Companies that consistently increase their sales, margins, or returns on capital are usually rewarded with the best returns, and those that can do all three for years on end are almost always the legendary stocks that return 100 times your money.
It’s clear there’s a strong connection between sustained earnings growth and hall-of-fame returns. On that note, here are three market-beating stocks with room for further growth.
Waste Management (WM)
Five-Year Return: +94%
Headquartered in Houston, Waste Management (NYSE: WM) is a provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America.
Why Do We Like WM?
- Annual revenue growth of 11.1% over the past two years was outstanding, reflecting market share gains this cycle
- Offerings are mission-critical for businesses and lead to a top-tier gross margin of 38.8%
- Healthy operating margin of 17.4% shows it’s a well-run company with efficient processes
At $236.31 per share, Waste Management trades at 28.8x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it’s free.
W. R. Berkley (WRB)
Five-Year Return: +99.4%
Founded in 1967 and operating through more than 50 specialized insurance units across the globe, W. R. Berkley (NYSE: WRB) underwrites commercial insurance and reinsurance through specialized subsidiaries serving industries from healthcare to construction to transportation.
Why Is WRB Interesting?
- Market penetration was impressive this cycle as its net premiums earned expanded by 12.4% annually over the last five years
- Share buybacks catapulted its annual earnings per share growth to 33%, which outperformed its revenue gains over the last five years
- Industry-leading 19.5% return on equity demonstrates management’s skill in finding high-return investments
W. R. Berkley is trading at $67.89 per share, or 2.4x forward P/B. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Nicolet Bankshares (NIC)
Five-Year Return: +76.4%
Starting as Green Bay Financial Corporation in 2000 before rebranding in 2002, Nicolet Bankshares (NYSE: NIC) is a regional bank holding company that provides commercial, agricultural, and consumer banking services primarily in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota.
Why Will NIC Outperform?
- Market share has increased this cycle as its 21.9% annual net interest income growth over the last five years was exceptional
- Demand for the next 12 months is expected to accelerate above its five-year trend as Wall Street forecasts robust net interest income growth of 42.2%
- Net interest margin grew by 65 basis points (100 basis points = 1 percentage point) over the last two years, giving the firm more chips to play with
Nicolet Bankshares’s stock price of $150.43 implies a valuation ratio of 1.8x forward P/B. Is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
ONE MORE THING: Top 6 Stocks for This Week. This market is separating quality stocks from expensive ones fast. AI taking down whole sectors with no warning. In a rotation this fast, you need more than a list of good companies.
Our AI system flagged Palantir before it ran 1,662%. AppLovin before it ran 753%. Nvidia before it ran 1,178%. Each week it produces 6 new names that pass the same tests. Get Our Top 6 Stocks for Free HERE.
Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,326% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
