As an Australian, I love investing in Australian companies. There are many high-quality shares listed on the ASX, and many have a home in my personal investing portfolio. However, the ASX is only a small patch of the global investing garden. In fact, four of my five top stocks in the world are found beyond Australia's shores. Today, let's go through those five, and why I think they are the best companies money can buy.
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My top five favourite stocks in the world
Coca-Cola Co (NYSE: KO)
Is there a product that is more famous and more ubiquitous in the world than Coca-Cola? I challenge you to name one. The Coca-Cola Company is the business behind the brand, controlling global ownership of this invaluable trademark. Coke has been a solid investment for decades.
No challenger can dislodge its century-old brand, nor consumers' love for it. This makes Coca-Cola recession-proof, inflation-resistant and a formidable investment. Warren Buffett held Coca-Cola shares for decades, and that says more than anything I can.
Procter & Gamble Inc (NYSE: PG)
Procter & Gamble may not be the household name that Coca-Cola is. But I'd wager that there may be even more Procter & Gamble products than Coca-Cola ones in most Australians' houses as I write. This consumer staples giant is the name behind beloved household brands like Gillette, Oral-B, Fairy, Head & Shoulders, Vicks, Tide, Olay, and Old Spice, amongst others.
These brands have graced households all over the world for decades. Given how ingrained into daily life they are, this makes Procter & Gamble another top stock, and a defensive, reliable investment one can hold for decades.
Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL)
Google-owner Alphabet is next up. This company's incredibly successful Google Search product, its flagship, needs little introduction. It is nothing less than the world's gateway to the internet, and has been for 20 years. These days, though, Alphabet has far more going for it than just Google Search. It also owns a leading AI platform in Gemini. Not to mention one of the world's most popular entertainment platforms, YouTube. Alphabet's other ventures include Google Cloud, and self-driving vehicle company Waymo.
There is so much to like about Alphabet. It is my yp Magnificent 7 stock, and is set, at least in my view, to be a world-leading company for decades to come.
Nintendo Co Ltd (TYO: 7974)
Next up, we have another household name in Nintendo. It's my opinion that Nintendo owns some of the most valuable intellectual property in the world. It has been a leader in gaming since the 1980s, with many of its original characters, including Donkey Kong and Mario, remaining entertainment staples today. In addition, Nintendo also part owns the most successful entertainment franchise in history: Pokémon.
This is a company that knows the value of its property and knows how to protect and leverage it. It has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and, in my view, remains a top stock and a screaming buy for long-term investors.
Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL)
Our final stock is our only ASX share on this list. Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co is an investment house. It manages a vast, underlying portfolio of investments for its shareholders. Soul Patts has been doing this for decades, and is very good at it.
Earlier this year, the company confirmed that its shareholders have enjoyed a total return (share price growth plus dividends) of 12.9% per annum over the 25 years to 31 January 2026. That's well above what the broader market returned. This top stock also has the best dividend growth streak on the ASX, having delivered an annual dividend hike every year since 1998.
