Amazon (AMZN +1.32%), Meta Platforms (META +0.30%), and Alphabet (GOOG +1.62%) (GOOGL +1.55%) are my three-stock starter portfolio for new investors in October 2026. I think these stocks offer more long-term growth potential than an S&P 500 index fund.
The S&P 500 has delivered an average annual return of 9.98% since 1928 through 2025, according to The Motley Fool’s research. All three of these tech giants have a track record of beating the market, and they’re still posting the kind of growth that can sustain that outperformance.
Index funds have their place as an anchor investment. But adding a few quality growth stocks from companies people use every day is a practical way to aim for above-average returns without taking too much risk.
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1. Amazon’s cloud growth can power the stock ahead of the S&P 500
To beat the market, I want to see a business growing revenue faster than the index’s historical average annual return. Amazon is clearing that bar, with…
https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/10/03/sp-500-not-enough-my-3-stock-starter-portfolio/
