Who wants to be a millionaire? That’s the question the popular TV game show began asking in 1999. The answer to the question is an easy one — nearly everyone who isn’t already a billionaire.
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Relatively few contestants on the game show actually made $1 million. However, amassing at least that amount of money is a top objective for many Americans with their eyes set on retiring one day. And it’s an attainable one. If you want to have $1 million in retirement, buying and holding these five stocks in your portfolio should go a long way toward helping you make it happen.
1. Amazon
I predict that Amazon‘s (NASDAQ: AMZN) stock will at least double over the next seven years. That might seem like a tall task considering that the company’s market cap already tops $1 trillion. However, I believe that Amazon will be able to double because of three major reasons.
First and most important, Amazon Web Services should generate ginormous growth for the company as organizations move their apps and data to the cloud. I expect the rising adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) will play a key role in this shift.
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Second, I look for significant increases in profits and free cash flow for Amazon in the coming years. The company’s management is focusing on the bottom line more heavily than it has in a long time.
Third, Amazon continues to expand into new markets. The company’s move into primary care is one recent example. It’s also quickly becoming one of the biggest digital advertising platforms.
2. Berkshire Hathaway
Owning shares of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) is almost like owning shares of an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The giant conglomerate has over 60 subsidiaries. It holds positions in nearly 50 other publicly traded companies as well.
Since Warren Buffett took control of Berkshire in 1964, it has delivered an average annual return of around 19.8%. That’s twice the total return generated by the S&P 500 during the period.
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I wouldn’t bet on Berkshire achieving that level of growth going forward. However, Buffett wrote in his latest letter to Berkshire shareholders that the company is “more broadly aligned with the country’s economic future than is the case at any other U.S. company.” He’s right. If you believe that the American economy will prosper over the long run (and Buffett certainly does), buying and holding shares of Berkshire is a smart move.
3. Mastercard
The world is moving away from cash. There are multiple companies that will profit from this trend. Mastercard (NYSE: MA) ranks near the top of the list.
Although Mastercard’s credit cards are used by millions of people, the company doesn’t actually extend credit at all. Instead, it teams up with customers who issue credit cards that use Mastercard’s payment processing platform.
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Mastercard stock has delivered a total return (including dividends) of more than 7X over the last 10 years. I doubt that it will repeat that performance over the next decade. But the stock should be a big winner for investors seeking to build their retirement accounts.
4. Nvidia
Want a no-brainer stock poised to profit from the AI boom? Check out Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). The chipmaker has recently announced key deals with some of the biggest names in AI, including Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft.
Yes, Nvidia stock’s valuation could make your nose bleed. However, I think the opportunities for the company in AI, gaming, the metaverse, and self-driving cars should provide massive tailwinds over the next decade and beyond.
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5. Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Many investors don’t have any biotech stocks in their retirement accounts. I think, though, that Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX) stands out as one worthy of serious consideration.
Vertex is already highly profitable thanks to its four approved cystic fibrosis (CF) drugs. It could soon add another blockbuster drug to its lineup, with regulatory approvals for exa-cel likely on the way soon. The gene-editing therapy holds the potential to effectively cure sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia in many patients.
Over the next few years, Vertex could also launch other new game-changing therapies, including non-opioid painkiller VX-548 and inaxaplin, which targets a genetic kidney disease that affects more patients than CF. If that’s not enough for you, the big biotech is also working on a cell therapy that could potentially cure type 1 diabetes.
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No time for games
You probably won’t make $1 million for retirement from a TV game show. Don’t count on winning the lottery, either. However, investing as much as you can as early as you can in a diversified group of stocks could realistically get you there. I think that buying and holding stocks like Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, Nvidia, and Vertex will improve your chances.
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They just revealed their ten top stock picks for investors to buy right now. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is on the list — but there are nine others you may be overlooking.
