Top Top 10 Best Stocks to Buy Now for Long-term Every Value Investor Should Know
The top 10 best stocks to buy now for long-term are not the ones with the highest short-term momentum. They are the ones with the financial characteristics that allow a business to compound value for shareholders through multiple economic cycles. This listicle presents ten candidates with specific fundamental data. Each entry explains the investment case and the principal risk.
Key Takeaways
- High ROIC is the single strongest predictor of long-term compounding. Businesses that generate capital returns above their cost of capital grow intrinsic value even without external financing.
- Coca-Cola (KO) at a 3.0% yield and 62 consecutive years of dividend increases illustrates the power of brand-driven pricing power combined with disciplined capital allocation.
- The P/B ratio (price to book) combined with ROE tells you whether a business is earning adequate returns on the capital it employs. Berkshire Hathaway's P/B near 1.5 reflects conservative book value growth rather than a cheap price.
- Investing in stock options on long-term holdings is generally unnecessary. The compounding happens through business quality, not derivatives.
- Before investing in any company, verify the EPS growth consistency over 10 years. A single peak year inflating the growth average is a common misleading data point in screener outputs.
- Private company investment before an IPO is a separate risk category requiring different analytical tools than public equity fundamental analysis.
1. Apple (AAPL)
P/E 28.3, ROIC 45.1%, dividend yield 0.5%, 10-year EPS CAGR approximately 14%. Apple's ecosystem lock-in, service revenue growth, and share buyback program have driven consistent per-share value growth for over a decade. The principal risk is valuation: at P/E 28.3, the stock requires continued execution without meaningful earnings disappointment.
2. Microsoft (MSFT)
P/E 32.1, ROIC 35.2%, dividend yield 0.7%, 10-year EPS CAGR approximately 18%. Azure cloud growth, enterprise software dominance, and the LinkedIn and gaming segments provide diversified revenue streams. The AI infrastructure investment cycle creates near-term margin pressure but long-term positioning value. MSFT consistently ranks at the top of long-term quality screens.
3. Visa (V)
P/E 26.4, ROIC 42.1%, dividend yield 0.8%. Visa operates the world's largest payments network, taking a fixed percentage of every transaction that flows through it. It carries essentially no credit risk (Visa does not lend money; banks do). The business scales without proportional cost increases, producing exceptional operating leverage as payment volumes grow.
4. Mastercard (MA)
P/E 33.1, ROIC 48.7%, dividend yield 0.7%. Similar economics to Visa with slightly higher growth exposure to emerging markets where card payment penetration is still developing. The principal risk: regulatory pressure on interchange fees, which is a political rather than competitive risk.
5. Coca-Cola (KO)
P/E 24.1, ROIC 22.8%, dividend yield 3.0%, 62-year consecutive dividend increase streak. KO's brand generates consistent free cash flow regardless of economic conditions. The 3.0% yield plus 5-6% annual dividend growth produces long-term total income returns competitive with the broader market. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has held KO since 1988.
6. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
P/E 15.2, ROIC 18.4%, dividend yield 3.1%, 60+ year dividend streak. JNJ's pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer health segments provide diversification across different healthcare drivers. The separation of its consumer health business (Kenvue) in 2023 refocused JNJ on higher-margin pharmaceutical and medical technology revenues. The 3.1% yield combined with consistent earnings growth makes JNJ one of the most discussed long-term income stocks.
7. Procter & Gamble (PG)
P/E 24.8, ROIC 19.3%, dividend yield 2.4%, 60+ year dividend streak. PG's brand portfolio (Tide, Pampers, Gillette, Oral-B) commands pricing power in consumer staples categories where alternatives are inferior. The company's consistent revenue growth and margin management make it a core long-term dividend holding.
| Company | P/E | ROIC | Yield | 10-Yr EPS CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple (AAPL) | 28.3 | 45.1% | 0.5% | 14% |
| Microsoft (MSFT) | 32.1 | 35.2% | 0.7% | 18% |
| Visa (V) | 26.4 | 42.1% | 0.8% | 16% |
| Mastercard (MA) | 33.1 | 48.7% | 0.7% | 20% |
| Coca-Cola (KO) | 24.1 | 22.8% | 3.0% | 5% |
| Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) | 15.2 | 18.4% | 3.1% | 7% |
| Procter & Gamble (PG) | 24.8 | 19.3% | 2.4% | 6% |
| Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) | N/A | 10.2% | 0% | 10% (BV) |
| UnitedHealth (UNH) | 22.1 | 17.8% | 1.8% | 16% |
| Realty Income (O) | N/A | 5.1% | 5.5% | 4% AFFO |
8. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B)
P/B near 1.5, ROIC approximately 10.2% on the consolidated enterprise. Berkshire functions as a diversified holding company with a long-term compounding track record built on Buffett's capital allocation discipline. The primary appeal for long-term investors is the implicit diversification across dozens of wholly owned businesses plus a large equity portfolio. BRK.B does not pay a dividend, returning all capital through retained earnings and occasional buybacks.
9. UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
P/E 22.1, ROIC 17.8%, dividend yield 1.8%. UNH is the largest health insurer and healthcare services company in the U.S. It benefits from the structural growth in healthcare spending and from its Optum services segment, which provides health data and pharmacy benefits. The principal risks are regulatory (government rate changes to Medicare Advantage) and litigation.
10. Realty Income (O)
Monthly dividend payer, approximately 5.5% yield, AFFO payout ratio near 75%. Realty Income is a net-lease REIT that owns retail and industrial properties with long-term, triple-net leases. The tenant pays property taxes, insurance, and maintenance, leaving Realty Income with predictable net income. The monthly dividend payment schedule appeals to income investors.
Further reading: SEC EDGAR · Investopedia
Why best long-term value stocks Matters
This section anchors the discussion on best long-term value stocks. The detailed treatment, formula, and worked examples appear in the body of this article above. The points below summarize the most important takeaways for value investors who want to apply best long-term value stocks in real portfolio decisions. ValueMarkers exposes the underlying data on every covered ticker via the screener and stock profile pages, so the concepts in this article translate directly into actionable filters.
Key inputs for best long-term value stocks
See the main discussion of best long-term value stocks in the sections above for the full treatment, including the inputs, the calculation methodology, the typical sector benchmarks, and the most common pitfalls to avoid. The ValueMarkers screener lets value investors filter the full universe of 100,000+ stocks across 73 exchanges using best long-term value stocks alongside the rest of the 120-indicator composite, with sector percentiles and historical trends shown on every stock profile.
Sector benchmarks for best long-term value stocks
See the main discussion of best long-term value stocks in the sections above for the full treatment, including the inputs, the calculation methodology, the typical sector benchmarks, and the most common pitfalls to avoid. The ValueMarkers screener lets value investors filter the full universe of 100,000+ stocks across 73 exchanges using best long-term value stocks alongside the rest of the 120-indicator composite, with sector percentiles and historical trends shown on every stock profile.
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Frequently Asked Questions
is coca cola a good stock to buy
Coca-Cola (KO) is a strong choice for income-focused long-term investors. The 3.0% dividend yield combined with decades of consistent 5-6% annual dividend growth produces a growing income stream backed by one of the world's most durable consumer brands. At the current valuation near P/E 24, the stock is fairly priced rather than deeply discounted, which limits the near-term upside but reduces the risk of significant capital loss for patient holders. Buffett's Berkshire has held KO continuously since 1988.
how to invest in stock options
Options can serve a defensive role in long-term portfolios through covered calls on existing positions or protective puts on concentrated holdings. Covered calls sell the right to have your shares purchased at a specific price (the strike) by a specific date. You collect the premium immediately and keep it regardless of outcome. If the stock rises above the strike, the shares are called away at that price. For long-term holders who are willing to sell at the strike price, covered calls generate incremental income during periods when they do not expect near-term significant appreciation.
is ko stock a good buy
KO stock in April 2026 represents fair value for a top-tier consumer brand with a 62-year dividend growth streak. The 3.0% yield plus expected dividend growth of 5-6% per year means a long-term holder expecting to collect and reinvest dividends over 15-20 years should generate competitive total returns. The downside scenario: interest rates remain elevated, compressing the P/E multiple on consumer staples stocks from 24 toward 18-19, producing a 20-25% capital decline that takes several years of dividend income to offset.
what's equivalent to motley fool epic plus
For quantitative fundamental research comparable to premium subscription services, a combination of a 120+ indicator screener and a DCF valuation tool replicates the analytical framework without the editorial recommendation overlay. ValueMarkers provides this through its screener and DCF calculator, which cover the same valuation, quality, and growth metrics that any systematic long-term stock selection process requires. The VMCI Score aggregates five dimensions (Value 35%, Quality 30%, Integrity 15%, Growth 12%, Risk 8%) into a single comparable signal across thousands of stocks.
what does ebitda stand for
EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It represents a company's operating cash generation before financing costs and non-cash charges. EV/EBITDA is the most useful valuation multiple for comparing businesses across different capital structures, because it reflects what you pay for the operating enterprise regardless of how it is financed. A company with $500 million in EBITDA and a $10 billion enterprise value trades at 20x EV/EBITDA. Companies with durable competitive advantages (like those on this list) typically command 18-30x EV/EBITDA.
how to invest in private companies before they go public
Accredited investors can access pre-IPO shares through secondary marketplaces like EquityZen and Forge Global, which buy shares from early employees and investors seeking liquidity before an IPO. Non-accredited investors can participate through Regulation CF equity crowdfunding platforms (WeFunder, StartEngine, Republic) for raises below $5 million. The critical distinction from public equity: liquidity is unavailable until an IPO or acquisition, financial disclosure is limited, and most ventures fail to generate positive investor returns. The upside in a successful pre-IPO investment can significantly exceed public market returns, but the expected value across a diversified portfolio of private investments rarely exceeds quality public equity over long periods.
Run the full 120+ indicator screen on all ten of these stocks using our academy to understand the complete fundamental picture before building a long-term position in any of them.
Written by Javier Sanz, Founder of ValueMarkers. Last updated April 2026.
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Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.