10 Most Profitable Stocks of the Past 5 Years

Here is a list of the 10 Most Profitable Stocks of the Past 5 Years.

7. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)

5-Year Net Income: $260.37 billion

Number of Hedge Funds: 254

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) has built an exceptionally profitable advertising business around Facebook and Instagram, where extensive user engagement enables advertisers to reach targeted audiences. Its profitability depends heavily on advertising effectiveness, with improvements in recommendations and targeting supporting revenue without requiring equivalent increases in users.

Meta’s advertising business has continued expanding, while artificial intelligence increasingly supports engagement and monetization. However, the cost of developing AI infrastructure is beginning to alter its financial profile. In the third quarter of 2026, revenue increased 26% year-over-year to $64.60 billion, but free cash flow turned to negative $2.12 billion as infrastructure investments accelerated. Meta also recognized a substantial legal settlement charge that affected reported profitability.

Management expects strong overall revenue growth throughout 2027, supported by the benefits of its AI investments to core business, as well as model advances and product launches. Nevertheless, the company now anticipates $135 billion to $145 billion in capital expenditure during 2026, narrowed from its prior outlook of $130-145 billion. One of the most popular comparisons among investors is between Meta and Alphabet. So how does Meta compare to GOOGL’s AI growth, and which stock is the better pick? Access the full comparison here.

Meta’s advertising operations remain highly profitable, but future earnings growth increasingly depends on whether its AI investments generate sufficient additional revenue to justify their substantial costs. That has become particularly important for shareholders evaluating its long-term returns.

6. JPMorgan Chase & Co.  (NYSE:JPM)

5-Year Net Income: $268.73 billion

Number of Hedge Funds: 133

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has maintained substantial profitability through a diversified banking model, which has been particularly valuable amid changing interest rates and financial market volatility, allowing stronger performance in certain businesses to offset pressure elsewhere.

Investment banking and trading have recently provided meaningful support. JPMorgan reported that its third-quarter 2026 investment banking fees increased 14% year over year, while markets revenue rose 15%. The results reflect its ability to capitalize on corporate financing activity and demand for trading services. Read more extensively about JPM’s bull and bear case here.

The bank’s future profitability will depend partly on whether this momentum continues alongside growth in its lending business. However, earnings remain sensitive to interest rates, credit deterioration, and borrowing demand, and financial market activity can also fluctuate considerably between reporting periods. JPMorgan’s diversified operations provide several potential sources of earnings growth, but sustaining its profitability requires maintaining credit quality and managing expenses as market conditions change.

5. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)

5-Year Net Income: $299.91 billion

Number of Hedge Funds: 369

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) generates income across e-commerce, advertising, and cloud computing, but Amazon Web Services (AWS) plays a disproportionately important role in operating profitability.

In the second quarter of 2026, AWS generated $16.6 billion of Amazon’s $27.5 billion in operating income, illustrating how its cloud business contributes more to earnings than its revenue share might suggest. AWS segment sales increased 37% to $42.2 billion, supported by demand for computing capacity and AI infrastructure.

However, Amazon’s reported net income requires an important qualification. Second-quarter earnings included $53.4 billion in non-operating pretax income, primarily associated with its investment in Anthropic. Such gains do not necessarily represent recurring business profitability.

AWS offers opportunities for continued operating income growth. Reuters reported that its contracted backlog had reached $496 billion, providing visibility into future demand. Factors like these place Amazon first among our list of the best big name stocks according to financial media.

Nevertheless, expanding AI infrastructure has pushed Amazon’s free cash flow into negative territory. The company burned $7.6 billion of cash on a trailing 12-month basis in fiscal Q2, compared to $18.2 billion in free cash flow a year earlier. Future profitability will depend on turning its substantial infrastructure commitments into sustainable operating returns and not just on investment revaluations.

4. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B)

5-Year Net Income: $315.20 billion

Number of Hedge Funds: 135

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) more than doubled its net earnings in the second quarter of 2026, but the increase was not matched by comparable growth in its operating businesses. Nearly half of its reported profit came from investment gains, while operating earnings rose to $12.983 billion, supported by stronger performance outside insurance. Its cumulative net income reflects both business earnings and investment gains, including changes in the market value of its equity holdings.

However, insurance underwriting earnings declined to $1.731 billion from $1.992 billion, illustrating how profitability can face pressure even when overall operating results improve. Berkshire’s investment portfolio also introduces an important distinction for shareholders. Unrealized gains can substantially increase reported net income without generating corresponding operating cash flow, while market declines can reduce earnings even when its underlying businesses remain profitable.

READ ALSO: Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) Starts Spending Its Cash, but Is 24 Times Earnings Fair?

For shareholders, the more meaningful measure of Berkshire’s performance is whether growth across its operating businesses can offset weakness in insurance while its accumulated capital is deployed productively.