2 Monster Stocks to Hold for the Next 20 Years

By Catie Hogan – Feb 16, 2026 at 1:00AM ESTKey PointsCarnival recently reinstated its dividend and has largely rebounded from the pandemic.Hyatt Hotels is pivoting to an asset-light model that'll increase its ability to scale.The global travel market could reach $9.5 trillion by 2035.These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›NYSE: HHyatt HotelsMarket Cap$16BToday's Changeangle-down(-2.18%) $3.68Current Price$165.39Price as of February 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM ETCarnival and Hyatt Hotels are positioned to grow for many more years.Perhaps it's the cold winter weather or just the natural human desire to experience life to the fullest, but two monster stocks worth holding for the next 20 years are Carnival (CCL 2.14%) and Hyatt Hotels (H 2.18%). Why these two hospitality brands? It's quite simple. Travel is cyclical, but it isn't a fad. While the frequency, duration, and luxury of personal travel ebb and flow with both micro and macroeconomic trends, a growing global middle class will continue to make Carnival and Hyatt winners. As long as these brands continue to deliver on experiential expectations, the next 20 years look promising for both stocks. ExpandNYSE: CCLCarnival Corp.Today's Change(-2.14%) $-0.69Current Price$31.75Key Data PointsMarket Cap$44BDay's Range$31.37 - $32.3952wk Range$15.07 - $34.03Volume615KAvg Vol21MGross Margin29.58%Dividend Yield0.47% The global travel market is expected to reach more than $9.5 trillion by 2035. This presents a massive opportunity for brands positioned to innovate in customer experiences and willing to expand into emerging markets. Carnival and Hyatt fit both of those bills. Carnival's stock is cruising Carnival is the world's largest cruise line operator, with a fleet of more than 90 ships that sail to 800 ports worldwide. The company still hasn't fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, but it does have some promising tailwinds. On a global level, cruising is still an emerging travel market. Carnival's sheer size and scale enable it to penetrate underrepresented markets worldwide. It also holds pricing power that smaller competitors can't readily match. Image source: Getty Images. Carnival has significant debt on its balance sheet, and that fact shouldn't be ignored. However, the company is improving its cash flow and paying down its debt. Over the next two decades, as demand for cruise travel increases, this will allow Carnival to improve its balance sheet as it grows. The cruise operator's stock is currently undervalued. Carnival is trading very close to its 52-week high, but the company still has a low forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13. Carnival also reinstated its dividend in December 2025, a highly bullish sign for investors. The small quarterly dividend is currently $0.15 per share. Hyatt's pivot is paying off Hyatt Hotels operates in 80 countries across six continents. The hotel chain has transformed into an asset-light, fee-driven hospitality brand. This means the company prefers management and franchise agreements instead of owning every hotel property. Ultimately, this reduces capital intensity and gives it greater scalability than competitors who outright own their real estate portfolios. ExpandNYSE: HHyatt HotelsToday's Change(-2.18%) $-3.68Current Price$165.39Key Data PointsMarket Cap$16BDay's Range$164.98 - $172.0252wk Range$102.42 - $180.53Volume968KAvg Vol815KGross Margin13.93%Dividend Yield0.36% Hyatt has also focused on growing its World of Hyatt loyalty program, which now has more than 60 million members. This program promotes customer retention and repeat bookings. In its quarterly earnings report released on Feb. 12, Hyatt provided a robust outlook for 2026. The hospitality company anticipates adjusted free cash flow to increase by 22% to 33%. It also sees gross fee growth of 8% to 11% and net rooms increasing by 6% to 7%. Most significantly, net income could jump from a loss of $52 million to a hugely positive $235 million to $320 million. All in all, Hyatt's pivot to asset-light should really begin to pay off in 2026. Hyatt has rebounded nicely post-pandemic. The stock has also reflected this rebound, rising 125% over the past five years. The company's forward P/E ratio of 34 is slightly higher than the industry average, but if investors are buying for the next 20 years, a slight price premium now isn't much of a factor. Traveling with Carnival and Hyatt for the next 20 years As life and health expectancies rise and wealth grows worldwide, the opportunity for travel brands to expand in the U.S. and internationally is strong.

Both Hyatt Hotels and Carnival are innovating in their customer experiences and improving long-term financial performance. Twenty years from now, investors could be relaxing poolside thanks to these two stocks.About the AuthorCatie is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering technology, consumer goods, transportation, industrials, materials, and energy. She's the founder of the family finances newsletter, Cents of Humor. Catie was formerly the Head of Advice & Coaching at Parthean and an advisor at Element Financial Group. She's the writer and a producer of the hit off-Broadway show, Vape!

The Grease Parody. Catie has a degree in journalism from Emerson College.TMFCatieHoganStocks MentionedHyatt HotelsNYSE: H$165.39 (2.18%) $3.68Carnival Corp.NYSE: CCL$31.75 (2.14%) $0.69*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.