In this article, we look at the 10 Must-Buy US Stocks to Buy Right Now.
For some time, investors worried that the geopolitical conflict in the Middle East might drag on. That concern eased, at least temporarily, after U.S. President Trump announced on April 7 via Truth Social that hostilities would pause for two weeks. The possibility that oil would resume flowing through the Strait of Hormuz sent crude into a sharp decline: Brent crude tumbled roughly 13% to $94.80 a barrel, and US-traded oil, or WTI, fell more than 15% to $95.75. Stocks, too, weren’t left behind. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed more than 1,320 points, or 2.85%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained nearly 620 points, a 2.8% rise. The S&P 500, which had been nursing steep March losses, effectively erased them in a single session.
The initial euphoria, however, is being tested. By April 9, US stock futures had retreated as both sides accused each other of violating the truce. The pause, according to President Trump, is conditional on Iran’s full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, a Financial Times analysis showed that commercial shipping through the Strait has barely resumed, and that the limited traffic that has moved is overwhelmingly tied to Tehran.
“At least nine of the roughly 14 vessels to transit the chokepoint since the pause in fighting have Iranian ties, including ships calling at Iranian ports or flying the country’s flag,” the FT stated.
Regardless, Andrew Tyler, JPMorgan’s head of global market intelligence, believes the ceasefire will “trigger a re-risking potentially similar to the post-Liberation Day pivot.” He added that breaching 7,000 on the S&P 500 “feels likely as euphoria returns to markets.” For Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research, the probability of a US recession is lower. He lowered this probability to 20% from 35%, citing data that showed the economy was strong heading into the conflict.
With that in mind, this article highlights 10 names best positioned to capitalize on the current environment.
Our Methodology
To identify the 10 Must-Buy US Stocks to Buy Right Now, we used the Finviz stock screener to compile an initial group of US-listed equities. From this pool, we focused on well-known companies that had delivered year-to-date returns exceeding 30% as of April 12, 2026. All the stocks carry Strong Buy ratings from analysts. We determined the stocks’ popularity using hedge fund holdings data from Q4 2025 13F filings available in Insider Monkey’s database. The final list is ranked in ascending order by the number of hedge fund holders.
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 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
Must-Buy US Stocks to Buy Right Now
10. Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 20
Year-To-Date Performance: 52.84%
Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) is one of the must-buy US stocks to buy right now. On April 4, Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) announced that its subsidiaries filed a patent infringement lawsuit against DISH Network in the U.S. District Court of Colorado. The company claims DISH is using five of its media patents without authorization, covering technologies for content discovery and digital TV experiences. Adeia said it remains open to resolution but is prepared to pursue the matter legally.
Adeia Inc. projects 2026 revenue between $395 million and $435 million, with adjusted EBITDA expected to reach up to $245 million. Analysts continue to see upside, with price targets ranging from $28 to $40.
Adeia’s portfolio spans more than 13,750 patents across media and semiconductors. The company has previously engaged in litigation with Disney and AMD, underscoring the importance of its intellectual property in the industry. It is also reducing debt and building recurring semiconductor revenue through hybrid bonding technology.
At the Roth Conference in March, Adeia highlighted its shift from legacy pay‑TV toward OTT streaming, e‑commerce, and semiconductor innovations. Deals with Amazon, Disney, and AMD support this transition, while new technologies like RapidCool thermal management are in late‑stage development. Management expects semiconductor revenue to reach $100 million annually, positioning Adeia for long‑term growth beyond traditional media.
Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) and its subsidiaries operate as a global intellectual property licensing company, focused on media and semiconductor technologies across the U.S., Canada, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and other international markets.
9. Cenovus Energy Inc. (NYSE:CVE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 46
Year-To-Date Performance: 51.65%
Cenovus Energy Inc. (NYSE:CVE) is one of the must-buy US stocks to buy right now. On March 25, S&P Global Ratings revised its outlook on Cenovus Energy Inc. (NYSE:CVE) from negative to stable, while affirming its BBB issuer credit and unsecured debt ratings. The ratings giant cited a meaningfully improved financial risk profile built on operational progress, asset disposals, and stronger oil price assumptions.
One of the key factors that S&P considered was Cenovus’s closing of its C$8.4 billion acquisition of MEG Energy in November 2025. The ratings firm also noted that Cenovus achieved first production from three of its five key growth projects in the second half of 2025 and sold its non-operated refinery stakes. Cenovus did all these while staying committed to its deleveraging targets, S&P noted.
The other key input into S&P’s revised outlook was the agency’s own updated oil price forecast. On March 16, S&P raised its West Texas Intermediate, or WTI, crude oil price assumption by $15 per barrel to $75/bbl for the remainder of 2026. This action was supported by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which the agency said is a key tailwind that meaningfully strengthened Cenovus’ cash flow projections.
Those inputs put together, S&P now expects Cenovus’ funds from operations, or FFO, to debt to land in the 70%-80% range over the next two years. The metric should also remain comfortably above 45% even under midcycle commodity assumptions, the agency said.
Cenovus Energy Inc. (NYSE:CVE) is an integrated energy company engaged in the production, refining, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and related products. It produces crude oil and natural gas from oil sands and conventional assets, and refines these into products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel through its downstream operations.
