<div id="readability-page-1"><p>The best way to grow your wealth and better prepare yourself for retirement is to accumulate shares of solid growth stocks to own for the long term. As these companies steadily grow their revenue and profits, they become more valuable, and investors will be willing to pay more for them. As time goes by, their share prices will continue rising, thereby netting you attractive capital gains as you witness a consistent increase in the value of your investment portfolio.</p> <p>Better yet, you should select companies that are not only suitable for owning over years, but for life. Such businesses need to have a few important defining characteristics. They should exhibit a strong track record of growth, possess a recognizable brand that can command loyalty, and enjoy catalysts that can allow the business to grow steadily over time.</p> <p>With these crucial ingredients in place, here are three solid growth stocks that you can contemplate buying.</p> <div><p><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-b3A9cmVzaXplJnVybD1odHRwczovL2cuZm9vbGNkbi5jb20vZWRpdG9yaWFsL2ltYWdlcy84MDg3NTYvY29udGludW91cy1nbHVjb3NlLW1vbml0b3IuanBnJnc9NzAw?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" height="466" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-b3A9cmVzaXplJnVybD1odHRwczovL2cuZm9vbGNkbi5jb20vZWRpdG9yaWFsL2ltYWdlcy84MDg3NTYvY29udGludW91cy1nbHVjb3NlLW1vbml0b3IuanBnJnc9NzAw"/></p><p>Image source: Getty images.</p> </div> <h2>1. Skechers</h2>  <p><strong>Skechers</strong> <span>(SKX<span> 0.33%</span>)</span> designs, manufactures and markets a range of performance apparel and footwear for men, women, and children. The company sells its products through approximately 5,300 retail stores worldwide in more than 180 countries. Skechers has successfully grown its revenue and net income over the years, as shown in the table. </p> <div><table> <tbody> <tr> <th scope="col">Metric</th> <th scope="col">2022</th> <th scope="col">2023</th> <th scope="col">2024</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Revenue</td> <td>$7.4 billion</td> <td>$8 billion</td> <td>$9 billion</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Operating income</td> <td>$546.6 million</td> <td>$784.7 million</td> <td>$904.3 million</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Net income</td> <td>$373 million</td> <td>$545.7 million</td> <td>$639.5 million</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Free cash flow</td> <td>($120.7 million)</td> <td>$907.4 million</td> <td>No info</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <p>Data source: Skechers. Fiscal years end Dec. 31.</p>  <p>Chief operating officer David Weinberg attributed the performance to Skechers' strong product line, which emphasizes comfort, style, and quality at an affordable price. CEO Robert Greenberg added that Skechers' wide portfolio of products appeals to different ages and genders, and its performance division targeting sports such as basketball, soccer, and golf still has significant global growth potential. </p> <p>Skechers outlined its growth plan to hit $10 billion in sales by 2026. The plan involves three key pillars: international expansion, direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales growth, and domestic growth. The company is aiming for low-to-mid-teens international sales growth through the expansion of its e-commerce platforms in new markets while diversifying its product offering. </p> <p>Investors can take heart in knowing that management has outlined an effective multiyear growth plan and made appropriate investments to handle stronger demand in the future.</p> <h2>2. Stryker</h2> <p><strong>Stryker</strong> <span>(SYK<span> -0.70%</span>)</span> is a medical technology company offering products and services for the medical and surgical equipment, neurotechnology, and orthopedics segments. Stryker has reported consistent growth in revenue, net income and free cash flow over the years, as shown in the table. Note that investors should pay attention to net income excluding exceptional items to get a better sense of the growth of the company's core business.</p> <div><table> <tbody> <tr> <th scope="col">Metric</th> <th scope="col">2022</th> <th scope="col">2023</th> <th scope="col">2024</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Revenue</td> <td>$18.449 billion</td> <td>$20.498 billion</td> <td>$22.595 billion</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Operating income</td> <td>$2.841 billion</td> <td>$3.888 billion</td> <td>$3.689 billion</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Net income</td> <td>$2.358 billion</td> <td>$3.165 billion</td> <td>$2.993 billion</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Net income (ex EI)</td> <td>$2.628 billion</td> <td>$3.210 billion</td> <td>$3.970 billion</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Free cash flow</td> <td>$2.036 billion</td> <td>$3.136 billion</td> <td>$3.487 billion</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <p>Data source: Stryker. Fiscal years end Dec. 31. EI stands for &#34;exceptional items.