For most investors, how much a stock's price changes over time is important. This factor can impact your investment portfolio as well as help you compare investment results across sectors and industries.
FOMO, or the fear of missing out, also plays a role in investing, particularly with tech giants and popular consumer-facing stocks.
What if you'd invested in Generac Holdings (GNRC) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to GNRC for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?
Generac Holdings' Business In-Depth
With that in mind, let's take a look at Generac Holdings' main business drivers.
Headquartered in Waukesha, WI, and founded in 1959, Generac Holdings Inc is a leading manufacturer of backup and prime power generation systems for residential and C&I applications, solar + battery storage solutions, advanced power grid software platforms and services, energy management devices and controls along with engine and battery-powered tools and equipment.
The company has a wide distribution network spanning independent residential dealers, industrial distributors and dealers, national and regional retailers, e-commerce partners, wholesalers, equipment rental companies, equipment distributors, and solar installers. It also boasts a direct sales channel to various individual customers.
Beginning from the first quarter of 2026, Generac’s two segments are now Residential and C&I.
The Residential segment consists of the former Domestic segment, excluding the domestic C&I operations. The C&I segment consists of the former International segment, along with the domestic C&I operations.
Generac broadly classifies its products into three categories depending on the end user types, namely Residential, C&I, and Other products and services.
The Residential business includes automatic standby generators (that run mainly on natural gas and liquid propane), air-cooled engine generators for emergency backup in small to medium-sized homes, and liquid-cooled engine generators for larger homes and small businesses. It also provides remote monitoring system for home standby generators called Mobile Link, offering Wi-Fi-enabled feature to conveniently check the status of generator online, while receiving maintenance and service alerts.
The C&I business includes cleaner-burning natural gas-fueled generators and C&I generators that are fueled by diesel and Bi-Fuel.
The Other products and services category primarily comprises of aftermarket service parts and product accessories.
Bottom Line
Putting together a successful investment portfolio takes a combination of research, patience, and a little bit of risk. For Generac Holdings, if you bought shares a decade ago, you're likely feeling really good about your investment today.
A $1000 investment made in May 2016 would be worth $6,962.61, or a 596.26% gain, as of May 20, 2026, according to our calculations. Investors should note that this return excludes dividends but includes price increases.
In comparison, the S&P 500's gained 260.46% and the price of gold went up 243.75% over the same time frame.
Looking ahead, analysts are expecting more upside for GNRC.
Generac posted better-than-expected first-quarter 2026 results. Strength in the Commercial & Industrial (C&I) segment, especially the data center market, acted as a catalyst. Generac's data center backlog has reached more than $700 million, providing visibility into 2027 deliveries. Driven by data center momentum and the Enercon acquisition, the company now expects 2026 revenues to grow in the mid-to-high teens, with C&I sales in the mid-to-high 20% range. Residential growth is expected to be around 10%. Secular tailwinds from rising power demand, grid instability and AI-driven infrastructure spending provide a multi-year runway. Increasing reliance on data centers introduces exposure to AI spending cycles, while an unfavorable sales mix, elevated debt levels and intense competition remain challenges going forward.
Over the past four weeks, shares have rallied 14.09%, and there have been 7 higher earnings estimate revisions in the past two months for fiscal 2026 compared to none lower. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power .
Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.
See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Generac Holdings Inc. (GNRC): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).