If You Invested in These Popular European Stocks 10 Years Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Today
Written by
G. Brian Davis
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Breaking the long-term trend, European stocks outperformed U.S. stocks in 2025. While the S&P 500 gained a solid 16%, Germany’s DAX climbed 23%, Italy’s FTSE MIB rose nearly 32% and Spain’s IBEX 35 index skyrocketed 49%, per CNN.
But if you look a little further backward, which European stocks have performed well over the last decade? How much would you have had today if you’d invested 10 years ago?
Hermès International Société (HESAY)
A French luxury brand famous for its craftsmanship, Hermès is most famous for leather handbags like the Birkin and Kelly. It also produces leather shoes, accessories like belts and ties, ready-to-wear clothing, jewelry, perfumes, and some home items like furniture and tableware.
Over the last decade, it’s delivered a remarkable annualized return of about 23% (including dividends), as calculated by Stoculator. You’d have paid $32.19 per share a decade ago, but today shares are worth around $260.
“It’s a remarkably steady business without the big ups and downs you see in high fashion,” explained Vince Stanzione, investor and author of “The Millionaire Dropout.” “The stock boasts an impressive total return of nearly 700% over the last decade.”
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMHF)
Hermès isn’t the only French luxury brand that has sold well over the last 10 years. A booming bull market and the rush of spending on physical goods during the pandemic all helped drive these brands skyward.
The total return, including dividends, over that period is an impressive 476%, for an annualized return of about 19%. Pop a bottle of Moët champagne if you were wise enough to invest back in 2016!
ASML (ASML)
Europe has its own superstar semiconductor companies, and ASML leads the pack. Its advanced lithography systems have proven crucial to manufacturing artificial intelligence (AI) chips.
Over the last 10 years, the stock has delivered explosive total returns of 1,585%. That comes to an annualized return of nearly 33% when you factor in dividends.
A decade ago, you’d have bought shares for $77.47, and today you could sell them for over $1,200. Not too shabby.
Ferrari (RACE)
Every 6-year-old knows Ferrari. And most 60-year-olds still want to drive one.
“Ferrari’s stock has accelerated even faster than investors had hoped,” noted investing expert Rick Orford.
Back in 2016, shares of Ferrari could be bought for about $40. Now they’re worth over $350. That comes to a total return (including dividends) of about 829% and an annualized return of nearly 25%.
STMicroelectronics (STM)
Another semiconductor company that has exploded during the AI boom, Swiss-based STMicroelectronics could see even more growth in the coming decade.
Back in 2016, a share would have cost you $5.70. Its shares currently trade just shy of $28, for a total return, including dividends, of about 433% and an annualized return of around 18%.
If you don’t have the time or expertise to pick individual stocks, consider investing in a European stock index fund like the SPDR Portfolio Europe ETF (SPEU). Or if even that is too much work, you can buy shares in a fund that gives you broad exposure to the entire world excluding the U.S., like the Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF (VEU).
Either way, consider diversifying your portfolio to include foreign stocks, because the world’s economy is much bigger than just the U.S.
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