On March 4, Henry McVey, KKR’s Head of Global Macro and Asset Allocation, appeared in a CNBC Television interview to discuss how investors can navigate the volatile market amidst geopolitical uncertainty. He told CNBC that his firm expects 2026 to be a robust year in terms of growth, noting that the sentiment is backed by strong earnings. However, the current geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have raised concerns regarding the security and resilience of logistics, supply chains, and the overall economy.
McVey highlighted key high conviction themes including diversification into international markets including Japan and India, diversification outside of the Mag 7, and moving into real assets. He likes sectors, including infrastructure and real estate, as they have the potential to do well in nominal GDP. McVey told CNBC that the AI spending currently stands at around 5% of the US GDP; earlier, at the time of the housing crisis, the housing market represented 7% of the GDP. Given the increased spending and contracted cash flows, investors need to pick companies with proven balance sheets rather than speculative ones.
With that, let’s take a look at the 10 Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term.
Our Methodology
We sifted through reputable financial media to identify stocks that are trading below a forward P/E of 15, and limited our final selection to companies that have recently reported noteworthy developments likely to impact investor sentiment. These stocks are also popular among analysts and 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 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
10 Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term
10. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)
Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On March 2, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) announced a €432 million (DKK 3.2 billion) investment in its Monksland facility in Athlone, Ireland, to boost production of oral GLP-1 treatments.
Management noted that this investment will allow the company to have a hub to serve international markets outside of the US. The investment is aimed at retrofitting the existing tableting plant, adding capacity for current and future GLP-1 drugs like oral Semaglutide. The company has already started construction on the 45-acre site and is expected to wrap up gradually from late 2027 to 2028.
Management also highlighted that the already recruited 260 employees at the site are expected to prioritize high-quality, sustainable oral treatments, while the construction is projected to create up to 500 jobs. Kasper Bødker Mejlvang, EVP CMC & Product Supply of the company, called it a “historic milestone” for Ireland operations and meeting patient needs for chronic diseases.
Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) is a global healthcare company specializing in diabetes care. It develops, discovers, manufactures, and markets pharmaceutical products. Its operations are divided into two business segments: biopharmaceuticals and diabetes and obesity care. The latter segment covers GLP-1, insulin, and other protein-related products.
9. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM)
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On March 3, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) announced two key hires for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. The bank appointed Stephanie Davis as Head of Private Wealth Alternatives and Sean Flynn as National Manager for the same group.
The bank noted that Stephanie Davis brings 30 years of experience serving as a financial advisor, including her recent role as Co-Head of U.S. Private Wealth Solutions at Hamilton Lane. Davis will be based in New York and will report to Steve Lundquist, Head of US Advisor. Management noted that she will oversee sales and marketing of private market products for advisors, ideate new offerings, drive growth, and build educational resources to demystify these investments for clients.
On the other hand, Sean Flynn was previously leading alternative investments for the bank’s US Wealth Management business. As National Manager, Flynn will manage a field team of client advisors nationwide, partnering closely with Davis. Management noted that the team is expanding from its current size to 20 dedicated professionals by year-end, taking the total US Advisor staff to 350.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) is a global financial holding company offering a wide range of services across investment banking, consumer finance, commercial banking, transaction processing, and asset management.
8. Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM)
Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On February 26, Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM) released its sales, production and export results for January 2026. The results paint a mixed picture with steady demand but challenging production.
The company’s sales for January 2026 hit 822,577 vehicles, including Lexus, up 4.7% year-over-year. This marked the second straight month of growth driven by North America and Europe. Management noted that the worldwide sales improved due to strong performance from Corolla, Camry, TX, and Grand Highlander in North America. Moreover, models including Yaris, Yaris Cross, and Aygo X in Europe also contributed 104,727 units to the worldwide sales. Japan was a challenging region with sales dipping 2.7% to 123,065 units.
Global production by Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM) fell 6% in January 2026 to 735,097 units, marking three months of YoY declines, mainly due to the RAV4 model transition and fewer operating days. In terms of regional performance, Japan’s output dropped 6.1%, followed by North America, which also saw a sharp decline of 24.8% to 134,351 units due to the RAV4 changeover.
Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM) is a leading Japanese automaker that primarily designs, manufactures, and sells a wide range of vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, trucks, and minivans, along with parts and accessories.
7. HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HSBC)
HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HSBC) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On March 2, RBC Capital raised the firm’s price target on the stock from 1,050 GBp to 1,200 GBp and maintained a Sector Perform rating. Earlier on February 28, Citi also raised the price target from 1,370 GBp to 1,540 GBp, while keeping a Buy rating on the stock.
The positive ratings come despite mixed fiscal Q4 2025 earnings reported by HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HSBC) on February 25. The company grew its quarterly revenue by 53.26% year-over-year to $17.72 billion and surpassed estimates by $710.94 million. However, the EPS of $1.35 fell short of the expectations by $0.45.
Management noted Q4 2025 to be driven largely by one-time notable items from business disposals. The company’s profit before tax rose $4.5 billion to $6.8 billion, including a $3.3 billion net favorable notable items impact. This was driven primarily by avoiding a $5.2 billion foreign currency reserve recycling loss tied to the prior year’s Argentina business sale. Moreover, other contributors included banking net interest income growth and lower expected credit losses, resulting in profit after tax of $4.6 billion compared to $5.2 billion a year ago.
Looking ahead, HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HSBC) targets a RoTE of 17% or higher annually from 2026 through 2028. The ambition is driven by strong earnings momentum and advances in strategic priorities, including organizational simplification and portfolio optimization.
HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HSBC) operates as a global banking and financial services organization, serving individual, corporate, government, and institutional clients across 58 countries.
6. Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL)
Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On March 2, Citi raised the firm’s price target on the stock to 2,950 GBp from 2,700 GBp and maintained a Neutral rating. The rating is based on the ongoing war in the Middle East. Citi believes that the global energy companies have a strong valuation support to withstand the crises and increased price targets across the sector.
More recently, on March 3, Reuters reported that Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) is committed to investing 3.5 billion reais ($667.84 million) in Raizen, which is Shell’s Brazilian sugar‑ethanol and fuel distribution joint venture with Cosan. The report highlighted that Raízen has posted repeated losses and its net debt has surged, with leverage now well above its previous levels. The losses are driven by large capex and poor weather that hurt agricultural yields.
The investment is part of a recapitalization plan to stabilize Raízen’s balance sheet after heavy losses, rising net debt, and difficult operating conditions. Shell’s Brazil CEO, Cristiano Pinto da Costa, noted that he plans to keep Raízen together for now to stabilize the company first and will consider any structural split only after the company is stabilized.
Headquartered in London, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) produces oil and natural gas. The company’s operations are divided into the following segments: Integrated Gas, Upstream, Marketing, Chemicals and Products, Renewables and Energy Solutions, and Corporate.
5. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T)
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On March 3, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), along with Ericsson, demonstrated a working prototype of an AI‑driven 5G/Cloud RAN feature that materially improves radio efficiency on the company’s future cloud-based network stack.
Management noted that Ericsson tested its AI-native Link Adaptation software on a Cloud RAN setup that matches AT&T’s planned deployment. The software was run using Intel’s Xeon 6 SoC as the compute platform. The company has made live calls over AT&T‑relevant spectrum. The tests showed that the AI‑based algorithm delivered up to approximately 20% higher throughput versus legacy rule‑based link adaptation.
Management noted that this test is a proof-of-concept that AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) can deploy AI-enhanced RAN features at scale on its target cloud infrastructure. Rob Soni, Vice President, RAN Technology at AT&T, noted:
“AT&T is leading the charge toward an open, intelligent, and scalable network future by advancing Open RAN and Cloud RAN with AI-native capabilities at its core. This demo highlights how AI capabilities, powered by our next-generation Cloud RAN platform, can be deployed seamlessly to drive innovation and deliver superior customer experiences.”
That said, on February 19, Laurent Yoon from Bernstein reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a $30 price target. Earlier on February 11, Jonathan Atkin from RBC Capital also reiterated a Buy rating on the stock and raised the price target from $29 to $31.
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) operates as a global telecommunications and technology holding company. Its business is primarily organized into Communications and Latin America segments, serving both consumer and business customers.
4. TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE)
TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On March 3, TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) announced its deal to sell 50% stake in 11 battery storage projects in Germany to Allianz Global Investors. Management noted that through this deal, the partners will invest €500 million into Germany’s energy infrastructure, with 70% of the investment funded through debt.
