In this article, we will look at the 10 Must-Buy Stocks with the Strongest 1Q2026 Earnings Beats.
Earnings beats are getting more attention as investors look for companies that are not just surviving a choppier market backdrop, but actually clearing the bar set by Wall Street. A strong quarterly beat matters because it often forces investors to rethink whether expectations were too low, especially when the surprise comes with stronger guidance, improving margins, or signs that demand is holding up better than expected. AllianceBernstein notes that “Historically, when US companies delivered a positive earnings surprise, their stocks outperformed.”
Alphinity says it looks for stocks that can deliver “earnings surprises” to drive outperformance, adding that “A positive earnings announcement by a company is more likely than not to be followed by a period of sustained positive earnings revisions/surprises driving share price outperformance.” In summary, a good quarter can matter most when it starts an upgrade cycle, not when it is treated as a one-off event. BlackRock makes a similar point from a market-wide perspective, pointing to “Recent breadth in earnings growth surprises and revisions” and arguing that investors may need to “venture into AI beneficiaries, cyclical growers and undervalued or underowned names.”
That is why the strongest 1Q2026 earnings beats deserve a closer look. The more interesting names are not simply those that topped estimates by the widest margin, but those where the beat may signal stronger demand, better execution, or room for analysts to revise numbers higher. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 10 Must-Buy Stocks with the Strongest 1Q2026 Earnings Beats.
Our Methodology
We used the Finviz screener to identify stocks that beat 1Q2026 earnings estimates by over 30%. We then 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.
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10. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
On April 30, 2026, BofA analyst Justin Post raised the price target on Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) to $835 from $820 and maintained a Buy rating after the company’s Q1 results. Justin Post noted increased investment in AI capacity alongside headcount reductions, adding that the AI spending cycle is larger than expected and returns remain less clear than for Cloud providers. Justin Post also said AI-driven ad gains remain intact and raised 2027 revenue to $101B and EPS to $34.46 following the “strong” quarter.
Barclays analyst Ross Sandler also lifted the price target on Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) to $830 from $800 with an Overweight rating, saying the company is growing faster than the digital advertising industry while reducing costs. Ross Sandler added that AI progress following the Muse Spark introduction supports confidence in long-term investments. Meanwhile, Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney raised the price target to $930 from $900 and maintained an Outperform rating, calling Meta the “best ad revenue growth story.”
On April 29, 2026, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) reported Q1 EPS of $10.44 versus consensus $6.82 and Q1 revenue of $56.31B versus $55.56B consensus. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company saw “strong momentum” across its apps and highlighted the release of its first model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. The company expects Q2 revenue of $58B to $61B, assuming a roughly 2% foreign exchange tailwind.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) develops products that enable people to connect and share across mobile devices, computers, VR headsets, and AI glasses globally.
9. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)
On April 28, 2026, Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) and FPT announced a strategic relationship to deliver an AI-driven factory optimization solution. The collaboration combines AI, simulation, and digital manufacturing technologies to reduce bottlenecks, speed up decision-making, and improve downtime recovery as operations move toward more autonomous systems.
On the same day, Freedom Broker upgraded Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) to Buy from Hold and raised its price target to $100. The firm said the Q1 report “marks a credible inflection” in the company’s turnaround and includes guidance that “reinforces” the operational narrative. Freedom Broker added that demand is exceeding supply across segments and said the Foundry business is becoming more credible, citing progress in 18A yields and “encouraging” early signals for 14A. On April 24, 2026, Benchmark analyst Cody Acree raised the price target to $105 from $76 and maintained a Buy rating, saying the Q1 upside appeared driven more by improved factory output than one-time factors.
On April 23, 2026, Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) reported Q1 adjusted EPS of 29c versus 1c consensus and revenue of $13.6B compared to $12.43B expected. CEO Lip-Bu Tan said demand tied to AI is increasing the need for CPUs and advanced packaging, while CFO David Zinsner cited “robust” results and “unprecedented demand for silicon.” Intel expects Q2 adjusted EPS of 20c versus 8c consensus and revenue of $13.8B to $14.8B compared to $13.06B expected.
