In today’s evolving market, investor attention is beginning to shift away from the dominant “Magnificent Seven” mega-cap stocks and toward lesser-known opportunities on the Nasdaq. While giants like Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft continue to command headlines and index weightings, many analysts and investors are warning that overconcentration in these names may pose hidden risks. Recently, renowned NYU finance professor Aswath Damodaran commented that several non-Mag 7 stocks appear “undervalued relative to their fundamentals,” offering a more attractive risk-reward profile for long-term investors. These overlooked names often operate in innovative niches and are beginning to quietly outperform as the market broadens.
Echoing this sentiment, legendary value investor Mohnish Pabrai remarked that the major indexes are “too dumb to know they own Nvidia, and will never sell it,” pointing to the passive nature of index investing and the resulting bloated exposure to a handful of tech giants. His view underscores the growing concern that even diversified portfolios are becoming unintentionally concentrated.
Against this backdrop, savvy investors are turning to smaller Nasdaq stocks that combine strong fundamentals with growth potential without the sky-high valuations. In this list, we highlight the 10 best non-mega cap Nasdaq stocks to buy right now, based on business quality, valuation, and market momentum.
Photo by Pascal Bernardon on Unsplash
Our Methodology
We used stock screeners to accumulate a list of 30 NASDAQ stocks that are trading at a market cap of less than $200 billion, as of July 14. We then picked the 10 stocks from our initial screen that are the most popular among elite hedge funds.
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 Best Non-Mega Cap NASDAQ Stocks to Buy Right Now
10. Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS)
Average analyst upside: 10.12%
Market cap: $88.30 billion
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 67
Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS) is one of the Best Non-Mega Cap NASDAQ Stocks to Buy Right Now. Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS) received a boost on Monday, July 14, after Needham analyst Charles Shi raised the firm’s price target on the stock to $660 from $650, while reiterating a Buy rating. The revision follows the announcement that China has conditionally approved Synopsys’s acquisition of engineering software firm Ansys, a key regulatory hurdle in the deal’s global approval process.
According to Needham, the transaction is expected to close around July 17, marking a significant milestone for both companies. The merger brings together Synopsys’s strength in semiconductor design automation with Ansys’s expertise in multiphysics simulation, creating what the firm describes as the definitive chip-to-system design software leader.
Once combined, the companies are projected to generate over $10 billion in total revenue by fiscal year 2026, according to Needham’s estimates. The scale and breadth of the unified platform are expected to unlock long-term synergies, particularly in the areas of AI-driven design, automotive, and industrial markets.
Investors have closely followed the deal since it was first announced, viewing it as a transformative move for Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS) in a consolidating software landscape. With Chinese regulatory clearance now secured, attention shifts to final closing logistics and early integration plans. Synopsys shares edged higher following the update, reflecting growing confidence in the strategic upside of the Ansys acquisition.
9. PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL)
Average analyst upside: 11.15%
Market cap: $70.96 billion
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 92
PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is one of the Best Non-Mega Cap NASDAQ Stocks to Buy Right Now. PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) received a vote of confidence from Seaport Research Partners on July 14, as the firm upgraded the digital payments giant to Neutral from Sell. While no price target accompanied the shift, the change in stance reflects a reassessment of PayPal’s operational resilience and forward momentum.
Seaport analysts noted that concerns surrounding potential tariff-related disruptions to PayPal’s business are easing. What were once seen as possible headwinds now appear to be having less impact than previously anticipated. This reassessment has prompted the firm to raise its financial estimates for the company.
According to the note, PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is showing signs of strengthening in its core business metrics. The firm highlighted that the company’s growth trajectory, which had slowed in recent quarters, now appears to be on a more favorable path. Improved consumer engagement and stabilizing transaction trends are among the factors contributing to the brighter outlook.
The upgrade comes at a time when PayPal is actively working to regain investor confidence after a period of underperformance. While Seaport remains cautious by holding to a Neutral rating, the upward revision suggests growing optimism in the company’s ability to navigate near-term challenges and reaccelerate growth.
