Finding stocks that can deliver 10x returns in a reasonable time frame is a goal for many investors. However, finding stocks capable of generating 100x or even 1,000x returns is even better.
By studying some of the greatest investments of all time, investors can pinpoint what makes for a potentially successful long-term investment story. While there's no guarantee that any stock can repeat these feats, identifying companies that display these traits is a smart idea.
Below, I'll take a look at some companies that turned a mere $1,000 into $1 million over the long haul and see what investors can learn from those companies to drive their future investment decisions.
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All of these stocks started with a specific product or service and gradually expanded
The three stocks I want to focus on are Nvidia (NVDA +1.68%), Amazon (AMZN 1.22%), and Microsoft (MSFT +1.29%). All three of these companies started off doing a specific task then dramatically grew their businesses to include other areas.
Nvidia, the leader in graphics processing units (GPUs), which are in heavy demand during the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, didn't start off thinking that its processing units would be used in massive data centers for training AI. Instead, they were initially launched for the purpose of processing gaming graphics. Nvidia's products dominated this niche, although they slowly expanded into other use cases like engineering simulations, drug discovery, and cryptocurrency mining before ultimately seeing their biggest use case ever in AI.
If you had invested $1,000 into Nvidia at its initial public offering (IPO), that investment would now be worth $4.6 million.
Amazon has a similar story. Its e-commerce platform started as a website that only sold books. Eventually, Amazon added more products before eventually reaching the point where you can buy nearly everything under the sun. It also launched ancillary businesses to support its e-commerce aspirations, like delivery, advertising, and third-party seller services.
These expansions allowed Amazon to thrive and continue growing, even when nearly every person in the U.S. was already a customer. A $1,000 investment at the company's IPO would now be worth about $2.5 million -- an incredible return.
Microsoft's run took a lot longer than Amazon's or Nvidia's, but it got there eventually.
Everyone knows the story of Microsoft launching software for PCs. The company's offerings eventually expanded to include operating systems, Office products, and other programs that helped it grow into the behemoth it is today. Microsoft's products have changed the world, and its willingness to pivot into different areas, including the most recent computing trend, cloud computing, is a testament to why it was successful.
While all three of these companies turned $1,000 into at least $1 million, it wasn't always a straight line upward.
All of these companies have dealt with massive drawdowns
It hasn't been a smooth ride up for any of these companies. During their massive rises, all three have dealt with times when their stock prices were down 75% or more from their all-time highs.
Amazon lost almost 95% of its value during the dot-com crash. It took a lot of courage for some hardy investors to hold on through those tough times, but anyone who did was greatly rewarded.
It's not easy to achieve these incredible returns, but if you're looking for stocks that can, try looking for companies that have a product that's excelling in one niche but has the potential to capture a massive global market. Once you've found a company that meets that requirement, you must hold onto it for the long term and let the business do the talking. Market sentiment can drive stocks up and down and can cause stocks to disconnect from business metrics. As long as the company is continuously growing, that's all that matters.
These companies are rare, so don't be disappointed if you miss this generation's 1,000 bagger, but several stocks available for purchase in the market can provide impressive returns. The key is to find them and hold on for a long time.