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) designs, manufactures, and sells computing and related products and services globally.
8. Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)
On May 1, 2026, Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $1.41 versus a 97c consensus and revenue of $48.61B compared to $52.7B expected. CEO Mike Wirth said results showed “solid” performance despite geopolitical volatility, pointing to strong U.S. operations following the Hess integration and higher production from the Gulf of America and Permian Basin.
The company said it continues to focus on capital discipline, cash flow generation, and shareholder returns, while maintaining strong portfolio performance and high utilization across operations. Chevron noted progress in Venezuela through an asset swap with PDVSA, increasing its position in the Orinoco and its stake in Petroindependencia to 49%, with the region contributing about 1% to 2% of operating cash flow. The company also said the Middle East conflict had a “limited impact” on production, with less than 5% of its portfolio in the region, while operations at Tamar and Leviathan ran at full capacity.
Chevron expects 2026 production to grow 7% to 10% and capital spending of $18B to $19B, with guidance unchanged. The company said it remains on track to deliver $3B to $4B in structural cost reductions by year-end and continues to target growth in free cash flow and earnings per share alongside improved returns.
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) operates an integrated energy and chemicals business across upstream and downstream segments globally.
7. Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK)
On May 1, 2026, Goldman Sachs analyst James Schneider raised the price target on SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) to $1,200 from $700 and maintained a Buy rating following a stronger-than-expected quarter and outlook. James Schneider noted that despite an initial 6% decline, the stock is expected to move higher, supported by strong pricing, tight supply-demand conditions, and growing datacenter SSD demand.
Bernstein also lifted its price target on SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) to $1,700 from $1,250 with an Outperform rating, citing a Q3 beat and guidance. The firm said the stock declined after market following a +3,264% one-year move, while noting the quarter delivered a broad-based beat and that Q4 EPS guidance appears conservative, reflecting new long-term agreements. Meanwhile, Raymond James raised its price target to $1,470 from $725 and maintained an Outperform rating, pointing to a datacenter inflection driven by AI demand, with multi-year agreements improving visibility and margins.
SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) reported fiscal Q3 EPS of $23.41 versus $14.66 consensus and revenue of $5.95B compared to $4.73B expected. CEO David Goeckeler said the quarter represents a “fundamental inflection point,” with a shift toward higher-value markets led by datacenter and a move to multi-year customer agreements supporting more durable earnings.
SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) develops and sells data storage solutions based on NAND flash technology across global markets.
6. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)
On May 1, 2026, Baird raised its price target on Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) to $300 from $285 and maintained an Outperform rating after updating its model following Q1 results, noting AI-driven acceleration.
Raymond James also increased its price target on Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) to $280 from $225 with an Outperform rating, citing 28% AWS growth that came in slightly below expectations. The firm said AI partnerships and expanding agentic capabilities across models, tools, and compute strengthen AWS’s long-term positioning and support higher RPO expectations. Meanwhile, BofA lifted its price target to $310 from $298 and kept a Buy rating after a “solid” retail performance, noting AWS grew 28% year over year, accelerating from Q4 and exceeding the 25% consensus, alongside a margin beat and backlog growth.
On April 29, 2026, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) reported Q1 EPS of $2.78 versus $1.65 consensus and revenue of $181.5B compared to $177.17B expected. CEO Andy Jassy said the company is seeing “significant growth,” highlighting 28% AWS growth, a chips business exceeding a $20B run rate, advertising revenue above $70B on a trailing basis, and 15% unit growth in Stores. Amazon expects Q2 revenue of $194.0B to $199.0B, versus the $188.86B consensus, with operating income projected between $20.0B and $24.0B.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) operates retail, advertising, and subscription businesses through online and physical stores across North America and international markets.
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