This article will discuss the 12 Best Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold in 2026.

On April 24, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at all-time highs; however, the bigger story is what’s driving them there and what’s coming next. With 139 S&P 500 companies having reported Q1 earnings, 81% beat estimates, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, analysts now project aggregate year-on-year earnings growth of 16.1%, up sharply from 14.4% forecast at the quarter’s start, per LSEG I/B/E/S data. Expectations for full-year 2026 growth have since leaped to nearly 20%, with technology, energy, and materials cited as likely drivers.

As of a day earlier, the S&P 500 surged 11% from its March low, with FOMO now becoming a market force of its own. “The biggest risk right now may be staying on the sidelines too long,” warned Michael Arone, chief investment strategist at State Street Investment Management. The tech-heavy Nasdaq alone is up 18% from its late-March low.

Accordingly, investors are piling back into technology, industrials, financials, AI, and data centers. Yet the most defining listings may still lie ahead.

On April 23, Reuters reported that SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic are collectively targeting a $3 trillion combined market value in what LPL Financial calls the largest IPO wave in history. With all three currently unprofitable, all three bet on AI-driven dominance.

Remarkably, SpaceX alone eyes a $1.75 trillion valuation, with a listing as early as June.

With this backdrop, we will now jump to our list of the 12 best growth stocks to buy and hold in 2026.

Methodology

To curate our list of the best growth stocks to buy and hold in 2026, we used the screener to identify stocks with a 5-year EPS CAGR of at least 20% and a forward one-year EPS growth rate of at least 15%. These stocks also have a 5-year revenue CAGR of at least 13% and a forward one-year revenue growth of at least 10%.

We then selected 12 stocks that were most popular among elite hedge funds and on which analysts were bullish. The stocks are ranked in ascending order by the number of hedge funds with stakes in them, as of Q4 2025.

Note: All data was extracted as of April 23, 2026.

12. Sportradar Group AG (NASDAQ:SRAD)

With one-year EPS and revenue growth estimates of 47.92% and 14.68%, respectively, Sportradar Group AG (NASDAQ:SRAD) earns a place on our list of the best growth stocks to buy and hold in 2026.

With those growth estimates, Sportradar Group AG (NASDAQ:SRAD) remains a “Buy” among 90% of the covering analysts. At the same time, the consensus price target sits at $29.36, representing roughly 74% upside potential as of April 23, 2026.

That bullish sentiment stands intact as revenue for full-year 2025 came in at €1,290 million. Meanwhile, adjusted EBITDA rose 33% to €297 million.

Top-line growth (17% YoY), which yielded a 23% adjusted EBITDA margin, was attributable to growing product adoption across the business and the successful integration of IMG ARENA.

Sportradar Group AG (NASDAQ:SRAD) is targeting constant-currency revenue growth of 23% to 25% in 2026, which management expects to translate to revenue of between €1,557 million and €1,582 million. On profitability, adjusted EBITDA is expected to be in the €390 million to €400 million range, with the adjusted EBITDA margin set to expand by 200 to 225 basis points.

Not everyone is equally enthusiastic about the near term, though.

Truist trimmed its price target on April 21 to $26, down from $32, while keeping its “Buy” rating on Sportradar Group AG (NASDAQ:SRAD) unchanged. The cut was part of a wider Q1 preview covering the gaming sector, and the firm’s read on the industry was cautious.

E-sports betting growth and uncertainty around prediction markets have kept digital trends under pressure, and the broader sector has struggled to attract investor attention as a result. Regional gaming has held up better, with more consumers opting to stay home rather than travel. According to the firm, Las Vegas has seen some improvement recently, but nothing dramatic enough to suggest a real inflection point.

For now, the setup heading into earnings reflects tempered expectations.

Sportradar Group AG (NASDAQ:SRAD) operates as a provider of data services. The company offers its services to the media and sports betting industries across the Middle East, the United States, Africa, Switzerland, the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and Latin America.

11. Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSE:EQX)

Backed by one-year EPS and revenue growth estimates of 33.58% and 19.42%, respectively, Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSE:EQX) ranks among the best growth stocks to buy and hold in 2026.

Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSE:EQX) has no shortage of analyst enthusiasm behind it right now.

As of April 23, 2026, every single analyst covering Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSE:EQX) is on board with a Buy rating, and the consensus price target of $19.03 points to roughly 34% upside potential.

The one notable move came on April 21, when CIBC cut its price target to C$31 from C$32, a modest trim that did nothing to shake its conviction, as the firm held its “Outperform” rating on Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSE:EQX) firmly in place.

The move was part of a routine Q1 preview the firm put out covering the gold and base metals sector. CIBC’s overall tone on gold remained positive.

TheFly reported that the firm pointed out that gold had sold off about 20% from its January high and that Federal Reserve rate expectations have been shifting, both of which could help the metal bounce back. CIBC said it sees current gold prices as a good entry point and is also becoming more constructive on base metals, given supply constraints in that space.

Those views sit well alongside what the company shared in its April 9, 2026, operational update.

In the first quarter, Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSE:EQX) produced 197,628 ounces of gold, with 87,402 ounces from its Canadian assets. The company expects production to pick up through the second half, with Greenstone and Valentine both still in the process of ramping toward full production potential.

Meanwhile, operations at Valentine had a strong quarter.

The mine ran at 90% of its nameplate capacity on average throughout the quarter and actually surpassed that level, reaching 101% in February and March. Away from the mine site, Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSE:EQX) also made solid progress on its finances, paying down $990 million in debt and announcing a dividend of $0.015 per share, both of which point to a stronger financial position.

Looking ahead, management has plans to expand Castle Mountain and Los Filos, two assets it believes can collectively add more than 450,000 ounces to its annual production.

Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSE:EQX) is a mining company that focuses on exploring, acquiring, developing, and operating mineral properties across the Americas. The company mainly produces and sells gold and silver through its mining operations. It also offers gold production and development services with its primary customers including global refiners, bullion dealers, and gold investors. It was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.