Nvidia & Netflix are Two of the Best-Performing S&P 500 Stocks Over the Past 20 Years
Written by
John Csiszar
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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The S&P 500 has posted a remarkable gain of nearly 300% over the past 20 years, a period of time that included half of the “lost decade” of 2000-2010, where the index went essentially nowhere. But if you’d invested in the right individual stock, you could have done much, much better.
Of course, it’s easy to pick stocks in hindsight, as after they’ve posted big gains it becomes obvious that you should have invested in them. But it can also be educational to look back and see what stocks have been on big, multi-decade runs. As an investor, it can teach you what to look for in a stock before it makes a major move.
Just remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. These two huge winners over the past 20 years may or may not be able to replicate their stellar gains going forward.
Nvidia (NVDA)
- 20-year return as of Apr. 2, 2024: 60,906%
Nvidia has been nothing short of a Wall Street darling for decades now. According to Finance Charts, it’s delivered a return of more than 60,000% over the past 20 years. Its explosive growth has accelerated in recent years, pushing it to the No. 1 slot in terms of 20-year returns.
Although the stock has stumbled a bit thus far in 2025, you can’t blame investors for realizing some of their massive profits over the years, especially in light of recent tariff concerns. Nvidia’s dominant position as leader of the artificial intelligence revolution bodes well for its future, regardless of any short-term noise.
What may surprise some investors is that Nvidia has been the market leader over numerous time periods, meaning the stock is not just a flash in the pan. As Visual Capitalist reported at the end of 2024, Nvidia not only topped the S&P 500 over the prior 20 years, but also was the best-performing stock of the prior five-, 10- and 15-year periods as well.
That’s an unbelievable string of consistent returns that definitely outweighs the volatility inherent in the stock. In fact, Nvidia’s performance has been so good that until its recent sell-off in 2025, it was the most valuable company in the entire world.
Netflix (NFLX)
- 20-year return as of Apr. 2, 2024: 59,650%
More than many other companies, Netflix has had some very public ups-and-downs over the years. However, it’s still returned more than 59,000% over the past 20 years, per Finance Charts.
What started out as a modest, DVD-by-mail company soon became the hottest stock on Wall Street, until fears that its business model was outdated brought in the sellers. The company then resurrected itself as the undisputed king of streaming services, although it still goes through volatile periods when investors sour on it, such as when subscriber numbers come in too low or the company reports outsize expenses.
Overall, however, the company has posted unbelievable long-term returns, just a shade behind 20-year leader Nvidia and miles ahead of any other company.
For investors, Netflix is a much more relatable company than Nvidia, with most investors in the stock actually using its product. Although Nvidia produces gaming chips, most of its business is B2B (business to business), meaning it sells directly to companies rather than individuals. Netflix, on the other hand, is a consumer brand through and through. This may be part of the reason for its support over the years by individual investors.
The Future Is Bright
For the past 20 years, Nvidia and Netflix have been the kings of the hill, far outpacing the returns of any other companies in the S&P 500. At the present time, the future still looks bright for both companies, which is one of the reasons investors continue to buy shares.
But never invest simply based on the track record of an individual stock. Do your own due diligence about the valuation and future growth prospects of each company and determine whether they match your investment objectives and risk tolerance. If they do, look for a good entry point and buy the dips.
If the companies continue to succeed, you could end up with significant gains yourself over the coming 20 years.
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