10 Best Quality Stocks to Buy Before 2026

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1. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)

Analyst Upside Potential: 29.61%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 312​

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of the Best Quality Stocks to Buy Before 2026. On December 22, Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities appeared on a CNBC Television interview to talk about his bull case for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT). He says that investors are underestimating Microsoft and Azure growth. ​

Ives highlighted that during the last month, the company witnessed a 20% to 25% acceleration in deals, as a result of AI use cases finally exploding. He added that with the company expected to release earnings in January, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a table pounder, and 2026 is its call year. Ives also believes that among hyperscalers, Microsoft has been the most overlooked and least respected.​

Regarding valuation concerns of the AI hyperscalers and whether Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is immune to these valuation threats, Ives noted that investors are still underestimating the growth numbers. He elaborated that the demand-to-supply ratio stands at 12 to 1, suggesting huge room for growth. Ives believes that the Street is underestimating Microsoft’s 2026 growth figures by at least 15% to 20%. ​

That said, Dan Ives maintained an Overweight rating on Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) with a $625 price target, suggesting more than 28% upside from the current level.

While we acknowledge the potential of MSFT 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 MSFT and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money.

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