10 Stocks that Transformed my Portfolio in 2025

Choosing the right stocks for long term investment can make or break your portfolio. Here are my top 10 long hold stock picks of 2025, carefully selected based on analysis, promising growth indicators, and my own personal experience. This handout provides an overview of each stock featuring its ticker symbol, sector, and annual profit, as well as highlighting key factors that make them attractive investment opportunities. When I bought some of these stocks, it really boosted my portfolio's performance. I wish I had started investing with a core portfolio of some of these stocks. You can start by choosing one or several to focus on. Many exchanges also have fractional trading which allows smaller monetary contributions (you can invest a fixed dollar amount instead of the price of the stock, like investing $5 or $50 into a $200 stock). I hope this is helpful, I am available for questions and QuickConsults. Thanks for reading!

The Stocks

Stock 1: APPLE

Ticker: AAPL

Sector: Technology

Yearly Return: ~14%

Apple Inc. (AAPL) is a $3 trillion tech giant known for its powerful ecosystem of devices and services that generate steady, recurring revenue and strong free cash flow. With consistent dividend growth, massive share buybacks, and heavy investment in AI, chips, and spatial computing, Apple continues to expand its competitive moat. Its dominant brand, financial stability, and innovation pipeline make it a resilient long-term buy even amid short-term market volatility.

Stock 2: MICROSOFT

Ticker: MSFT

Sector: Technology

Yearly Return: ~26%

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) is a multinational technology corporation that develops, licenses, supports, and sells computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services. Its cloud computing platform Azure, along with its productivity suite Microsoft 365, drive significant revenue and growth. Its investment in artificial intelligence positions it well for future innovation and market leadership.

Stock 3: AMAZON

Ticker: AMZN

Sector: Consumer Discretionary /Technology

Yearly Return: ~21%

Amazon.com Inc (AMZN) carries a market capitalization around $2.4 trillion, with a trailing P/E ratio of roughly 34×, signaling strong investor expectations for its future earnings. It pairs its dominant e-commerce leadership with its growing cloud-and-AI business — particularly Amazon Web Services (AWS) — giving it a mix of scale, recurring revenue and innovation. With robust cash-flows, aggressive investment in next-gen infrastructure, and a global reach few companies match, Amazon is positioned to be a compelling long-term investment despite its high valuation

Stock 4: GOOGLE

Ticker: GOOGL

Sector: Communication Services/ Technology

Yearly Return: ~60%

Alphabet Inc.(GOOGL), Google's parent company, is a global technology leader with dominant market share in search, online advertising, and mobile operating systems. Its diverse portfolio of innovative products and services, including YouTube, Waymo, and Google Cloud, positions it well for continued growth and profitability.

Stock 5: PALANTIR

Ticker: PLTR

Sector: Technology

Yearly Return: ~336%

Palantir Technologies Inc.(PLTR), is a public American software company that specializes in big data analytics. With a market cap in the hundreds of billions and a very high P/E ratio (hundreds-to-one), PLTR is poised for sky-high growth. Palantir is built around data analytics and government/enterprise contracts in the AI era, positioning it for outsized upside — though also higher risk. Because the valuation is so steep, it’s a long-term play on successful execution rather than a conservative pick.

Stock 6: BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY B

Ticker: BRK.B

Sector: Financials

Yearly Return: ~5%

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.(BERK.B) is a diversified holding company with businesses ranging from insurance to energy to manufacturing. Its strong financial position, disciplined investment approach, and experienced management team make it a stable and reliable investment for the long term.

Stock 7: BROADCOM

Ticker: AVGO

Sector: Technology

Yearly Return: ~110%

Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) stands out as a leading global technology firm with a net worth in the trillions. With a strong portfolio, cutting-edge solutions, and experienced leadership, it is strategically positioned to maintain its success in the semiconductor and infrastructure software sectors.

Stock 8: VISA

Ticker: V

Sector: Financials

Yearly Return: ~19%

Visa Inc. (V) is a global payments technology company. Its extensive network, strong brand, and increasing adoption of digital payments drive its growth. Visa's expansion into new markets and its focus on innovation position it well for the future of payments.

Stock 9: CATERPILLAR

Ticker: CAT

Sector: Industrials

Yearly Return: ~54%

Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) exposes investors to multiple sectors like infrastructure, energy transition (equipment for wind, solar, mining), and global construction demand. Its combination of cyclical upside and established brand make it a worthwhile long-term buy for diversification beyond tech-heavy portfolios.

Stock 10: NVIDIA

Ticker: NVDA

Sector: Technology

Yearly Return: ~110%

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is a 4 trillion dollar technology company specializing in graphics processing units (GPUs) and artificial intelligence. NVIDIA is at the center of the AI hardware boom — its GPUs power generative AI, data centers and other fast-growth segments. NVIDIA's focus on high-performance computing positions it well for the future of AI and data science. For those bullish on AI and computing infrastructure, it’s a strong long-term buy.

Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This handout is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Investment decisions should be made based on your own research and risk tolerance. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Need more support, have questions, looking for personalized guidance, or just want someone to talk to about your investments? Let’s chat! 20 minute QuickConsults available. - Jenna, Straight Up Living

@straightupliving