Best Stocks to Invest for Long Term

Investing your hard-earned income in stocks can be quite challenging. There are thousands of companies across diverse segments to choose from. However, it's vital that we invest in those enterprises that have a solid business model, strong financial growth, and follow good corporate governance practices. Historical records have proven that investing in such reputed firms over the long term can help us beat inflation and secure our financial goals. In this article, we analyse some of the best stocks to invest in for the long term in India.

Factors to Consider While Looking for Stocks to Invest for Long Term:

• Company Fundamentals: Evaluate the financial health of all companies, their profitability, competitive advantage, and growth prospects to ensure they have a solid foundation for long-term success.

• Industry Analysis: Assess the growth potential of the industry a company operates in, market dynamics, and competitive landscape. Investing in sectors with favourable long-term prospects can increase the chances of sustained stock performance.

• Management Quality: Examine the experience and track record of the company's management team. Strong leadership and effective execution are crucial for long-term value creation.

• Valuation: Consider a stock's valuation relative to its earnings, cash flows, and industry peers. Buying stocks at reasonable prices or at a discount to their intrinsic value improves the potential for long-term returns.

• Dividends and Shareholder Returns: Look for companies with a history of consistent dividend payments or share buybacks. These factors indicate a commitment to returning value to shareholders and can contribute to long-term total returns.

Stocks to Invest for the Long Term:

Stock	5-Year Return
Reliance Industries Ltd.	122.3%
Tata Power Company Ltd.	202.5%
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.	74.5%
Asian Paints	147%
HDFC Bank	52.5%

Note: These are not stock recommendations. Please do your own research before investing.

Reliance Industries Ltd. 

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is the largest private-sector corporation in India. The Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate is primarily involved in the energy, petrochemicals, retail, textiles, telecom, entertainment, and digital services sectors. RIL owns the world's largest refining hub in Jamnagar (Gujarat), which has a crude processing capacity of 1.24 million barrels per day. 

The company's subsidiary, Reliance Retail Ventures, is our country's largest retailer in terms of revenue and profitability. Meanwhile, Reliance Jio is the biggest player in the telecom sector, with a 37% market share and nearly 43 crore subscribers. RIL is currently focusing on dominating the gradually evolving green energy sector. Thus, Reliance's products and services portfolio touches almost all Indians every day.

Over the past five years (FY19-FY23), RIL’s revenue and net profit have shown an impressive Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.25% and 13%, respectively. [In simple terms, CAGR is a measure of the average year-on-year growth rate of a metric over several years.] They have been able to significantly reduce debt during this period. Reliance has cemented its position as a market leader in almost all sectors it operates in.

Tata Power Company Ltd. 

Tata Power Company Ltd is engaged in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity across India. It has a total generation capacity of 14,110 megawatts (MW) from thermal, hydro, and renewable power (solar, wind) projects. Since its inception in 1915, Tata Power has developed expertise in executing critical projects and driving green initiatives. The company holds a dominant position in the growing electric vehicle (EV) charging station market in our country.

Going forward, the integrated power company plans to expand its clean & green energy capacity to 80% by 2030. It aims to become carbon neutral by phasing out thermal projects by 2050. Additionally, it plans to construct 1 lakh EV charging stations by 2025. 

Tata Power currently holds a ~41.83% market share in India’s power transmission & distribution sector. Its revenue has grown at a CAGR of 14.76% over the past five years, while net profit has grown at 6.74%. The company has also been maintaining a healthy dividend payout of 31.7%. Based on its recent order wins and top-class project execution capabilities, Tata Power is expected to post good results in the upcoming quarters.

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. 

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the flagship company of the Tata Group. It is a management and technology consultant, which means that they provide services to other enterprises and government agencies and help them transform the way technology is used. The company’s services include application development, business processing outsourcing (BPO), payment processing, and much more. TCS essentially helps organizations simplify their digital systems and reduce costs.

TCS is almost debt-free. Over the last 5 years, its revenue has grown at a yearly rate of 12.5%. The company’s Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) is the highest amongst its competitors in the IT sector at 59.1%. [It means that for every ₹100 worth of capital employed, TCS earns ₹59.1 on it.] The company has been maintaining a healthy dividend payout of 61.4%. As the flagship company of Tata Group, Tata Consultancy Services has time and again exceeded its targets and is continuing its path as a global leader in the IT industry.

HDFC Bank

Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) was one of the pioneering institutions to receive preliminary approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to establish a private sector bank. In August 1994, HDFC Bank was incorporated with its headquarters in Mumbai, India. It offers a comprehensive range of banking and financial services, including retail banking, wholesale banking, and treasury operations. Today, it stands as the largest private-sector bank in India. It is a market leader in the credit card business in India. As of 31 March 2023, the bank's distribution network was at 7,821 branches across 3,203 cities.

The bank’s revenue has grown at a CAGR of 15.09% over the past five years, while net profit has grown at 19.97%. It has been maintaining a healthy dividend payout of 19%. 

HDFC Bank aims to launch more products and services under its 'Digital 2.0' drive in the upcoming years.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd. 

Hindustan Unilever Ltd is a consumer goods company headquartered in Mumbai. It is a subsidiary of the UK-based Unilever plc. Foods, drinks, cleaning supplies, toiletries, water purifiers, and other fast-moving goods are among its offerings. The company’s Beauty & Personal Care segment forms a majority of its revenue (42%). This is followed by the Home Care segment (29%) and Food and Refreshment Segment (29%). 

HUL’s revenue has grown at a yearly rate of 11.2% over the past five years, while its net profit has grown at 14.18%. The company is almost debt free. It has also been maintaining a healthy dividend payout of 99.9%.

Now you know some of the best stocks to invest for long term. In conclusion, invest in well-established companies for the long term, and you will understand the magic of the eighth wonder of the world— compounding! You will be safe from short-term market volatility and risks. Develop patience and let your money grow multifold.

Disclaimer: The stocks mentioned in the article are solely for educational purposes. Please do your own research before investing.