the Best Companies to Invest In for 2025
the Best Companies to Invest In for 2025
Modern financial media – specifically, TV, blogs, message boards and social media – too often portray equity investing as a get-rich-quick scheme. Investors are bombarded with tremendous amounts of data, information and advice coming at them at a breakneck pace. Unfortunately, the advice they're getting online and from TV is not personalized and usually boils down to buying a popular stock at a perceived bargain price and selling it quickly once a good profit is made. Yet, many experts caution against this approach.
Legendary value investor Warren Buffett, for example, likes to remind people that, when they buy a stock, they are buying a proportionate share of an actual company. Buffett is chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (ticker: BRK.B, BRK.A), and in his 1989 annual letter to shareholders he wrote, "It is far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price." This reflects Buffett's belief that the key to successful equity investing is owning good companies, not chasing hot stocks.
Following Buffett's advice and example, however, requires buying good-quality, well-managed businesses at prices that allow for long-term value creation.
Today – in the middle of the first quarter of 2025 – as you consider your asset allocation and stock selection for the rest of the year, you may find it helpful to research and review some of the world's best publicly traded companies: companies with superior management, a forward-looking vision and a proven track record. Over the long run, through good economic times and bad, those are the companies that attract and retain investors and create shareholder value.
To that end, here is an updated list of five of the very best companies to invest in for 2025 and well beyond:
Company
BlackRock Inc. (BLK)
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
Lowe's Cos Inc. (LOW)
Walmart Inc. (WMT)
Apple Inc. (AAPL)
Legendary value investor Warren Buffett, for example, likes to remind people that, when they buy a stock, they are buying a proportionate share of an actual company. Buffett is chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (ticker: BRK.B, BRK.A), and in his 1989 annual letter to shareholders he wrote, "It is far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price." This reflects Buffett's belief that the key to successful equity investing is owning good companies, not chasing hot stocks.
Following Buffett's advice and example, however, requires buying good-quality, well-managed businesses at prices that allow for long-term value creation.
Today – in the middle of the first quarter of 2025 – as you consider your asset allocation and stock selection for the rest of the year, you may find it helpful to research and review some of the world's best publicly traded companies: companies with superior management, a forward-looking vision and a proven track record. Over the long run, through good economic times and bad, those are the companies that attract and retain investors and create shareholder value.
To that end, here is an updated list of five of the very best companies to invest in for 2025 and well beyond:
Company
BlackRock Inc. (BLK)
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
Lowe's Cos Inc. (LOW)
Walmart Inc. (WMT)
Apple Inc. (AAPL)
BlackRock Inc. (BLK) stock analysis
BlackRock Inc. (BLK)
With over $11 trillion in assets under management, there's no doubt BlackRock is the largest asset management firm on earth. BlackRock boasts a market cap of $151 billion and, in addition to being the biggest player in its industry, is consistently considered one of best publicly traded companies in the world.
The firm was founded 27 years ago by a group of investors headed by Larry Fink, who was the person most responsible for creating the $10 trillion mortgage-backed securities market back in the 1980s. Today, BlackRock provides retail and institutional investors with a comprehensive array of investment vehicles to meet every financial objective imaginable.
BlackRock's products include hundreds of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), separately managed accounts, hedge funds, private equity investments and more.
The company is on pace to generate about $23.5 billion in revenue over 2025, and analysts are projecting revenue to grow about 11% to over $26.2 billion in 2026.
The stock, which closed at $997.86 on Feb. 18, pays an annual forward dividend of $20.84, which equates to a yield of about 2.1%.
With over $11 trillion in assets under management, there's no doubt BlackRock is the largest asset management firm on earth. BlackRock boasts a market cap of $151 billion and, in addition to being the biggest player in its industry, is consistently considered one of best publicly traded companies in the world.
The firm was founded 27 years ago by a group of investors headed by Larry Fink, who was the person most responsible for creating the $10 trillion mortgage-backed securities market back in the 1980s. Today, BlackRock provides retail and institutional investors with a comprehensive array of investment vehicles to meet every financial objective imaginable.
BlackRock's products include hundreds of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), separately managed accounts, hedge funds, private equity investments and more.
The company is on pace to generate about $23.5 billion in revenue over 2025, and analysts are projecting revenue to grow about 11% to over $26.2 billion in 2026.
The stock, which closed at $997.86 on Feb. 18, pays an annual forward dividend of $20.84, which equates to a yield of about 2.1%.
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) stock analysis
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
Over the past two years, Nvidia has become very popular on Wall Street and among stock investors. Well before it became famous for producing microchips that power artificial intelligence applications, it was already a great company, and it still is.
NVDA enjoys a strong reputation for advanced, high-quality products and superior business execution, but what sets this company apart is its innovative and adaptive approach to the technology and communications sector.
No company captures and holds on to market share like Nvidia. It is dominant in the high-speed gaming semiconductor industry and is the established leader in the development and production of advanced microchips that are used in deep-learning, AI platforms.
With a market cap of over $3.4 trillion and revenue that consistently tops $38 billion a quarter, Nvidia's status as one of the world's best companies seems secure.
Over the past two years, Nvidia has become very popular on Wall Street and among stock investors. Well before it became famous for producing microchips that power artificial intelligence applications, it was already a great company, and it still is.
