There is a stock tip in this article that will make you rich. And since you don't want a lot in the way of introduction, here it is:
The beauty of the penny stock arena is that shares appreciate so rapidly.
Got it?
OK, you got me. That's decidedly not the tip that will make you rich. But that is the tip I received in 10 different spam emails in the past week. And I worry about how many people take it seriously.
Because that "tip" is the anti-tip. In fact, penny stocks are among the surest ways to destroy wealth over time.
So what is the tip that will make you rich?
Drumroll, please
Simply put, you should:
Buy great stocks you can hold for decades.
That's right. Buy great stocks you can hold for decades. These are stocks that will not only be around in 10 years, but will have appreciated considerably in the meantime.
Sound utopian? It isn't. These stocks trade on the markets every day. And lest you click away dissatisfied, I'll give you a name.
Moody's
Who the?
Moody's. Little-known, considering its $20 billion valuation, the firm makes a fortune as the dominant provider of credit ratings for debt securities. Its stamp is the accepted standard in the industry, which gives it an unassailable competitive advantage in a market that is both lucrative and growing.
Since it was spun off from Dun & Bradstreet in 2000, Moody's has returned nearly 450%. That makes it one of the 10 best large stocks over that period, trailing only the likes of Apple
Invest alongside the masters
Even more telling is the fact that Warren Buffett, the world's greatest investor, is Moody's largest shareholder. And he's bought as much of the stock as he possibly can! Seriously. If he were to buy any more, the company's Rights Agreement kicks in and substantially dilutes his stake.
And the second-largest shareholder of Moody's stock is Davis Selected Advisers, a Wall Street firm named for and founded in the tradition of Shelby Davis. That's the same Shelby Davis who turned a $100,000 investment into a nearly $900 million fortune in 50 years simply by buying great stocks he could hold for decades.
Sound familiar?
The Foolish bottom line
Not only are there great stocks that you can buy and hold for decades, but they're the secret to making you rich. Fool co-founder Tom Gardner anchored our Motley Fool Stock Advisor portfolio with Moody's, making it his very first recommendation in March 2002. It's up more than 260% since.
So I gave you one stock tip: Moody's. But if you're looking for more superior stocks that can make you rich over the next decade and more, click here take a look at every one of the Stock Advisor recommendations free for 30 days. The picks are beating the market by 40 percentage points on average, and there is never any obligation to subscribe.
Tim Hanson does not own shares of any company mentioned. Moody's is a Stock Advisor recommendation. Symantec is an Inside Value pick. Mittal Steel is a former Inside Value choice. No Fool is too cool for disclosure.
