The Motley Fool’s stock recommendations generated an average return of 37% across nine picks released in early 2026, outperforming the broader market by approximately 29 percentage points, according to performance tracking by Wall Street Survivor as of May 2026.
The investment advisory service has more than 500,000 subscribers and provides two stock recommendations each month through its Stock Advisor program. Its two analyst teams—Hidden Gems, which looks for overlooked quality companies, and Rule Breakers, which targets first movers in emerging sectors—also publish monthly rankings of the service’s top 10 stocks.
Members receive access to detailed investment research, portfolio tracking tools, and three strategies tailored to different risk tolerances.
Motley Fool Stock Advisor’s long-term performance
Motley Fool Stock Advisor reported a 973% total return as of August 27, 2026, compared with a 213% gain for the S&P 500 over the same 24-year period since the service launched in February 2002. The 760-percentage-point difference reflects the service’s long-term approach of identifying strong companies early and holding them through multiple market cycles.
Several individual recommendations illustrate the potential impact of that strategy. Amazon, recommended on September 6, 2002, delivered a reported return of 34,003%. Netflix, selected on December 17, 2004, returned 44,246%, while Nvidia, recommended on April 15, 2005, gained 130,663%. Disney, selected on June 7, 2002, returned 6,250%.
How the Motley Fool’s analyst teams work
Co-founders David Gardner and Tom Gardner lead the service’s respective analyst teams. Tom Gardner’s team focuses on financially sound companies in beaten-down industries that may be positioned for a recovery. The team also considers the quality of a company’s financials and whether its management is aligned with shareholders.
David Gardner’s team searches for businesses positioned to benefit from long-term secular trends. Its strategy emphasizes identifying companies early, particularly those with sustainable competitive advantages.
Motley Fool Stock Advisor cost and features
Stock Advisor costs $199 per year and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. Subscribers receive two new stock picks each month, a curated list of the service’s top 10 stocks, detailed research, portfolio tracking, and access to an online investor community.
The service’s record of outperforming the broader market over more than two decades has attracted individual investors looking for an alternative to passive index investing and short-term active trading.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. However, the service’s emphasis on fundamental analysis, long-term growth companies, and patient buy-and-hold investing may appeal to investors prepared to hold positions for at least five years and accept the risks of investing in individual stocks.