11 Best Stocks In Each Sector in 2026

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1. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 179

Upside Potential as of February 23, 2026: 33.11%

Sector: Financial Services

On February 17, Freedom Capital upgraded Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) to Buy from Hold, while lifting the price target to $375 from $360, according to TheFly. In a research note, the analyst called the company’s shares “cheaper” than Mastercard, saying that if Visa continues to outperform and deliver higher growth than the latter, payment network stocks may undergo a re-rating.

The upward revision follows the company’s fiscal first-quarter 2026 financial results, with revenue rising 15% YoY to $10.9 billion, outperforming estimates by 2%. Additionally, adjusted net income increased 12% YoY, lagging the revenue growth due to 16% YoY surge in operating expenses and a 100 basis point hike in the effective tax rate. The company’s share repurchase program strengthened per-share growth.

Previously, on February 10, Matthew Coad from Truist slightly trimmed the price target on Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) to $372 from $374 and maintained a Buy rating. This is part of the firm’s broader adjustment to payments companies following the fourth-quarter earnings announcements.

​Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is a leading payments technology company based in California that operates a global payments network and enables digital payments. Founded in 1958, the company serves consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and government entities in over 200 countries and territories.

While we acknowledge the potential of V 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 V 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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