It’s always tempting to look for stocks that you can just buy and forget. Well-run businesses with a great brand, a solid reputation, and an exceptional track record can increase your wealth over time. The key is to make sure you have the patience and the courage to hold onto these winners through market cycles so that you can reap the rewards of your labor.

The businesses that you can keep forever can be found in many different industries. A key characteristic is the ability to continue to grow despite adversity. Some occupy a unique niche within their industry while others may have a history of consistent and growing dividend payments.

Here are three prime candidates you can consider keeping for the long term – and even passing on to the next generation.

Lululemon Athletica

If you’ve ever seen a group of people practice yoga or Pilates, chances are they’ll be wearing clothes designed by Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU). The company is well known for its “athleisure” clothing which combines both athleticism and leisure in an attractive package. Lululemon has demonstrated resilience throughout the pandemic as it continued to grow its revenue from $ 3.3 billion in fiscal 2019 to $ 4.4 billion in 2021. Net profit grew from $ 484 million to $ 589 million during the period.

The strong growth of the sportswear business continued this year. For the first nine months of fiscal 2022, net sales jumped 54.5% year-over-year to $ 4.1 billion, while net profit more than doubled to reach $ 540.8 million. The healthy lifestyle trend coupled with the increase in telecommuting has led to sustained demand for Lululemon’s products, and this momentum is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

The company also began offering Mirror, its interactive home gym, at 40 of its stores across Canada. Acquired in July of last year, Mirror offers both live and on-demand fitness and personal training classes in a variety of genres. CEO Calvin McDonald intends this acquisition to strengthen the brand’s connection with customers. With increased engagement, he hopes customers will stay loyal and spend more on the company’s platform.

With Mirror and its line of activewear gaining popularity, Lululemon looks set to continue its streak of growth in the years to come.

Coca-Cola Company

the Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) needs no introduction anymore, being one of the world’s largest beverage companies with products distributed and sold in some 200 countries. Along with its signature cola brand, Coca-Cola also offers a wide range of beverages, including sports drinks, coffee, tea, and juices.

Its revenue has remained resilient over the past three years, growing from just $ 34.3 billion in 2018 to $ 33 billion in 2020. Net profit, however, managed to drop from $ 6.4 billion. from $ 7.7 billion over the same period. Coca-Cola is also a recognized dividend king, having increased its annual dividend for 59 consecutive years to $ 1.68 per share.

The company’s results for the first nine months of 2021 continue to demonstrate its dominance in the food and beverage industry, with revenue up 20% year-over-year to $ 29.2 billion dollars and net income up 17% to $ 7.4 billion.

Investors can expect continued growth as Coca-Cola seeks to acquire more businesses. Its most recent purchase of the remaining 85% of BodyArmor for $ 5.6 billion illustrates Coca-Cola’s commitment to expand into the sports drink category. BodyArmor is the # 2 sports drink in its class and is growing rapidly.

A combination of organic growth and opportunistic acquisitions such as BodyArmor should continue to drive Coca-Cola’s earnings and dividends higher.

Microsoft

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) stands head and shoulders above many other information technology competitors with its wide range of products and services. The $ 2.5 trillion company continues to grow stronger as it clings to the tailwinds generated by the pandemic. For its 2021 fiscal year ended June 30, total revenue rose 17.5% year-over-year to $ 168.1 billion, while net profit jumped 38.4% to 61 , $ 3 billion.

The momentum continued through fiscal 2022, with revenue increasing 22% year-over-year in the first quarter. Net income jumped 48% to $ 20.5 billion, thanks to widespread growth in its games, professional networking and cloud services divisions.

Microsoft is not just content with organic growth, but also reinforces this strategy with useful acquisitions. The European Commission just approved the massive $ 19.7 billion purchase of the company Nuance Communications to expand its advantage in healthcare and related industries. And just this week, the tech giant announced the acquisition of Xandr from AT&T. This purchase will help Microsoft strengthen its digital advertising division by leveraging Xandr’s large-scale advertising platforms.

With their strong products and growth strategies, it’s safe to say that Lululemon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft all have the important attributes to be attractive, long-term buy and hold positions.