In this piece, we discuss the 13 Best Performing S&P 500 Stocks in the Last 5 Years.
Market confidence amid sustained momentum, shifting sector leadership, and expectations of continued gains have helped the S&P 500 deliver strong performance over a prolonged period.
As per Reuters’ year-end report, U.S. equities ended 2025 at record highs. More importantly, the S&P 500 closed at a new peak, only 1% below the level needed for the index to hit the 7,000 mark for the first time. Since 2017-2018, the index recorded its longest winning streak in 2025, with gains for eight straight months. Amid this, investors escaped the volatility seen earlier in the year, which was tied to concerns about technology spending on artificial intelligence (AI).
In the same report, Reuters had highlighted that investors are seeing opportunities elsewhere, even though technology stocks have remained the backbone of the multi-year bull market. While the S&P 500 tech sector declined by more than 3% since early November, gains were recorded in other areas, including financials, healthcare, transportation, and small-cap stocks. This reflected a shift in investor focus toward more moderately valued segments.
The changing narrative was highlighted in Reuters’ February 8 report, which noted that investors were shifting capital toward cheaper, smaller companies, with heightened volatility and reassessments of risks associated with AI-driven stock driving the reallocation.
Looking ahead, Reuters surveyed analysts on the outlook for the S&P 500 in 2026. The report, originally published on December 24, 2025, and updated on February 6, 2026, cited major brokerages that expect the index to continue its rally in 2026. The consensus implies a nearly 12% gain by year-end.
Our Methodology
To curate our list of the best-performing S&P 500 stocks, we used online screeners to identify those that posted the strongest share price returns over the past five years, as of market close on February 6, and that had strong analyst coverage and hedge fund sentiment. We assessed hedge fund sentiment using Insider Monkey’s hedge fund database, which tracks 978 stocks as of Q3 2025. Finally, we ranked the 13 highest-performing stocks in ascending order by the number of hedge funds that were bullish on each stock.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
13. McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK)
Five-Year Share Performance: 415.87%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 73
McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
On February 5, 2026, BofA reaffirmed its ‘Buy’ rating on McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) and increased its price target from $950 to $970. Describing the third quarter as strong, the firm pointed to revenue and EPS, both of which exceeded street expectations. Citing the North American Pharmaceutical segment’s solid performance and the Oncology & Multispecialty segment’s ongoing strength, BofA raised its FY26 and FY27 EPS projections.
The analyst update followed McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK)’s February 4, 2026, Q3 earnings and outlook update, in which the company raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS forecast from a prior range of $38.35-$38.85 to $38.80-$39.20.
Additionally, McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) reported third-quarter revenue of $106.16 billion, exceeding the $105.86 billion forecast, and adjusted EPS of $9.34, above the $9.22 forecast. The demand for specialty drugs and strong prescription volumes helped the U.S. pharmaceutical segment’s sales to rise 9% to $88.30 billion.
McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK), a healthcare services company, offers pharmaceutical distribution, specialty drug solutions, prescription technology services, and medical-surgical supplies across the United States and international markets.
12. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)
Five-Year Share Performance: 445.60%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 114
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is included in the list of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
As of February 6, 2026, robust demand for the company’s obesity and diabetes treatments continues to drive strong investor sentiment. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)’s shares have gained roughly 70% in the past six months.
According to the company’s press release dated February 4, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) projects revenue of $80.00 to $83.00 billion for 2026, while profit is estimated at $33.50 to $35.00 per share. Beating analyst forecasts, these estimates contrast with rival Novo Nordisk’s expectations of a 5%-13% sales decline amid pricing pressures. As a result of this news, the company’s shares surged 10% in early trading, helping Lilly’s market capitalization hit the $1 trillion mark. The company is the first to achieve this milestone in the pharmaceutical sector.
At the same time, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) reported its Q4 2025 results, with adjusted net income of $7.54 per share, exceeding the $6.67 estimate. Meanwhile, quarterly revenue was $19.30 billion, ahead of the $17.96 billion consensus. The company’s strong performance during the quarter was led by strong sales across Mounjaro ($7.41 billion) and Zepbound ($4.3 billion), driven largely by volume despite price reductions.
Looking ahead, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) said it expects a U.S. launch of orforglipron in the second quarter of 2026, accompanied by an international rollout in 2027.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceuticals for diabetes, obesity, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. The company leverages innovative therapies to address global healthcare needs from its Indianapolis headquarters.
11. Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL)
Five-Year Share Performance: 476.09%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 54
Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) is one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in the last five years.
Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) shares reached an all-time high on February 6, 2026, hitting $259.74. The shares were up more than 54% year-over-year and more than 12% in 2026. Jabil achieved this milestone amid the company’s continued momentum following recent analyst and corporate developments.
On January 20, 2026, Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) announced a manufacturing partnership and strategic minority investment with Eagle Harbour Technologies (EHT Semi). The collaboration enhances plasma stability, accuracy, and yields in advanced semiconductor fabrication by fusing EHT Semi’s RF and pulsed-power technologies with Jabil’s manufacturing capabilities. Building on previous investments in power systems, liquid cooling, and thermal management capabilities, the partnership supports Jabil’s strategy to increase its exposure to semiconductor capital equipment. The move positions the company to deliver SEMI-compliant power solutions at scale.
Additionally, on January 14, 2026, BofA maintained a ‘Buy’ rating on Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) and raised its price target from $265 to $280 following a meeting with senior management.
Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) offers electronics and diversified manufacturing services, including engineering, supply chain, and production solutions across global markets through its EMS and DMS operating segments.