&#34;</p> <p>This consistent free cash flow generation allowed the medical technology company to increase its dividend without fail since 2009. Stryker's most recent quarterly dividend stood at $0.84, a 5% year-over-year increase over the $0.80 paid out a year ago. </p>  <p>The company looks set to continue growing, with strong demand reported for its products in the markets it is present in. The business expects organic sales growth in the range of 8% to 9% for 2025 and has a long-term organic sales growth target of around 11% per annum, as announced during its 2023 Investor Day. The business is also growing through acquisitions that help to bolster its portfolio of products and services.</p> <p>The 2023 Investor Day also highlighted steady operating margin expansion of around two percentage points this year and around 0.3 percentage points annually, with adjusted earnings per share registering double-digit growth. Management also targets to convert around 70% to 80% of its adjusted net earnings into free cash flow, which should help to power the continued increase in Stryker's annual dividend.</p> <h2>3. DexCom</h2> <p><strong>DexCom</strong> <span>(DXCM<span> 0.64%</span>)</span> is a medical device company that utilizes technology to help diabetes patients track their glucose levels. DexCom manufactures continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) that offer personalized solutions to its customers. </p> <p>With diabetes numbers increasing globally and projected to hit 783 million by 2045 for adults aged 20 to 79, DexCom has witnessed increasing demand for its CGM solutions. The company reported consistent revenue, net income and free cash flow growth from 2022 to 2024, as shown in the table. </p> <div><table> <tbody> <tr> <th scope="col">Metric</th> <th scope="col">2022</th> <th scope="col">2023</th> <th scope="col">2024</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Revenue</td> <td>$2.910 billion</td> <td>$3.622 billion</td> <td>$4.033 billion</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Operating income</td> <td>$391.2 million</td> <td>$597.7 million</td> <td>$600 million</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Net income</td> <td>$341.2 million</td> <td>$541.5 million</td> <td>$576.2 million</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Free cash flow</td> <td>$304.7 million</td> <td>$511.9 million</td> <td>$630.7 million</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div> <p>Data source: DexCom. Fiscal years end Dec. 31.</p> <p>For 2025, DexCom is projecting total revenue of $4.6 billion, which will represent 14% year-over-year growth. </p>  <p>It's still early days for the company as it drives CGM to become the standard of care for all stages of insulin use. DexCom grew its user base by around 25% in 2024 to approximately 2.8 million to 2.9 million customers globally, but management believes that this is just the tip of the iceberg. </p> <p>In the U.S. alone, there are more than 4.5 million people on insulin who have reimbursement (i.e., they can claim insurance) but are not on CGM. In addition, the US market size for type 2 non-insulin patients is greater than 25 million, of which the current CGM penetration rate is just 5%. And we are not even talking about the prediabetes market, which is estimated at around 98 million people with a less than 1% CGM penetration. </p> <p>Based on these numbers, it's clear that DexCom still has a long growth runway to tackle the diabetes scourge.</p> <p>The company's Stelo product was approved back in March 2024 and is the first glucose biosensor in the U.S. cleared for use without a prescription. Since its launch in August last year, the product now has 140,000 users, with the majority signing up for a subscription. This successful launch shows the power of innovative solutions that are helping to boost DexCom's customer base. The company is also extending its international growth by expanding into one to two markets per year by leveraging strategic distributors in select markets. </p> <p>DexCom's pipeline of products is powered by innovation, and its large total addressable market will ensure that the business enjoys steadily rising revenue and profits for many more years.</p>                                                                            </div>

DXCM

<p>This article discusses three growth stocks ideal for long-term investment: Skechers, Stryker, and DexCom. Skechers aims for $10 billion in sales by 2026 through international expansion and direct-to-consumer growth. Stryker, a medical technology firm, has consistently increased revenue and dividends, targeting 11% annual organic sales growth. DexCom specializes in diabetes management technology, benefiting from rising global diabetes rates. These companies exhibit strong growth potential, making them suitable for investors looking to build wealth over time.</p>

3 Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever