In few places does the phrase "hindsight is 20/20" apply as much as in the stock markets, where it's easy to spot companies that could have made you a fortune well after it's too late to do anything about it. Unfortunately for investors, identifying those companies before they've boomed is much more difficult.
Still, it's worth remembering that there are few options better for growing your wealth than the stock market. Jumping onto the right economic trend means the potential to turn a few thousand dollars into a six-figure fortune that can solidify your child's college education fund or help you secure a safe retirement.
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That's especially true as the stock market crash and housing crisis of 2008 are fading further into the rear-view mirror. Stocks were only beginning to get back on the right track two full years later, in 2010, with 2020 marking a full decade of recovery. In that spirit, GOBankingRates identified the companies that — should you have been prescient enough to make a $10,000 investment in 2010 as the market was beginning its recovery from the wreckage — would have turned your investment into untold riches as the markets continued to recover over the following 10 years. See which investments could have made you big money.
Last updated: July 6, 2021
DexCom (DXCM)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $13.26
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $413.84
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $302,097
Pictured: DexCom (DXCM) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2008-2020
United Rentals (URI)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $14.95
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $175.35
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $107,291
Pictured: United Rentals (URI) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2008-2020
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Domino's Pizza (DPZ)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $11.20
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $426.99
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $371,241
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Pictured: Domino's Pizza (DPZ) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2009-2020
Abiomed (ABMD)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $10.60
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $260.45
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $235,708
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Pictured: Abiomed (ABMD) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2009-2020
Netflix (NFLX)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $22.09
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $527.51
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $228,800
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Pictured: Netflix (NFLX) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2008-2020
Lululemon Athletica (LULU)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $22.30
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $341.05
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $142,937
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Pictured: Lululemon Athletica (LULU) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2008-2020
Ulta Beauty (ULTA)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $29.03
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $228.63
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $68,756
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Pictured: Ulta Beauty (ULTA) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2008-2020
Exact Sciences (EXAS)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $7.09
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $105.21
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $138,392
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Pictured: Exact Sciences (EXAS) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2008-2020
Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ)
- Share price Oct. 1, 2010: $10.93
- Share price Oct. 1, 2020: $144.13
- Profit on $10,000 investment: $121,866
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Pictured: Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ) Monthly Logarithmic Chart 2008-2020
Your Next Investment Might Be Your Big Winner
Seeing stocks that blew away the market might get you down about your own portfolio's performance. But it's important to remember that virtually no one can identify with any consistency which stocks are going to turn $10,000 into six-figure profits in just a decade. What's more, if you commit a small slice of your portfolio to smaller companies that have room to grow — such as a Lululemon or a Netflix — over the next decade, you can take a small chance on a few high-risk/high-reward plays while keeping most of your investments in stable, established stocks with less potential for a downside. Even if most of them don't pan out, just one big hit can make up for a dozen or so misses.
So always remember that the next batch of companies that might redefine a whole sector of commerce — and make their investors rich in the process — is already out there. If you're willing to take some calculated chances, you might be able to connect with a winner like the ones listed here.
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John Csiszar contributed to the reporting for this article.