2 Growth Stocks to Hold for the Next Decade (Hint: These Aren’t AI Stocks)
2026-10-23 19:45
•Prosper Junior Bakiny •The Motley Fool
••••••• •• Axe Cap view
Patient Growth: Healthcare Beyond the AI Hype
Two solid healthcare growth plays outside of AI that deserve attention over the next decade.
While AI grabs headlines, lasting growth often comes from more grounded sectors like healthcare. Take Eli Lilly, for example. Their weight loss and diabetes drugs are not just buzzwords—they're market leaders generating nearly 50% revenue growth year-on-year. This strength, paired with a diverse pipeline and steady dividend hikes, hints at sustainable profits, something South African investors can respect given our inflation environment. On the other hand, biotech newcomer Axsome Therapeutics is flying under the radar yet holds promise through its Auvelity drug’s potential expansion into Alzheimer’s treatment—a huge unmet need with limited competition until the 2030s. The challenge is biotech’s typical volatility and pipeline risk, which can derail expectations. Still, for those with a long horizon, healthcare’s structural growth offers compelling ballast amid rand volatility, unlike tech names where exposure often feels more like speculation. this is just our opinion and not financial advice
Incorporate Eli Lilly for steady growth and dividends—ideal for a watchful yet patient investor. Axsome is a high-conviction watch with selective exposure only, given biotech’s binary outcomes and currency risk via USD/ZAR. Avoid chasing pure AI plays here.
- LLY
- AXSM
- USD/ZAR
- UDS/ZAR volatility impacting offshore biotech returns
- clinical trial or regulatory setbacks for Axsome's pipeline
6/10
The article highlights two non-AI healthcare growth stocks worth holding for the next decade: Axsome Therapeutics, a biotech company with promising pipeline expansion including Auvelity's label expansion into Alzheimer's treatment, and Eli Lilly, which dominates the weight loss and diabetes markets with strong revenue and earnings growth. Both companies are positioned to deliver solid long-term returns through patent protection and diversified product pipelines.
Our take is based on reporting first published by The Motley Fool.