The portfolio of 11 battery storage projects has a capacity of 789 MW and 1,628 MWh of storage and was developed by TotalEnergies’ subsidiary Kyon Energy. Management noted that all projects are expected to be operational by 2028 and would largely be powered by next-gen batteries from Saft, which is another TTE unit. After the sale, the company still holds half the ownership and operations of the projects.
Stéphane Michel, TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE)’s President of Gas, Renewables & Power, welcomed Allianz as a premier German partner, noting that the transaction refines capital allocation, boosts profitability, and fuels growth in this key market.
TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:TTE) is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets oil, biofuels, natural gas, renewables, and electricity.
3. The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD)
The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On February 27, CIBC raised the firm’s price target on the stock to C$140 from C$136 and kept a Neutral rating on the shares. On the same day, BMO Capital raised the firm’s price target to C$144 from C$135 and maintained a Buy rating on the stock.
The ratings follow the company’s fiscal Q1 2026 earnings released on February 26. The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD) reported earnings of C$4.0 billion, reflecting 45% growth year-over-year and adjusted earnings of C$4.2 billion, up 16% year-over-year. Management attributed the strong performance to growth in fee income, volume expansion in Canadian banking, and margin improvements.
Notably, the bank generated record net income of C$2.044 billion, reflecting a 12% year-over-year increase. This was driven by 7% higher pre-tax, pre-provision earnings and lower credit loss provisions. Q1 2026 was recognized as the highest in terms of quarterly credit card acquisitions in over a decade, driven by AI tools like Branch Virtual Assistant and agentic AI in real estate lending.
The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD) is a major North American bank operating through four key segments: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, U.S. Retail, Wealth Management and Insurance, and Wholesale Banking.
2. The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR)
The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On March 4, The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) held its fiscal Q4 and full-year 2025 investor event.
The company delivered standout 2025 results, with a 40% return on equity and $13 billion in comprehensive income. Net written premiums for the year increased by more than $8.8 billion, reflecting 12% year-over-year growth, while policies in force grew by almost 3.7 million, reflecting a 10% increase year-over-year. Management noted that it grew its market share in the private passenger auto market to 18.5%.
Moreover, the company’s private passenger auto market share reached 18.5%, reflecting a 2% increase driven by 12% policy growth in personal auto. The combined ratio stayed below 90%, within the 96% target. CEO Tricia Griffith noted:
”Our focus on strategic growth and innovation positions us well for future success, even as we navigate a competitive and evolving market landscape.”
Separately, on March 2, Paul Newsome from Piper Sandler reiterated a Buy rating on The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) with a price target of $259. Earlier, on February 23, Gregory Peters from Raymond James also reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a $245 price target.
The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) is a major U.S. insurance holding company specializing in property-casualty insurance, primarily through its subsidiaries.
1. The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI)
The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) is one of the Best Value Stocks to Buy for the Long Term. On March 3, The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) announced a planned CEO transition. According to the release, David M. Cordani, who has been CEO since 2009, is stepping down from the role effective July 1, 2026, and will serve as executive chair of the board. Brian Evanko, who is currently the president and COO at the company, will step up as the new CEO.
Management highlighted that Evanko brings over 30 years of experience across the company’s operations. He currently oversees core segments, including Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth Health Services. Cordani also noted Evanko’s approach towards heavy use of data, technology, and AI to simplify the company’s business, calling him the ideal leader for the next chapter.
Brian Evanko expressed his excitement for the new role and said:
”Over my nearly 30 years with the company, I have seen firsthand the strength of our businesses, the talent of our team, and our deep commitment to serving customers and clients. I am excited to build on our strong foundation as we work to further modernize health care, expand our reach, and fuel growth.”
Bernstein believes this CEO transition is positive for Cigna, with analyst Lance Wilkes reiterating a Market Perform rating and $307.00 price target on March 4.
Separately, on March 4, Wells Fargo reiterated a Hold rating on The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) with a $300 price target. A day earlier, Lisa Gill from J.P. Morgan reiterated a Buy rating on the stock without disclosing any price targets.
The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) provides global health services and operates through the following segments: Evernorth Health Services, Cigna Healthcare, Other Operations, and Corporate.
While we acknowledge the potential of CI 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 CI and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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