This article looks at the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In.
Stocks climbed on Friday, breaking a three-day losing streak for the major indexes. The S&P 500 rose 0.59% to settle at 6,643.70, while the Nasdaq Composite returned 0.44% to close at 22,484.07. However, both indexes closed the week down, sliding 0.31% and 0.65%, respectively.
Friday’s rally was driven by August’s inflation report that came in line with expectations. The personal consumption expenditures price index showed core inflation at 2.9% at an annual rate, while rising 0.2% month-over-month.
David Russell, global head of market strategy at TradeStation, stated the following on the gains:
“Following a three-day pullback in the broader market, this is good enough to pull buyers off the sidelines. Yesterday’s claims and GDP revision undermined the dovish narrative, but today’s PCE calms some of those worries. No news is good news.”
Despite some recent volatility, the market enjoyed encouraging momentum in September, with stocks surging to new highs during the month.
Jeffrey Hirsch, editor of the Stock Trader’s Almanac, expects further upside in the coming month and has ruled out the likelihood of “Octoberphobia”, a term used to describe big market crashes that have taken place in the month in the past.
With that said, let’s now head over to discuss some of the best money making stocks to buy now.
The New York Stock Exchange building. Photo by Дмитрий Трепольский on Pexels
Methodology
For this article, we sifted through screeners to identify stocks with a market cap of over $2 billion (mid-cap or above), whose ROE was greater than 30%, and ROIC of more than 25%, as of the close of business on September 24. From there, we selected the 10 stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors, based on Insider Monkey’s database of 983 prominent hedge funds as of Q2 2025.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
10. Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 104
Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. The stock has seen a series of price target reductions over the past month from several analysts.
On September 11, Citigroup lowered ADBE’s share price target to $400 from $450, citing risks around the company’s pricing strategy in the medium term. However, the firm maintained its Neutral rating for the stock.
This was followed by Piper Sandler’s adjustment on Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) a day later. The firm cut the stock’s price target to $470 from $500, while maintaining an Overweight rating for its shares. The reduction was driven by lower growth assumptions and a 2029 EV/free cash flow multiple of 22x based on uncertainty around AI.
More recently, on September 24, Morgan Stanley downgraded Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) to Equal-Weight from Overweight and slashed its price target to $450 from $520. Analyst Keith Weiss pointed out a growing gap between the company’s promises about AI and the revenue numbers that were showing up in its Digital Media ARR.
Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE)’s share price has slumped 19% year-to-date.
9. AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ:APP)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 109
AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ:APP) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. On September 26, UBS hiked the stock’s price target to $810 from $540, while maintaining a Buy rating for its shares.
Analyst Chris Kuntarich noted that the company was on track to execute key initiatives over the next 12 months, which could help in enhancing the efficacy of Axon 2.0 and drive estimate and valuation expansion.
In a research note to analysts, Kuntarich also highlighted that web-based advertiser checks point toward strong demand for AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ:APP)’s referral program.
In other related news, Piper Sandler, on the same day, also raised AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ:APP)’s price target to $740 from $500, and reiterated an Overweight rating for its shares.
8. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 119
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. According to a U.S. registry of clinical trials, the firm has halted an experimental drug study designed to stop obesity patients from excessive muscle loss due to undisclosed strategic business reasons.
The company was testing Bimagrumab, alone or in combination with Tirzepatide, to see how the drugs worked in lowering the body weight of type 2 diabetes patients who were obese or overweight. Tirzepatide is the active ingredient found in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)’s obesity treatment, Zepbound.
The trial was closed on June 10, less than a month after it was initiated, said the latest update on the registry. However, a similar study in obese patients who are not diabetic remains active.
A company spokesperson was quoted as saying the following by Reuters on the development:
“We routinely evaluate our clinical development programs to optimize the potential for each product.”
Several drugmakers are currently pushing to develop such therapies, with most of them being tested in combination with Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)’s Zepbound or Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.
In 2023, Lilly acquired privately held Versanis for nearly $2 billion and gained access to the latter’s lead drug, bimagrumab, which acts on fat cells without prompting lean mass loss and reducing appetite.
7. Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 152
Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that the company is anticipating non-restaurant deliveries to reach an annual run rate of $12.5 billion in gross bookings by the end of 2025, according to a spokesperson.
This is 25% higher than the run rate shared in May, underscoring the firm’s efforts to catch up with competitors like DoorDash, Instacart, and Amazon. However, the figures shared by Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) are a forecast, and actual financial results for the full year will not be announced until February 2026.
Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER)’s delivery unit accounts for about half of all gross bookings and has been growing at a faster rate than its ride-hailing business for the last three quarters. During the second quarter earnings call in August, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi credited the segment’s strong performance to “robust growth” in retail and grocery orders.
The company has been making a coordinated push to expand delivery services. It has added around a thousand new retailers so far this year, and recently announced weekly discounts for local fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy in several countries it operates in.
Khosrowshahi believes Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) still has “a long runway to drive further adoption” when it comes to delivery services, given that nearly three-fourths of its rideshare clients have so far not ordered retail or grocery goods from the Uber app.
6. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 156
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. According to press reports on Friday, the National Labor Relations Board has withdrawn allegations that the company’s CEO violated federal labor law, along with several other claims in a complaint it had issued in January.
This includes claims that Tim Cook violated employees’ rights when he sent an email in 2021, warning workers that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was working on tracking down those who leaked confidential information from a meeting. The email was sent after media reports regarding an internal meeting at the company concerning topics like pay equity and an anti-abortion law.
The labor board’s retracted allegations also include claims that the tech giant violated the law by enforcing confidentiality rules, firing Janneke Parrish, and surveilling workers, or making them feel they were under surveillance.
Neither the labor board nor Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) immediately responded to the press for comments.
5. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 158
Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. On September 23, the company announced that it had signed an MoU with the Central Bank of Syria to partner on developing a national payments ecosystem in the country.
Under the strategic alliance, the two organizations will work together to explore ways to expand financial services for millions of Syrians. The MoU represents an initial framework for cooperation, primarily aimed at knowledge-sharing and exchanging expertise. Follow-up steps are likely to include technical workshops, training programs, and joint initiatives to advance financial inclusion and develop payment infrastructure.
Adam Jones, division president, West Arabia, Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA), stated the following on the collaboration:
“This MoU is a testament to our shared belief that inclusive financial ecosystems are built through partnership, innovation and local engagement. We welcome the opportunity to work with the Central Bank of Syria and the Government of Syria to explore opportunities to create a payments system that works for both local citizens and international travelers in this high-potential market. We look forward to opening doors to the world of global payments for the people of Syria, bringing best-in-class payments innovation to the country and offering local ecosystem support.”
The partnership will also focus on exploring integration opportunities between Syrian banks and other financial institutions that are in line with the global best practices, said Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) in the press release shared last week.
4. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 167
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. On September 26, Cleveland Research initiated coverage of the stock with a Buy rating.
The firm said the payment technology company is well-positioned to exceed expectations in fiscal 2026, as its checks point to Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) seeing accelerating debit share gains, benefitting from recent price actions, and VAS and CMS penetration.
Cleveland also noted that share gains and incremental pricing have resulted in the firm modeling next year’s results ahead of consensus.
Overall, Wall Street analysts maintain a bullish outlook for the stock with a consensus Buy rating. While Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)’s share price has just returned 7% YTD, as of September 26, it has an average one-year price target of $390.30, representing an upside of 16%.
3. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 219
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. Last week, Google urged the Supreme Court to halt key parts of a judge’s order requiring the company to make changes to its Google Play app store, as it prepares to appeal a decision in a lawsuit brought by Epic Games.
The tech giant has termed the order unprecedented and asked the judge to put several portions of the injunction on hold, saying these would cause reputational harm, security risks, and put the company at a competitive disadvantage if the order is allowed to take effect.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s Google wrote the following in a filing submitted to the court on September 24:
“This case asks the Court to evaluate the lawfulness of an unprecedented antitrust injunction awarded at the request of a single, private plaintiff that will restructure the entire Android ecosystem, relied on by over 100 million U.S. users and over 500,000 app developers.”
Google was sued by Epic Games in 2020 for allegedly monopolizing and shielding the Play Store from competition. The Fortnite maker secured victory in a jury trial in San Francisco in 2023.
Last year, a California judge issued the injunction, requiring Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s Google to allow users to download third-party app stores through its app store for three years. It also compels the company to open the Play Store’s catalog of apps to rivals, and enable users to bypass Google’s billing system.
Google has requested the court to pause the provisions and decide by October 17 whether or not it would put the order on hold. The payment provision is scheduled to take effect in October, while the other two orders will come into force during the summer of 2026.
2. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 235
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. The company has recently launched a joint research lab in the UAE, in partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII), to focus on the development of next-gen AI models and robotics platforms.
This is the company’s first AI Technology Center in the Middle East. According to a statement by TII, the joint research hub will combine the institute’s multidisciplinary research with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)’s AI models and computing power.
Under the agreement, TII, which is working on four-legged robots, humanoids, and robotic arms, will be able to leverage specific edge GPU chips for its research on robotics and other areas.
The TII has been working closely with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) for some time now, according to the institute’s CEO Najwa Aaraj, and has used the American company’s chips to train its own language models.
1. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 260
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is among the 10 Best Money Making Stocks to Invest In. Last week, the company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that Instagram now has 3 billion active users, joining the ranks of Facebook and WhatsApp, which crossed the mark earlier this year.
This is a major milestone for the photo-sharing platform, which Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) acquired for $1 billion in 2012. The social media giant last shared Instagram’s user figures in October 2022, when it had touched the 2 billion mark.
Zuckerberg posted the following on his Instagram channel on Wednesday:
“What an incredible community we’ve built here.”
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the largest technology companies in the world. It operates several popular social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Threads. An estimated 3.2 billion people use one of its apps every day.
The stock has had impressive returns in 2025, gaining 27% year-to-date, as of the close of business on September 26.
While we acknowledge the potential of META to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than META and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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