Long-term investing offers many benefits, including tax advantages, compounded returns, and the ability to disregard short-term market fluctuations, which can cause stress and lead to panic selling. These advantages obviously work optimally when investors pick the right stocks to put their hard-earned money in. And with hundreds of choices, it can be challenging to separate those that are worth serious consideration and those that aren't.
Let's consider two that firmly sit in the former basket: Alphabet (GOOG +1.24%) (GOOGL +1.15%) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX +5.35%). Here's why these two companies may be excellent long-term bets.
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1. Alphabet
Alphabet is one of the largest companies in the world by market capitalization. As of this writing, it is closing in on a $4 trillion valuation, which would make it part of an incredibly exclusive group. But Alphabet's size does not mean its growth days are behind it (although maybe its very best days are). There are several reasons the company can still deliver superior returns over the long run. Let's consider three of them.
First, Alphabet's core advertising business looks about as strong as ever. It still maintains a significant lead in the online search category and has strengthened its ecosystem amid the threat of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots by introducing AI overviews and an AI mode to its renowned search engine. The result is that it still gets significant search volume, which leads to massive ad revenue. Alphabet's third-quarter sales climbed by 16% year over year to $102.3 billion.
Google advertising accounted for $74.2 billion of that, representing a 12.6% increase compared to the year-ago period.
NASDAQ: GOOGL
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Second, Alphabet is making significant strides in cloud computing. The company's Google Cloud remains its fastest-growing segment, with ongoing improvements in this area, thanks to AI services. Google Cloud's revenue for the third quarter was $15.2 billion, representing a 33.5% year-over-year increase. Third, Alphabet is proving to be a capable competitor to OpenAI, the leader in generative AI. The tech giant's launch of Gemini 3 was well received. Gemini's progress could lead to growing subscriptions for the company, a high-margin and predictable source of revenue.
We can also point to Alphabet's long-term planning, which is evident through investments in exciting technologies, such as self-driving vehicles. Alphabet has performed well over the past 11 months, following a challenging start to 2025. The stock may or may not maintain that momentum heading into 2026, but for those willing to hold on to it for a long time, it can deliver above-average returns.
2. Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Vertex Pharmaceuticals has struggled this year due to clinical setbacks and worse-than-expected financial results. However, the stock still has many redeeming qualities. The biotech's core franchise of medicines for cystic fibrosis remains a solid growth driver and is expected to continue to be for some time. In the third quarter, the company's revenue increased by 11% year over year to $3.08 billion.
The drugmaker is also slowly expanding beyond its core area of expertise. Recent launches, such as Journavx for acute pain and Casgevy for beta-thalassemia and sickle cell disease, should make slow but steady progress in the next few years. In the meantime, Vertex is well-positioned for additional launches that will enhance its portfolio and help boost the top line.
Vertex is inching closer to regulatory submissions for zimislecel, a potential groundbreaking treatment for some patients with type 1 diabetes.
NASDAQ: VRTX
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Elsewhere, it is conducting late-stage studies for two other promising medicines: inaxaplin in APOL-1-mediated kidney disease and povetacicept for IgA nephropathy (a type of kidney disease). Vertex's strategy of targeting areas with high unmet needs and launching transformative medicines in these niches is what has made it successful in CF. And it could achieve somewhat similar levels of success with some of its current pipeline programs.
Even a 50% success rate for its current mid- and late-stage candidates would be great for the company. So, investors shouldn't give up on Vertex despite recent setbacks. The biotech's long-term prospects still look attractive given its current lineup of medicines and innovative qualities.