NVDA enjoys a strong reputation for advanced, high-quality products and superior business execution, but what sets this company apart is its innovative and adaptive approach to the technology and communications sector.
No company captures and holds on to market share like Nvidia. It is dominant in the high-speed gaming semiconductor industry and is the established leader in the development and production of advanced microchips that are used in deep-learning, AI platforms.
With a market cap of over $3.4 trillion and revenue that consistently tops $38 billion a quarter, Nvidia's status as one of the world's best companies seems secure.
Lowe's Cos Inc. (LOW) stock analysis
Lowe's Cos Inc. (LOW)
Lowe's has a more than 100-year history of superior growth and quality business execution. It's a good stock to own in 2025 and for the future because it is, fundamentally, a good company.
Lowe's operates over 1,700 home improvement supercenters all over the U.S. Its warehouse-style outlets sell a wide range of building, home maintenance and home improvement products, tools and materials. The company has grown to a $139 billion powerhouse in the home improvement retail industry and provides stiff competition to its chief rival Home Depot Inc. (HD).
Lowe's is a good company that operates in a high-growth industry. Investors should understand, however, that LOW isn't a stock for investors with a short time horizon. The housing industry – on which LOW depends – is a very cyclical industry that's sensitive to fluctuations in the economy and the interest rate market. The company has a decent long-term track record, but the stock can be volatile.
Currently, LOW has a dividend yield of 1.8%.
Lowe's has a more than 100-year history of superior growth and quality business execution. It's a good stock to own in 2025 and for the future because it is, fundamentally, a good company.
Lowe's operates over 1,700 home improvement supercenters all over the U.S. Its warehouse-style outlets sell a wide range of building, home maintenance and home improvement products, tools and materials. The company has grown to a $139 billion powerhouse in the home improvement retail industry and provides stiff competition to its chief rival Home Depot Inc. (HD).
Lowe's is a good company that operates in a high-growth industry. Investors should understand, however, that LOW isn't a stock for investors with a short time horizon. The housing industry – on which LOW depends – is a very cyclical industry that's sensitive to fluctuations in the economy and the interest rate market. The company has a decent long-term track record, but the stock can be volatile.
Currently, LOW has a dividend yield of 1.8%.
Walmart Inc. (WMT) stock analysis
Walmart Inc. (WMT)
Walmart is the largest retail company in the world as judged by sales. In 2025, it's estimated that the company will generate more than $676 billion in revenue. In 2026, analysts are projecting that figure to grow by about 4% to $705 billion. The company has defined the retail business for more than 60 years and has cemented its status as a great company to own.
The $833 billion retail giant has three main divisions: Walmart USA, Walmart International and Sam's Club. Not counting its overseas locations and apart from its fast-growing online presence, WMT has more than 4,600 brick-and-mortar locations.
The Walmart USA segment operates department stores, supercenter stores, small Walmart Neighborhood Markets and the company's internet marketplace. The Sam's Club division runs big-box, warehouse-style stores that offer direct competition to Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST). The International segment runs large and small stores all over the world.
The stock has a forward dividend yield of about 0.8%.
Walmart is the largest retail company in the world as judged by sales. In 2025, it's estimated that the company will generate more than $676 billion in revenue. In 2026, analysts are projecting that figure to grow by about 4% to $705 billion. The company has defined the retail business for more than 60 years and has cemented its status as a great company to own.
The $833 billion retail giant has three main divisions: Walmart USA, Walmart International and Sam's Club. Not counting its overseas locations and apart from its fast-growing online presence, WMT has more than 4,600 brick-and-mortar locations.
The Walmart USA segment operates department stores, supercenter stores, small Walmart Neighborhood Markets and the company's internet marketplace. The Sam's Club division runs big-box, warehouse-style stores that offer direct competition to Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST). The International segment runs large and small stores all over the world.
The stock has a forward dividend yield of about 0.8%.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) stock analysis
Apple Inc. (AAPL)
Apple may be the model of a great modern company. The firm's reputation for quality and production standards is second to none, and the customer loyalty it enjoys is among the highest of any public company. In addition, Apple's balance sheet, revenue and earnings are the envy of the tech sector.
AAPL has a market cap approaching $3.7 trillion, making it one of only a handful of stocks that can be called a mega-cap. According to the company's latest financial filings, AAPL has about $162 billion in cash and equivalents on its books. In short, AAPL is one of the most financially stable companies in the world.
Apple's operations are broadly diversified. They include smart devices, computers, software, entertainment, cloud computing and digital advertising. After it posted annual revenue of $391 billion for fiscal 2024, analysts are predicting significant gains over the next two years, to $409 billion for 2025 and $442 billion for 2026.
Apple may be the model of a great modern company. The firm's reputation for quality and production standards is second to none, and the customer loyalty it enjoys is among the highest of any public company. In addition, Apple's balance sheet, revenue and earnings are the envy of the tech sector.
AAPL has a market cap approaching $3.7 trillion, making it one of only a handful of stocks that can be called a mega-cap. According to the company's latest financial filings, AAPL has about $162 billion in cash and equivalents on its books. In short, AAPL is one of the most financially stable companies in the world.
Apple's operations are broadly diversified. They include smart devices, computers, software, entertainment, cloud computing and digital advertising. After it posted annual revenue of $391 billion for fiscal 2024, analysts are predicting significant gains over the next two years, to $409 billion for 2025 and $442 billion for 2026.