Building wealth through the stock market is a simple process of building up a collection of great businesses and holding them in your portfolio for many years. Investors can achieve excellent long-term returns in this way, even by owning mostly large index funds that mirror the performance of the S&P 500.

You can bolster these returns with individual stocks that outperform the wider market, of course. And by choosing successful businesses with strong finances, you'll maximize your chances to generate wealth over the decades. Let's look at a few of these standout stocks that can make growth an easier process for your retirement portfolio.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) has most of the ingredients you could want in a long-term stock holding. The company dominates dozens of product categories with goods consumers use daily, giving shareholders stability through a wide range of selling environments. Its market leadership position confers big financial benefits, too, in the form of faster growth and higher profitability. Compare its 24% operating profit margin with Kimberly-Clark's 15% rate, for example.

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Source Fool.com