If a Stock Market Crash Happens, History Says This Is How Long It Could Take Investors to Recover

Key Points Though all-time highs make it seem like a crash is more likely, the stock market's long-term trend is up and to the right. Owning a diverse set of quality businesses is the key to long-term success in the market. 10 stocks we like better than S&P 500 Index › Given that the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) , Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) , and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) are all trading just a few percentage points off record highs, some are worried things could turn south soon. And they're wondering: If a stock market crash is coming, how long might it take for my portfolio to recover? First, I want to get something pretty important out of the way.