12 Best Stocks to Buy and Hold for 2026

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​1. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)

EPS Growth 2026: 20.58%

Analyst Upside Potential: 28.49%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 273

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the Best Stocks to Buy and Hold for 2026. On December 12, Justin Post from Bank of America Securities reiterated a Buy rating on the stock without disclosing any price target. Earlier on December 11, Brian Nowak from Morgan Stanley also reiterated a Buy rating on the stock, but lowered the price target from $820 to $750.

​Analyst Brian Nowak from Morgan Stanley noted that while they remain bullish on the stock, they are lowering fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027 EPS estimates by around 8% each. The firm now expects EPS growth of 5% and 6% for Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Moreover, the analyst also noted that they anticipate higher operating expenses for the company and expect fiscal 2027 EPS to be around $33. Nowak added that while the investor sentiment has turned negative, the firm remains confident in the company’s revenue runway and unprecedented innovation.

​In addition, Piper Sandler on December 11 called Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) one of the top large-cap picks. The firm noted that data from their advertising buyer survey suggests accelerated market growth in 2026, which is expected to benefit the company. Moreover, Piper Sandler also expects the company to achieve at least 20% year-over-year growth based on the favourable market conditions. The firm finds investor concerns regarding high capital expenditure as overstated and reinforced its bullish sentiment.​

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is focused on developing AI-powered social platforms and immersive technologies, including Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

While we acknowledge the potential of META 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 META and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

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