3 Growth Stocks Worth Buying Through the Volatility and Holding for a Lifetime

Warren Buffett once said, "You've got to be prepared when you buy a stock to have it go down 50% or more and be comfortable with it, as long as you're comfortable with the holding." That's especially true for volatile growth stocks in nascent but promising markets. If you expect a company's total addressable market to expand significantly over the next few decades, it doesn't make sense to hold the stock for only a few months.

Let's take a look at three of those stocks that are still worth buying through near-term volatility and holding for the long term: Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY), AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS), and QuantumScape (NASDAQ: QS).

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Joby Aviation

Joby Aviation is an early mover in the electric vertical takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft market. Its S4 eVTOL can carry a single pilot and four passengers, travel up to 150 miles on a single charge, and reach a maximum speed of 200 miles per hour. It has already completed test flights in the UAE, South Korea, and Japan, and plans to launch its first commercial flights in the U.S. once the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) fully certifies them.

Toyota, Delta Air Lines, and Uber are three of Joby's biggest backers and customers. Toyota will help Joby mass-produce its eVTOLs, Delta will use the S4 for airport-to-home flights, and Uber will integrate its flights into its own app. It's also producing eVTOLs for the U.S. Department of Defense.

From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect Joby's revenue to surge from $53 million to $458 million as it launches its commercial flights. It's still unprofitable, and its stock isn't cheap at 20 times its 2028 sales, but it could grow much larger as eVTOLs replace conventional helicopters.

AST SpaceMobile

AST SpaceMobile develops low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for cellular connections. It helps telecom giants like AT&T and Verizon expand their wireless networks to rural areas that terrestrial towers can't cover. It's also developing satellites for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's "Golden Dome" project.

AST's satellites are much larger than SpaceX's Starlink satellites. It's only launched seven satellites so far, but it plans to expand its constellation to 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026, and to 248 satellites within the next few years. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized its ambitious long-term expansion plans in April.

From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect AST's revenue to surge from $71 million to $1.88 billion as it expands its constellation. They also expect it to turn profitable in 2027 and 2028. It already trades at 14 times its 2028 sales, but it could soar much higher over the next decade.

QuantumScape

QuantumScape develops solid-state batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). Its QSE-5 batteries provide better thermal resistance, faster charging times, and higher charging capacities than conventional lithium-ion batteries. It's been co-developing those batteries with Volkswagen over the past decade.

QuantumScape originally planned to manufacture its own batteries through a joint venture with Volkswagen, but it abandoned that capital-intensive strategy in 2024 in favor of a simpler licensing model. It plans to license its technology to Volkswagen's battery subsidiary, PowerCo, and other automakers to generate recurring, higher-margin royalty and licensing revenues.

QuantumScape's stock is difficult to value because it hasn't generated any meaningful revenue yet. But if it finally commercializes its first battery designs, analysts expect its revenue to rise to $51 million in 2027 and $99 million in 2028.

QuantumScape's stock isn't cheap at 43 times its 2028 sales, and analysts expect it to stay unprofitable for the foreseeable future. However, it could generate some impressive long-term gains if it commercializes its solid-state batteries before its industry peers.

Leo Sun has positions in Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AST SpaceMobile and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Delta Air Lines and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.