In this piece, we discuss the 13 Best Performing S&P 500 Stocks in the Last 5 Years.
Market confidence amid sustained momentum, shifting sector leadership, and expectations of continued gains have helped the S&P 500 deliver strong performance over a prolonged period.
As per Reuters’ year-end report, U.S. equities ended 2025 at record highs. More importantly, the S&P 500 closed at a new peak, only 1% below the level needed for the index to hit the 7,000 mark for the first time. Since 2017-2018, the index recorded its longest winning streak in 2025, with gains for eight straight months. Amid this, investors escaped the volatility seen earlier in the year, which was tied to concerns about technology spending on artificial intelligence (AI).
In the same report, Reuters had highlighted that investors are seeing opportunities elsewhere, even though technology stocks have remained the backbone of the multi-year bull market. While the S&P 500 tech sector declined by more than 3% since early November, gains were recorded in other areas, including financials, healthcare, transportation, and small-cap stocks. This reflected a shift in investor focus toward more moderately valued segments.
The changing narrative was highlighted in Reuters’ February 8 report, which noted that investors were shifting capital toward cheaper, smaller companies, with heightened volatility and reassessments of risks associated with AI-driven stock driving the reallocation.
Looking ahead, Reuters surveyed analysts on the outlook for the S&P 500 in 2026. The report, originally published on December 24, 2025, and updated on February 6, 2026, cited major brokerages that expect the index to continue its rally in 2026. The consensus implies a nearly 12% gain by year-end.
Our Methodology
To curate our list of the best-performing S&P 500 stocks, we used online screeners to identify those that posted the strongest share price returns over the past five years, as of market close on February 6, and that had strong analyst coverage and hedge fund sentiment. We assessed hedge fund sentiment using Insider Monkey’s hedge fund database, which tracks 978 stocks as of Q3 2025. Finally, we ranked the 13 highest-performing stocks in ascending order by the number of hedge funds that were bullish on each stock.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
13. McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK)
Five-Year Share Performance: 415.87%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 73
McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
On February 5, 2026, BofA reaffirmed its ‘Buy’ rating on McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) and increased its price target from $950 to $970. Describing the third quarter as strong, the firm pointed to revenue and EPS, both of which exceeded street expectations. Citing the North American Pharmaceutical segment’s solid performance and the Oncology & Multispecialty segment’s ongoing strength, BofA raised its FY26 and FY27 EPS projections.
The analyst update followed McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK)’s February 4, 2026, Q3 earnings and outlook update, in which the company raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS forecast from a prior range of $38.35-$38.85 to $38.80-$39.20.
Additionally, McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) reported third-quarter revenue of $106.16 billion, exceeding the $105.86 billion forecast, and adjusted EPS of $9.34, above the $9.22 forecast. The demand for specialty drugs and strong prescription volumes helped the U.S. pharmaceutical segment’s sales to rise 9% to $88.30 billion.
McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK), a healthcare services company, offers pharmaceutical distribution, specialty drug solutions, prescription technology services, and medical-surgical supplies across the United States and international markets.
12. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)
Five-Year Share Performance: 445.60%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 114
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is included in the list of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
As of February 6, 2026, robust demand for the company’s obesity and diabetes treatments continues to drive strong investor sentiment. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)’s shares have gained roughly 70% in the past six months.
According to the company’s press release dated February 4, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) projects revenue of $80.00 to $83.00 billion for 2026, while profit is estimated at $33.50 to $35.00 per share. Beating analyst forecasts, these estimates contrast with rival Novo Nordisk’s expectations of a 5%-13% sales decline amid pricing pressures. As a result of this news, the company’s shares surged 10% in early trading, helping Lilly’s market capitalization hit the $1 trillion mark. The company is the first to achieve this milestone in the pharmaceutical sector.
At the same time, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) reported its Q4 2025 results, with adjusted net income of $7.54 per share, exceeding the $6.67 estimate. Meanwhile, quarterly revenue was $19.30 billion, ahead of the $17.96 billion consensus. The company’s strong performance during the quarter was led by strong sales across Mounjaro ($7.41 billion) and Zepbound ($4.3 billion), driven largely by volume despite price reductions.
Looking ahead, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) said it expects a U.S. launch of orforglipron in the second quarter of 2026, accompanied by an international rollout in 2027.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceuticals for diabetes, obesity, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. The company leverages innovative therapies to address global healthcare needs from its Indianapolis headquarters.
11. Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL)
Five-Year Share Performance: 476.09%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 54
Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) shares reached an all-time high on February 6, 2026, hitting $259.74. The shares were up more than 54% year-over-year and more than 12% in 2026. Jabil achieved this milestone amid the company’s continued momentum following recent analyst and corporate developments.
On January 20, 2026, Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) announced a manufacturing partnership and strategic minority investment with Eagle Harbour Technologies (EHT Semi). The collaboration enhances plasma stability, accuracy, and yields in advanced semiconductor fabrication by fusing EHT Semi’s RF and pulsed-power technologies with Jabil’s manufacturing capabilities. Building on previous investments in power systems, liquid cooling, and thermal management capabilities, the partnership supports Jabil’s strategy to increase its exposure to semiconductor capital equipment. The move positions the company to deliver SEMI-compliant power solutions at scale.
Additionally, on January 14, 2026, BofA maintained a ‘Buy’ rating on Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) and raised its price target from $265 to $280 following a meeting with senior management.
Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) offers electronics and diversified manufacturing services, including engineering, supply chain, and production solutions across global markets through its EMS and DMS operating segments.
10. Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:STX)
Five-Year Share Performance: 482.43%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 72
Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:STX) is included in the list of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
On February 6, 2026, Citi reaffirmed its ‘Buy’ rating on Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:STX), raising its price target from $460 to $480 in response to recent investor meetings with management. According to the firm, conversations highlighted a durable demand environment Seagate is seeing, bolstering trust in the company’s positioning as enterprise customers increase data center capacity to accommodate artificial intelligence workloads.
Meanwhile, on January 27, 2026, Reuters reported Seagate’s earnings update, in which Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:STX) projected third-quarter revenue of $2.90 billion ± $0.10 billion, exceeding the $2.77 billion consensus. Also, the company forecast adjusted EPS of $3.40 ± $0.20, which was lower than the $2.96 estimate.
At the same time, Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:STX) reported higher-than-expected revenue of $2.83 billion and adjusted EPS of $3.11 for the second quarter. As AI-driven data creation speeds up, management pointed out that there is an increasing need for high-capacity storage, which is driving the company’s performance.
Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:STX) focuses on the development and sale of data storage solutions, including hard disk drives and related systems. Amid rising data center and AI-driven storage demand, the company continues to cater to the enterprise, cloud, and consumer markets.
9. Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC)
Five-Year Share Performance: 490.33%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 84
Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
As of February 6, 2026, Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) shares continue to rise amid a surge in investor confidence, driven by strong demand for memory products. Amid strong share momentum, recent analyst updates incorporate the company’s second-quarter fiscal 2026 results.
On February 6, 2026, based on the company’s recent earnings and the updated financial model that was presented at Analyst Day, Susquehanna analyst Mehdi Hosseini raised the firm’s price target on Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) from $205 to $285 while keeping a ‘Neutral’ rating. The firm cited rising areal density growth and strong pricing trends as key factors driving the target adjustment.
Meanwhile, according to a Reuters report on February 3, Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) ‘s board authorized an additional $4 billion in share repurchases. The move stems from heightened demand for the company’s memory chips in AI servers.
In the previous week, Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) outlined its fiscal Q3 revenue and profit forecasts that exceeded Wall Street projections. The strong projections reflected sales of flash storage and hard drives. Amid ongoing global memory chip shortages, shares increased roughly 5% in premarket trading, continuing a 50%+ year-to-date gain and building on last year’s threefold increase.
Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ: WDC) develops and sells data storage devices and solutions, including hard drives and flash storage, serving the enterprise, AI, and consumer electronics markets worldwide.
8. Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR)
Five-Year Share Performance: 557.80%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 73
Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) is included in the list of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
On February 6, 2026, shares of Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) hit their record high of $502.54, which was the culmination of the past year’s performance, where shares climbed more than 60%, including gains of almost 20% so far this year.
With analyst support remaining strong, Stifel maintained its ‘Buy’ rating on Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR), raising its price target from $495 to $517. Issuing a note on January 26, 2026, the firm cited survey data that showed sequentially improving activity ahead of Q4 expectations.
The same day, Citi revisited Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR), raising its price target from $526 to $540 while maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating. The update came ahead of the Q4 earnings season, with the firm adjusting targets in the engineering and construction sector. The firm emphasized expectations for strong Q4 performance from the group amid exposure to expanding electrical and mechanical work for data centers. Furthermore, the firm said the initial 2026 outlooks remain in line with consensus estimates.
These analyst updates reflect broader confidence in Quanta Services, Inc.’s (NYSE:PWR) positioning in the electric power, renewable energy, and underground infrastructure segments. At the same time, investor momentum remains strong amid higher visibility into Q4 results and early 2026 projects.
Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) provides infrastructure solutions across electric power, renewable energy, and underground assets. With these solutions, the company supports utilities, energy producers, and data-driven demand with large-scale construction, maintenance, and modernisation projects.
7. Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET)
Five-Year Share Performance: 586.09%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 92
Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
As of February 6, 2026, about 90% of analysts remain bullish on Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET), implying a 27.5% upside to a $164.00 consensus price target.
Analyst activity was positive ahead of fiscal Q4 2025 results. Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET)’s results for fiscal Q4 are expected on February 12, 2026.
On January 5, 2026, Piper Sandler upgraded Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) to ‘Overweight’, raising its target to $159 from $145, and Melius Research maintained a ‘Buy’ rating with a $200 price target. Analysts predict that 2026 will be a Year of Refresh, with enterprise adoption, increased exposure to AI and hyperscalers, and a moderate valuation, boosting model visibility despite competition from Nvidia and whitebox solutions.
Meanwhile, in its investor letter for the fourth quarter of 2025, Giverny Capital Asset Management cited Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) as a major contributor, highlighting its superior switches and routers for hyperscale users such as Microsoft and Meta Platforms. In large cloud networks, the EOS software aids in managing capacity bottlenecks and optimizing data flow.
Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) develops and markets cloud networking solutions, including EOS software and Ethernet switching platforms. With these solutions, the company serves hyperscale users, enterprise clients, and AI data centers worldwide.
6. Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP)
Five-Year Share Performance: 598.47%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 50
Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP) is included in the list of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
With Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP) shares trading near consensus valuation levels, analyst updates continued to pile up through the end of January.
With a $213.00 consensus price target indicating a 3.60% upside as of February 6, 2026, over 90% of analysts covering Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP) remain bullish. This sets the context for incremental revisions rather than broad re-ratings.
First, Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP) to $266 from $264 on January 28, 2026, while maintaining an ‘Overweight’ rating. The update came as the firm revised price targets across its North American Midstream & Renewable Energy Infrastructure coverage. The firm cited a strong start to earnings season, noting that the energy sector continues to drive S&P 500 performance despite stable commodity prices.
Secondly, on January 16, 2026, Scotiabank raised its target on Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP) from $199 to $224 while keeping its ‘Outperform’ rating. The firm attributed the increase in target to tailwinds from LNG exports and growing power demand, which it believes are creating more opportunities and an upward bias in long-term estimates.
Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE:TRGP), a midstream energy company, provides natural gas gathering, processing, transportation, and NGL logistics services to support U.S. production, power demand, and LNG export growth.
5. Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)
Five-Year Share Performance: 601.71%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 112
Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
More than 90% of analysts are bullish on Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) as of February 6, 2026, with a consensus price target of $232, implying 62.2% upside.
Citing the recent decline in shares and rising estimates, Goldman Sachs upgraded Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) on February 6, 2026, to ‘Buy’ from ‘Neutral’ with a $205 price target. The investment bank noted that the Meta power purchase agreement (PPA) shows Vistra’s ability to effectively secure large-scale contracts in the face of policy and affordability uncertainty, and boosts analyst confidence as a result.
Meanwhile, on January 9, 2026, Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) and Meta announced 20-year PPAs for the supply of more than 2,600 MW of zero-carbon energy from the nuclear plants in the Beaver Valley, Davis-Besse, and Perry regions. With 433 MW of uprates and 2,176 MW of operating generation, these PPAs represent the largest nuclear uprates backed by a corporate customer in the United States. Meta plans to start buying in late 2026 and reach full online capacity by 2034.
In addition to providing support to long-term operations, local economic development, and tax revenues, the projects are anticipated to generate about 3,000 engineering and construction jobs, while enabling license extensions for these plants for an additional 20 years.
Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) focuses on electricity and power generation across multiple regional segments. The company delivers energy solutions to residential, commercial, and industrial customers while managing generation, wholesale sales, and asset decommissioning across the United States.
4. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO)
Five-Year Share Performance: 602.06%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 183
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) is included in the list of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
On February 4, 2026, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) received attention from UBS, which retained its ‘Buy’ rating but reduced the price target from $330 to $310. The firm’s bullish stance reflects strong server demand, while its target revision stems from limited near-term EPS upside due to a reduction of $1 billion in its gaming business. UBS also outlined its 2027 and 2028 estimates, projecting EPS of over $11 and $15, respectively. The firm’s estimates come amid positive CPU and GPU fundamentals.
A day earlier, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) announced the launch of the industry’s first Wi-Fi 8 access point and switch solution, designed to serve AI-ready enterprise networks. Featuring the BCM49438 APU for edge AI acceleration and the Trident X3+ Ethernet switch, the platform offers multi-gigabit speeds, integrated security via MACsec, and advanced telemetry for AI-driven operations. Furthermore, it addresses rising demands from hybrid work, AI factories, and adversarial AI threats. As a result, the solution enables real-time optimization, ultra-low latency, and foolproof enterprise security.
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) focuses on designing, developing, and supplying semiconductors and infrastructure software solutions.
3. EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE:EME)
Five-Year Share Performance: 704.12%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 58
EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE:EME) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
On January 26, 2026, Brian Brophy, an analyst at Stifel, increased the firm’s price target for EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE:EME) from $713 to $754 and reaffirmed a ‘Buy’ rating. The firm’s bullish stance stems from strengthening fundamentals in the mechanical and electrical contracting industry.
The firm’s most recent survey results showed steadily rising activity levels that exceeded projections, providing Stifel with a reason to believe that its contractor coverage, including EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE:EME), has room to surpass consensus estimates in Q4. Continued confidence in demand trends across commercial, industrial, and infrastructure-related projects supports Stifel’s view.
EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE:EME) shares are already up nearly 27% year to date. Analyst views still remain modestly positive, with 60% of analysts covering it assigning a Buy or equivalent rating. That said, the upside to the share price remains limited as the consensus 1-year median price target indicates around 3%-4% downside.
EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE:EME) is engaged in the provision of electrical, mechanical, and facilities services across the construction, industrial, and infrastructure markets. Operating primarily in the United States, the company works toward meeting power, HVAC, building systems, and maintenance requirements.
2. Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM)
Five-Year Share Performance: 708.86%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 57
Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM) is included in the list of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
As of February 6, 2026, more than 80% of analysts covering the stock remained bullish, with a consensus price target of $240.00, implying a 14.50% upside. Analyst sentiment on Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM) is supported by several upward revisions across the aerospace and defense sector earlier in January.
Several actions by analysts supported those expectations.
Firstly, Susquehanna maintained a ‘Positive’ rating in its Q4 preview on January 15, 2026, increasing its price target on Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM) from $235 to $255. The firm’s bullish take reflects a favorable fundamental backdrop across the defence, commercial aerospace, and aftermarket submarkets.
Additionally, on January 13, 2026, Citi raised its price target on Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM) from $246 to $255 and reaffirmed its ‘Buy’ rating, citing sector momentum that is anticipated to continue through the first half of 2026.
Meanwhile, Howmet Aerospace Inc.’s (NYSE:HWM) board announced on January 20, 2026, that shareholders of record on February 6, 2026, would receive a quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share, payable on February 25, 2026.
Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM) produces lightweight metal products for the aerospace, defence, transportation, and industrial markets. The company supplies engine components, fastening systems, engineered structures, and forged wheels worldwide.
1. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)
Five-Year Share Performance: 1219.81%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 234
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
Reuters reported on February 10, 2026, that NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is required to comply with strict U.S. licensing terms for exports of its H200 AI chips to China, according to Howard Lutnick, the Commerce Secretary. Aligned with the State Department, the conditions follow a U.S.-China trade truce brokered in October last year.
It is reported that NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) has been resisting provisions, including ‘Know Your Customer’ requirements. The current situation reflects ongoing geopolitical constraints on its China-facing AI revenue despite limited export permissions.
Additionally, on February 3, 2026, Reuters reported that NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is getting closer to acquiring a $20 billion stake in OpenAI as part of the AI startup’s latest funding round. OpenAI is seeking up to $100 billion at an $830 billion valuation.
With the deal not yet finalized, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)’s CEO Jensen Huang mentioned plans for a massive investment, one that could potentially be the company’s largest ever.
In September, reports cited chip-related concerns as a factor behind the pause of NVIDIA Corporation’s (NASDAQ:NVDA) earlier $100 billion investment. On February 2, 2026, OpenAI expressed dissatisfaction with some of Nvidia’s latest AI chips.
Alongside Huang, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, stated that NVIDIA remains the company’s long-term customer.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)’s leading role in powering generative AI infrastructure is evident from the deal, where its strategy to retain leadership in high-performance AI chips remains key amid increasing competition from Amazon and SoftBank-backed initiatives.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) focuses on designing GPUs and AI computing platforms for data centers, gaming, and enterprise markets. The company supports high-performance graphics, AI workloads, and accelerated computing solutions globally.
While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NVDA and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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