3 Blue Chip Stocks That You Can Buy and Hold for Years

Group 1: Walmart - Walmart reported consolidated revenue of $161.5 billion for Q1 fiscal 2025, a 6% increase year over year [2] - The company's e-commerce business grew globally by 21%, while its advertising business achieved a growth rate of 24% [2] - Walmart plans to expand or open 150 stores in the U.S. over the next five years [2] - The company has a history of annual dividend increases for 51 consecutive years, with a yield of 1.3% [3] Group 2: Apple - Apple generated $100.4 billion in profit and $101.9 billion in free cash flow over the trailing 12 months [4] - The company announced a record $110 billion stock repurchase plan, which positively impacted its stock price [4] - In the most recent quarter, Apple reported net sales of $90.8 billion, a 4% decline year over year, but achieved an all-time record for services revenue at $23.9 billion [5] - Apple is rumored to be developing a chatbot to rival ChatGPT and is incorporating AI capabilities into its latest phones [5] Group 3: Eli Lilly - Eli Lilly has a market cap of $730 billion and pays a modest dividend with a yield of 0.7% [6] - The company has diverse products across multiple therapeutic areas, with a strong focus on diabetes and obesity control [6] - The new diabetes drug Mounjaro generated $1.8 billion in revenue in Q1, surpassing the flagship product Trulicity [7] - Recently approved Zepbound, similar to Mounjaro but for weight loss, generated $517 million in revenue [7] - Eli Lilly's potential Alzheimer's treatment, donanemab, could further enhance growth if approved [7] - The company has high profit margins exceeding 17% and a valuation of over 110 times trailing earnings, indicating strong growth potential [7]