Want $1 Million in Retirement? Invest $100,000 in These 3 Stocks and Wait a Decade.

Most Americans believe they need at least $1.26 million to retire comfortably, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2025 Planning & Progress Study. Unfortunately, only 3.2% of American retirees have actually saved up more than $1 million across their retirement accounts, according to a recent Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances.

That troubling gap indicates that many Americans didn't invest enough of their paychecks when they were younger. They also might have stuck with more conservative fixed-income investments -- like CDs and T-bills -- which trailed inflation and the broader markets.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

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But if you have $100,000 in the bank and won't retire for at least another decade, you might still hit the $1 million mark with these three tech stocks, which could deliver 10-bagger gains in the next 10 years: IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), Wolfspeed (NYSE: WOLF), and Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN).

1. IonQ

IonQ provides quantum computing systems and cloud-based services. Unlike traditional computers, which store zeros and ones separately in binary bits, quantum computers store them simultaneously in qubits. That key difference allows them to process massive amounts of data more quickly, but those systems are also much bigger and pricier than traditional servers.

IonQ measures its quantum computing power in algorithmic qubits (AQ). Its flagship Forte system surpassed 36 AQ at the end of 2024, and it expects its new Tempo system to achieve 64 AQ when it launches later this year. It plans to achieve 256 AQ in 2026, 384 AQ in 2027, and 1,024 AQ in 2028. It expects that acceleration to be driven by its "trapped ion" technology, which aims to shrink the width of a quantum processing unit (QPU) from a few feet to a few inches.

That miniaturization process could allow IonQ to expand far beyond its current niche market of government agencies and research institutions. It could also be widely used for mainstream cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. From 2024 to 2027, analysts expect its revenue to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 88% from $43 million to $286 million. It certainly isn't cheap at 27 times its 2027 sales, but it should grow even bigger by 2035 as the quantum market expands.

2. Wolfspeed

Wolfspeed is one of the world's largest producers of silicon carbide (SiC) chips, which can operate at higher voltages, temperatures, and frequencies than traditional silicon chips. That makes them well-suited for short-length LEDs, lasers, 5G base stations, military radars, electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbine systems, and power supply units (PSUs) for AI servers.

However, Wolfspeed struggled over the past two years as the EV market cooled off, companies prioritized their purchases of AI-oriented GPUs and accelerators over SiC chips, and China blocked its exports of gallium and germanium -- which are both required to manufacture SiC chips. At the same time, Wolfspeed's expenses surged as it expanded its U.S. manufacturing plants.

That mix of slowing growth and rising costs drove away its investors. But after plummeting nearly 98% from its all-time high, Wolfspeed's stock now trades at just 0.7 times its projected sales for fiscal 2025 (which ends this June). That dirt-cheap valuation could set it up for an incredible comeback over the next decade if the SiC market warms up again. From fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2027, analysts still expect its revenue to increase at a CAGR of 12% as it narrows its losses -- so accumulating it as the bulls look the other way might be a millionaire-making move.

3. Lumen

Lumen, the telecom company formerly known as CenturyLink, doubled down on expanding its wireline networks instead of entering the crowded wireless market. It also expanded its fiber networks and rolled out more cloud, security, and collaboration tools for its business customers.

That strategy backfired when the ongoing decline of its business wireline segment offset the stronger growth of its consumer-facing fiber business. Its annual revenue declined for six consecutive years, it racked up losses for three straight years, and it eliminated its dividend in 2022. That's why its stock dropped below $1 last June.

But today, Lumen's stock trades at about $4. It recovered after Microsoft and several other cloud and AI giants hired the company to upgrade their data centers to support new AI applications. At the end of 2024, it had $8.5 billion in active AI infrastructure contracts with those clients and was in active discussions to secure an additional $7 billion in contracts. Those deals could revive its business wireline segment and transform it from a dusty old telco play into an AI play.

Analysts still expect Lumen's annual revenue to decline over the next few years, but those new AI contracts could breathe fresh life into its business by 2035. If that happens, it could be a bargain right now at 0.4 times this year's sales. Considering that AT&T trades at 1.6 times this year's sales, Lumen could be a potential multibagger if it gets its act together.

Should you invest $1,000 in IonQ right now?

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Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Microsoft and Wolfspeed. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.