On March 6, Reuters reported that US and European stock markets ended a volatile week with losses of over 1% as rising geopolitical tensions pushed oil prices higher. The US-Israeli war against Iran drove oil futures to levels not seen since 2023, which added to uncertainty in global markets.
At the same time, an unexpected drop in US jobs in February raised hopes that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates. However, this did little to ease investor concerns about economic weakness. A new US government report showed that nonfarm payrolls declined by 92,000 jobs in February. This was far worse than the expectations of economists, who predicted an increase of about 59,000 jobs.
Market concerns grew further after Qatar’s energy minister told the Financial Times that Qatar expects all Gulf energy producers to shut down exports within weeks, which could drive oil prices as high as $150 per barrel.
Sahak Manuelian, managing director for global equities trading at Wedbush Securities in Pasadena, California, said that “stocks have been under pressure all day on the heels of the Qatar comments and the weak February jobs report.”
Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, also pointed to “negative momentum in stocks in recent days on the geopolitical environment and concerns about a resurgence in inflation and rising oil prices.”
With this background in mind, let’s take a look at the 12 best under-the-radar stocks to buy according to hedge funds.
Stocks
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 12 best under-the-radar stocks to buy according to hedge funds, we looked for “hidden gems” or “under-the-radar” stocks. We reviewed various online resources and financial media reports to compile a list of the best under-the-radar stocks. Next, we focused on the top 12 stocks most favored by institutional investors. Data for the hedge fund sentiment surrounding each stock was taken from Insider Monkey’s Q4 2025 database of 1041 elite hedge funds. Finally, the 12 best under-the-radar stocks to buy were ranked in ascending order based on the number of hedge funds holding stakes in them as of Q4 2025.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? 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).
12 Best Under-the-Radar Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds
12. Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ:HLIT)
Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ:HLIT) is one of the best under-the-radar stocks to buy according to hedge funds. On February 19, Needham increased its price target on Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ:HLIT) from $15 to $17 and kept its Buy rating.
Needham pointed to the company’s broadband business unit, which exceeded consensus revenue estimates by about 8%. This segment also recorded its third straight quarter of growth. In the fourth quarter, Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ:HLIT) reported a book-to-bill ratio of 3.5 times, doubling its backlog. Needham also noted that the company’s management was openly conservative when providing its fiscal 2026 guidance. The firm believes the guidance is easily beatable. Needham expects beats and raises through 2026.
On the same day, Rosenblatt also raised its price target on Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ:HLIT) from $14 to $16 and kept its Buy rating. The firm pointed to the company’s Q4 results as proof that earlier challenges have reversed. Rosenblatt added that the company is driving the shift toward next-generation broadband technology. The research firm believes that the key elements are in place for the stock to perform well.
Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ:HLIT) is a leading provider of virtualized broadband and video delivery solutions. It helps media companies and service providers to deliver ultra-high-quality video streaming and broadcast services to consumers around the world.
11. Mirion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:MIR)
Mirion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:MIR) is one of the best under-the-radar stocks to buy according to hedge funds. On February 13, Baird lowered its price target on Mirion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:MIR) from $30 to $29 and kept its Outperform rating on the stock.
This update came after the company reported mixed results for the fourth quarter. The research firm updated its model following the report. Baird noted that strong performance in the nuclear segment was a key highlight.
A day earlier, on February 12, Goldman Sachs also cut its price target on Mirion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:MIR) from $33 to $29 and maintained its Buy rating on the stock. The research firm noted that Mirion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:MIR) reported Q4 adjusted EBITDA of $77.6 million, which is an increase of 11.5% from $69.6 million in the same period in 2024. This performance was supported by strong margins in its Medical segment. Goldman Sachs noted that the company recorded orders of more than $400 million for the first time.
However, the research firm noted that the stock declined after the company reported weaker organic growth and issued guidance that suggests improved performance in the second half of 2026. Despite this, Goldman Sachs believes the outlook for the Nuclear segment is still strong and this presents a potential buying opportunity.
Mirion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:MIR) is a global leader in radiation safety and science and medicine. The company provides radiation detection, measurement, analysis, and monitoring solutions to the nuclear, medical, defense, and research end markets.
