Investing in the stock market is an excellent way to build sustainable long-term wealth. However, with thousands of stocks to choose from, selecting the right ones to invest in can feel overwhelming.
For investors getting started, look for companies with solid business models that exhibit steady growth over time. You want companies with strong competitive moats and robust balance sheets that enable them to navigate different environments, along with a management team that takes a disciplined approach to capital management.
Companies that meet these criteria tend to be more durable across various economic environments and can provide a strong foundation for your diversified investment portfolio. If this sounds appealing to you, and you have $5,000 available to invest today, here are five durable stocks to consider buying right now.
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Berkshire Hathaway is a cash-rich business with steady revenue
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A +0.26%)(BRK.B +0.20%) CEO Warren Buffett stepped down at the end of 2025 after an illustrious career as an investor and CEO of the conglomerate. Buffett leaves behind both a legacy and a heavyweight cash-producing conglomerate with private businesses in insurance, utilities, manufacturing, transportation, and retail.
NYSE: BRK.B
Key Data Points
The company's massive insurance operations include GEICO, General Re, and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance. This is a key component of the company's steady cash generation and a source of funds to invest in bonds and stocks.
What makes Berkshire compelling right now is its massive $381 billion stockpile of cash and short-term investments, which it can deploy in the event of a stock market downturn. While Buffett won't be calling the shots, he leaves a legacy and a sound business that can continue to thrive for years to come.
Visa's high-margin business scales with global payments
Visa (V +0.17%) sits at the center of a global payments network without taking any credit risk. The company earns fees on every transaction while its banking partners manage the potentially risky credit card loans. As a result, Visa operates a high-margin business that enjoys a steady stream of revenue across economic cycles.
What makes it compelling is its massive customer and merchant base worldwide, which creates strong network effects at scale. The company sees growth during economic expansions and provides some resilience to inflation, as it earns a small fee on every transaction, enabling it to scale revenue amid rising prices. As electronic and cross-border payments grow, Visa is a durable company well-positioned to capitalize on this growth.
Chubb generates consistent revenue through sound insurance underwriting
Chubb (CB 0.11%) operates a massive property and casualty business that spans the globe. The company has built expertise across a wide range of insurable risks and has done an excellent job of pricing these risks and generating consistent profits from its insurance underwriting operations. As a result, the company has delivered consistent returns and grown its dividend payments for 32 consecutive years.
NYSE: CB
Key Data Points
Its insurance coverage spans commercial, specialty, and personal lines, helping it diversify its risks and avoid reliance on any single source of insurance for income. Not only that, but insurers tend to have pricing power, which allows them to raise prices during periods of inflation.
In addition, the company has a $166 billion investment portfolio primarily invested in U.S. Treasuries, corporate debt, and international bonds, which provides it with further upside during periods of elevated interest rates.
S&P Global is vital to financial markets and has a significant market share
S&P Global (SPGI +0.16%) is a key player in global financial markets, providing credit ratings that assess the creditworthiness of corporations, governments, and structured financial products. These ratings influence borrowing costs and capital requirements, with banks relying on them to price and manage credit exposure. Meanwhile, insurers, asset managers, and institutional investors use them to measure risk, allocate capital, and meet regulatory standards.
What gives S&P Global's business stability is its position in the credit rating industry and the difficulty of breaking into it. It takes decades to build a reputation and gain the trust of major financial institutions, and regulations create high barriers to entry. As a result, S&P Global has a dominant 50% market share of the U.S. credit ratings market. As global debt issuance continues to rise, S&P Global is positioned to capitalize on this growth.
BlackRock's business scales as asset prices rise
BlackRock (BLK +0.63%) is the world's largest asset manager with over $13.5 trillion in assets under management. The company has built a massive platform through its diverse product offerings, including its growing lineup of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) under the iShares brand.
NYSE: BLK
Key Data Points
The company has been a key driver of passive investing growth through its ETF products, which enable retail and institutional investors to gain targeted exposure to specific industries, sectors, themes, or other asset classes. The company continues to see inflows into its products, while rising global asset prices are helping boost its assets under management over time. With a steady stream of fees that grow with its asset base, BlackRock is another durable stock to add to your portfolio today.
