It is highly unusual for share prices to consistently perform well year after year. That is the nature of stock markets; they twist and turn in unexpected ways, which makes it hard to stay the course.
We like a challenge, and this begs the question: are there any stocks that have delivered strong returns like clockwork?
After all, stock prices are influenced by a variety of factors including expected profits and cash flow, and investor sentiment, which can swing wildly in the short term. To find any that rise above the crowd would suggest something very special.
The hunt is on
We ran the numbers to see if any UK-listed companies delivered at least 15% total return (share price plus reinvested dividends) for more than six out of the past 10 years. Twenty-nine stocks in total achieved the goal, with the table showing 10 of them.
It is important to point out that strong past returns will not necessarily be repeated over the following decade.
Games Workshop: top of the tree
Before we undertook this exercise, we were not expecting to find any companies which have delivered more than 15% a year in every single period over the past decade, simply because this timeframe covers the pandemic when there was a global market sell-off.
While that proved correct, fantasy miniatures maker Games Workshop stands out as one of the UK’s most successful stock market companies. It achieved at least 15% total return in eight out of the past 10 years.
The keys to the Games Workshop’s success are related to its leading market position in a narrow niche with virtually no competitors, unique intellectual property, a loyal fan base, and strong pricing power.
This combination allowed the company to achieve high operating margins and generate strong free cash flows, equivalent to more than a third of revenues.
Anglo American’s big comeback
Copper and iron ore miner Anglo American has benefited from a low starting point because in late 2015 the firm axed nearly two-thirds of its workforce, consolidated its six divisions into three and suspended dividends.
The shares fell by more than two-thirds in 2016 before recovering sharply in the following years, only to be interrupted in 2023.
In general, commodity prices strengthened in the three years prior to the pandemic which acted as a strong tailwind for the miner’s sales and profits. Anglo has since pivoted away from iron ore, diamonds, platinum and nickel to concentrate on copper as it aims to become a major force in the green energy revolution.
Rival BHP made three unsuccessful takeover offers in 2024 including a final proposal valued at $49 billion. In 2025, Anglo agreed to merge with Teck Resources to create one of the top five global copper producers.
The pure copper play narrative has been a key driver of share price returns in recent years which is predicated on rising demand for copper due to its key roles in electrification and AI.
Galliford Try is a winner
Using football parlance, the share price story of construction and housebuilder Galliford Try is one of two halves. Prior to 2020, Galliford Try was a sprawling mix of construction and housebuilding businesses which struggled under heavy debts.
The turning point was the sale of its Linden Homes and Galliford Try Partnerships to Bovis Homes for £1.1 billion in 2020, leaving the underlying construction business well-capitalised.
Today, the business holds net cash of £211 million and an order book of £4 billion, which covers most of 2026 and 80% of 2027 expected sales. The company achieved its 2026 operating margin target a year early and set a new target of 4% by 2030.
The rest of the pack
Other names on the list include advanced radio frequency solutions specialist Filtronic which has become emblematic of the interest in space and the beneficiary of contracts to work for SpaceX.
Safety solutions group Halma has one of the most prestigious dividend track records in the UK market, having grown its payout by 5% or more for over 45 consecutive years.
FTSE 100 company Lion Finance, formerly called Bank of Georgia, has been driven by the booming economies of Georgia and Armenia. These tailwinds have helped the company pay generous dividends and engage in share buybacks.
Martin Gamble: Shares and Markets Writer
Martin Gamble is Shares and Markets writer at AJ Bell. He was previously the Education Editor of Shares Magazine. He has been with the business since 2019.
Martin graduated from the University of Kent in...
