Over the past three decades, various sector stocks such as apparel, technology, and food and beverages have yielded remarkable returns for long-term investors. Our analysis has focused on the best-performing stocks during the terms of the last five presidents: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. The selected stocks were those included in the major indices, including the S&P 500, the Nasdaq Composite, or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The basis of evaluation was a stock's total return during each president's term.
During Biden's term, NVIDIA registered a total return rate of around 933%, with its price swelling from $13.71 to over $137. This growth can be traced back to its launching of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) in 1999, which powered innovative artificial intelligence models later on.
Enphase Energy took the lead during Trump's term, with a total return of 10,678%, as its share price rocketed from $1.85 to $212.07. Their revolutionary microinverters and the introduction of the Enphase storage system contributed greatly to this skyrocketing growth.
In Obama's second term, Netflix shares soared almost 875%, reflecting its successful transition from a DVD rental company to a leading streaming platform. Its international expansion signified a substantial growth phase.
Lululemon, the Canadian athletic apparel company, showed a stellar performance during Obama's first term, with a total return of 1,915%. The brand generated buzz through its fashionable yoga pants, although it suffered a setback in 2013.
Monster Beverage corporation pulled off a staggering total return of 615% during Bush's second term. The launch of their caffeinated beverage, Monster Energy, marked a turning point for their growth, together with their partnership with Anheuser-Busch for better distribution.
Tractor Supply registered an impressive total return of 1,013% in Bush's first term. The company shifted its market focus from professional farmers to hobbyists, selling a variety of related products.
During Clinton's second term, Walmart recorded a total return of 354%. With its profitable business model of selling discount goods in large volumes, the retailer managed to make an astonishing impact on their stock price.
Lastly, Citigroup recorded a total return of 327% during Clinton's first term, notably due to the bank's expanding business in developing countries and its strategic merger with Travelers Group.
The sectors that thrived under each president varied, but the common denominator is that long-term investors who identified early on the innovations, strategic transformations, or changing consumer behaviors often garnered the greatest rewards. These outstanding performing stocks not only defined the economic narrative of each presidency but also offered insightful lessons for the investors.