2 Tech Stocks Built to Compound for a Decade

By Prosper Junior Bakiny – Mar 13, 2026 at 5:30PM ESTKey PointsMeta Platforms' strong ad business is only getting better thanks to AI.Netflix still dominates streaming and is slowly entering new, potentially lucrative niches. Over the past decade, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite has run circles around the two other major U.S. market indexes. That suggests that some of the best growth stocks to buy and hold, at least over the past 10 years, were in the tech sector. Indeed, tech leaders such as Meta Platforms (META 3.83%) and Netflix (NFLX +1.15%) delivered strong returns over this period. And the best part: Both stocks still have what it takes to beat the market through 2036. Here is why Meta Platforms and Netflix are still worth investing in. Image source: Getty Images. 1.

Meta Platforms It's hard to find a company with an ecosystem of users as deep as that of Meta Platforms. The company boasts 3.58 daily active users across its social media platforms. Meta makes most of its money from advertising. And in the next decade, the company's business should remain centered around that. Meta Platforms' benefits from deep network effects across its social media empire, making it challenging for any competitor to steal most of its users. Meanwhile, the tech giant is still growing engagement on its apps, largely thanks to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered algorithms. ExpandNASDAQ: METAMeta PlatformsToday's Change(-3.83%) $-24.47Current Price$613.71Key Data PointsMarket Cap$1.6TDay's Range$609.55 - $629.1752wk Range$479.80 - $796.25Volume19MAvg Vol15MGross Margin82.00%Dividend Yield0.33% Meta Platforms is also helping advertisers with a host of AI tools that make it easier to create campaigns (from defining a target audience to generating images and measuring performance). A deeper, more engaged user base and better, more effective ad campaigns should lead to consistent revenue and earnings growth for Meta Platforms through the next decade. The company could also slowly ramp up other growth opportunities. Meta Platforms' significant investments in AI could pay off beyond its impact on its advertising business, perhaps through paid subscriptions, AI-powered commerce, and more. In short, the company is well-positioned to ride the AI tailwind and, once again, beat the market over the next 10 years. 2. Netflix Although a lot has changed for Netflix over the past decade, at least one thing hasn't: The company's goal to replace cable television. It has made significant progress, but there is more work to be done. According to some data, streaming accounted for 47% of TV viewing time in the U.S. in January. The industry is less penetrated in many other countries. So, the global opportunities for Netflix remain massive, especially given that it now has an ad-supported tier with rapidly growing ad sales. ExpandNASDAQ: NFLXNetflixToday's Change(1.15%) $1.08Current Price$95.39Key Data PointsMarket Cap$398BDay's Range$94.24 - $95.6752wk Range$75.01 - $134.12Volume1.4MAvg Vol49MGross Margin48.59% Can Netflix still dominate streaming, even as the industry has become far more competitive? Yes, it can. The company's brand-name and time-tested strategy of creating outstanding content should help it attract more viewers while increasing engagement among its existing ones. Netflix will also benefit from entering new markets. The company is making a push into long-form video podcasts, which should cost less than original TV and movies while still delivering on engagement. Netflix is also slowly entering the world of sports streaming, another niche that could attract plenty of new eyeballs to the company's ecosystem. For those reasons (and many more), my view is that Netflix hasn't peaked yet. The company's prospects through 2036 look bright. Read NextMar 13, 2026 •By Keithen Drury1 Billionaire Just Bought Nearly $2 Billion of This Brilliant AI InvestmentMar 12, 2026 •By Leo SunHere's Why Meta's $135 Billion AI Bet in 2026 Could Backfire on ShareholdersMar 11, 2026 •By Neil RozenbaumThese 3 Stocks Are Mispriced Right NowMar 11, 2026 •By Daniel SparksMeta Platforms Is on a Spending Spree -- and It's Massive. Here's Some Telling Perspective.Mar 11, 2026 •By Adria CiminoBillionaire Stanley Druckenmiller Just Dropped This AI Big Spender and Bought Shares of These AI Players That are Generating Billion-Dollar Revenue.Mar 10, 2026 •By Jose NajarroMeta Platforms Acquires This Unique AI CompanyAbout the AuthorProsper Junior Bakiny is a contributing Motley Fool healthcare analyst covering biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare stocks.

Before The Motley Fool, Prosper wrote about investing topics ranging from stock market news to private equity for various companies. He holds a master’s degree in corporate finance from the University of Maryland Global Campus.TMFPBakinyStocks MentionedMeta PlatformsNASDAQ: META$613.71(-3.83%)-$24.47NetflixNASDAQ: NFLX$95.39(+1.15%)+$1.08*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.