solid, and it's little wonder Warren Buffett says it's the "best business" he knows of -- on top of having an iconic consumer brand, it has generated more than $98 billion in free cash flow over the trailing 12 months.
NASDAQ: REGN
Key Data Points
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals: $125,000
Rounding out this list is healthcare company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. A couple of decades ago, this would have been a fairly risky stock to own. While it did post a profit in 2004, that was because it experienced a significant boost in contract research and development revenue. But in the two previous years, its net losses totaled more than $100 million.
The business is much safer today: It generated more than $14.2 billion in sales for 2024, with net income coming in at over $4.4 billion. Its medication for wet age-related macular degeneration, Eylea, wasn't approved until 2011; last year it brought in $6 billion in revenue.
Regeneron has more growth opportunities ahead, as it has a strong pipeline which features dozens of possible drug candidates. This pharma stock can be a good one to buy and hold on to, and it's cheap too, trading at just 14 times its estimated future earnings.
