If I’d invested £10k in my Stocks and Shares ISA 10 years ago, here’s how much I’d have now!

As a Stocks and Shares ISA investor, our writer looks at stock market gains achieved by FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and Nasdaq 100 shares.

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

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I regularly invest in a Stocks and Shares ISA and have been doing so for many years. But I often wonder how much I could have made if I’d added more funds a decade ago.

That’s what I want to find out today.

It very much depends on what I’d invested in. If I’d bought a FTSE 100 index fund, I calculate that I’d have turned £10,000 into £18,270. That includes both price gains and dividends.

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It doesn’t sound like a bad return to me. But taking a closer look, I found some interesting points.

FTSE 100 vs Nasdaq 100

The FTSE 100 was far from the best performing major stock market. For instance, the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 would have turned £10,000 into a much greater £43,000.

The difference in performance has much to do with their composition. The FTSE 100 includes many banks, oil companies and consumer shares. The Nasdaq, by contrast, is filled with far more technology and high-growth stocks.

The past decade has been a particularly good environment for US technology shares. Ultra-low interest rates and high levels of growth have been key drivers.

That said, looking at the Footsie, there’s more to it than just its average return. There were many high-achieving shares that managed a double-digit return.

Growing a Stocks and Shares ISA

A decade ago, let’s say I’d looked at the FTSE 100 and decided to buy RELX, Astrazeneca, CRH, Intercontinental Hotels Group and Admiral Group. I calculate I would have been able to achieve a 14% annual return. That’s enough to turn a £10,000 Stocks and Shares ISA into a considerable £37,000.

Bear in mind there are other FTSE 100 shares that managed a whopping 35% annual return. But, crucially, they weren’t in this large-cap index a decade ago. Many of its current best performers were in the mid-cap FTSE 250 index at the time.

Smaller companies tend to grow faster. It’s no wonder that some of its greatest achievers managed to gallop their way into the FTSE 100.

Bear in mind that smaller companies can often be more volatile too. I’d need to be comfortable with greater swings in price if I owned any.

Shares I’d buy

So that brings me onto my next question. If I invested £10,000 in a Stocks and Shares ISA today, what would I buy? I’d look for high-quality, and profitable companies. They should demonstrate growing earnings and a strong balance sheet.

I’d also like to see what popular investor Warren Buffett calls a moat. That’s a sustainable competitive advantage. It’s a quality that should enable high profits to continue for quite some time.

Right now, FTSE 250 stocks that meet my criteria and that I’d buy include Future, Greggs, and Games Workshop. From the FTSE 100, I’d buy Rightmove, Howden Joinery Group and Rio Tinto.

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Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Harshil Patel has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Admiral Group, Future, Games Workshop, Howden Joinery Group, InterContinental Hotels Group, RELX, and Rightmove. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

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