In this article, we talk about the 12 best stocks to buy and hold for the next 2 years.
Stock performance forecasts from analysts tend to focus on the next quarter or fiscal year, but a report from Citrini Research started a longer-term structural debate. The report, which contained a bearish prediction for the S&P 500 by 2028, became controversial due to its dire warning about the impact of AI on future economic activity. In its paper, Citrini Research predicted that by 2028, drawdown in equities could ultimately rival that of the Global Financial Crisis at around 57% peak-to-trough, bringing the S&P 500 down to 3,500 points. According to the report, AI will likely increase productivity but make large portions of human labor obsolete, leading to job losses, falling consumer spending, and declining stock indexes.
The report drew a wide range of reactions from economists and industry observers. For instance, on February 25, Acting Chairperson Pierre Yared of the White House Council of Economic Advisers called the paper “an interesting piece of science fiction,” pointing out that the assumptions made in the report violate some of the basic principles of economics. Meanwhile, Clare Pleydell-Bouverie, co-head of the Liontrust Global Innovation team, said that while AI might take away some jobs, it ultimately creates new ones, as seen in the formation of new job positions that did not exist before AI, such as prompt engineers, interference optimization experts, and more.
While developments in AI keep markets volatile and many sectors on high alert for disruption, near- to medium-term investment decisions continue to be based on earnings visibility, competitive positioning, and balance sheet strength. Against this backdrop, we present here a list of the 12 best stocks to buy and hold over the next 2 years.
Photo by osamu nakazawa on Unsplash
Our Methodology
We used screeners to identify stocks expected to grow earnings by at least 30% over the next 5 years, and limited our final selection to companies that have recently reported noteworthy developments likely to impact investor sentiment. These stocks are also popular among analysts and elite hedge funds.
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 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
Note: All pricing data is as of market close on February 28, 2026.
12. Coupang Inc. (NYSE:CPNG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 94
Coupang Inc. (NYSE:CPNG) is among the 12 best stocks to buy and hold for the next 2 years.
On February 26, Coupang Inc. (NYSE:CPNG) reported $8.8 billion in revenue during the fourth quarter of 2025, falling short of the $8.9 billion consensus estimate, and a $26 million loss in the fourth quarter, down from a year-earlier profit. The company also said its active customers fell to 24.6 million in the fourth quarter from 24.7 million in the prior quarter, likely as a result of the public backlash it faced following disclosure of a data breach in November involving about 34 million customers. Coupang also reported a diluted loss per share of $0.01, which did not meet the anticipated earnings per share of $0.04.
Meanwhile, on February 27, BofA Securities cut its price target on Coupang Inc. (NYSE:CPNG) to $28 from $32. In its research report, where Coupang Inc. (NYSE:CPNG) retained its Buy rating, BofA Securities cited the slowdown in the company’s growth as the reason for the price target change.
Coupang Inc. (NYSE:CPNG) provides retail, restaurant delivery, video streaming, and fintech services to customers around the world.
11. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) is among the 12 best stocks to buy and hold for the next 2 years.
On February 26, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) priced an underwritten public offering of 14,285,714 shares of common stock at $84.00 per share. The defense contractor expects to receive approximately $1.17 billion in net proceeds after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is expected to close on March 2, subject to customary closing conditions.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) said that it plans to use the proceeds to make capital expenditures for scaling operations to meet demands from the Department of War and national security customers. Additional funds will support new product and software development, strengthen the balance sheet for anticipated contract awards, and fund the recent acquisition of Nomad and the pending acquisition of Orbit, along with future strategic acquisitions.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) provides mission-critical products, services, and solutions to support United States national security priorities.
