Over long stretches, the S&P 500 typically gains nearly 10% on average per year. That compound average annual growth rate swings wildly, of course. Last year the market fell 18%, for example, after soaring by 29% in 2021.  

Those moves play a huge role in the path that any single stock takes, but the performance of an underlying business can help a stock deliver far higher returns. So let's look at two standout performers, National Beverage (NASDAQ: FIZZ) and Nike (NYSE: NKE), which gained 300% or more in the past decade.

In fiscal 2012, National Beverage booked $630 million of annual sales, making it a tiny player in the carbonated beverage niche. It had a few valuable characteristics that made it look different from companies like Coca-Cola, though.

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Source Fool.com