In this article, we will take a look at the 10 Top Stocks Fund Managers Are Loading Up On in 2026.
With the macroeconomic uncertainty looming over the market, the spotlight on institutional positioning gets brighter. On March 27, 2026, CNBC reported that futures markets raised the probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike by the end of 2026 to 52%. CME Group data shows that for the first time, expectations have crossed the 50% threshold. This upward trend in expectations follows the rising crude oil prices above $110, higher import costs, and increasing geopolitical tensions, which are heavily contributing to renewed inflationary pressure.
At the same time, inflation forecasts have been revised upward. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates U.S. inflation at 4.2% for the year, significantly above its earlier estimates. Concurrently, recession probabilities have also increased, with Moody’s Analytics forecasting a 50% chance of an economic downturn within the next 12 months. Goldman Sachs’s estimates place it at 30%. These overlapping risks create a need for investors to examine fund managers’ choices, which are often based on a strategy that balances growth exposure with capital preservation.
Taking into account the companies’ earnings resilience, pricing power, and the strength of their balance sheet, fund managers have historically adjusted their portfolios to weather uncertainty and to generate income. Acknowledging their significance, we have compiled a list of the 10 top stocks in which fund managers’ stakes are growing.
Our Methodology
We have come up with our list of 10 top stocks fund managers are loading up on in 2026 by screening for stocks with upward momentum in top fund managers’ stakes over the last three months compared to the prior period, as reported by Morningstar. We ranked these stocks by the number of hedge funds holding a stake in each. We limited our final selection to companies that have recently reported noteworthy developments likely to impact investor sentiment. All the pricing data are current as of market close on March 31, 2026.
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).
10. Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41
Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) is one of the 10 top stocks fund managers are loading up on in 2026.
On March 30, 2026, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) saw its price target from Deutsche Bank lowered from $34 to $28. The firm kept a Hold rating on the company’s stock. According to the firm, there are reported “legitimate and widespread pressures” mounting across the Consumer Packaged Goods sector due to Middle East conflicts. In the analyst research note, the firm further pointed out that the heightened cost inflation and potential demand destruction as consumers trade down to cheaper alternatives have led to underperformance in many stocks in March. Additionally, it also cited adverse currency fluctuations as another key headwind, creating uncertainty.
Prior to this update, on March 26, 2026, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) raised approximately €3 billion in euro notes and $2.55 billion in U.S. dollar notes to finance its acquisition of JDE Peet’s N.V. The unsecured debt features multiple maturities from 2028 to 2056 and includes mandatory redemption clauses if the deal fails by February 2027.
Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) is a leading beverage company in North America, formed in 2018 through the merger of Keurig Green Mountain and the Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Based in Texas, the company manufactures, markets, and distributes non-alcoholic beverages, including hot coffee and cold refreshments.
