Earlier on February 19, Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, joined BNN Bloomberg to discuss his optimistic outlook for North American markets and attributed his bullishness to a spectacular earnings season characterized by record-high profit margins and the strongest revenue growth since 2022. He emphasized that a healthy bull market comes from rotation and noted that the market is currently not far from reaching all-time highs.

Talking about the technology sector and the massive AI spending by hyperscalers, Detrick suggested that expectations for AI and large-cap tech simply became too high. However, he viewed the then-current pullback (noting software is down over 20% from late October peaks) as a buying opportunity similar to the DeepSeek sell-off in previous months. While semiconductors remain strong and telecom is up double digits, Detrick expects tech to ‘take the baton back’ in the coming months because these companies still possess high profitability. Regarding specific sector preferences for 2026, Detrick revealed that Carson Group has been neutral on tech. He favors cyclical areas, specifically industrials, energy, and materials. He highlighted that the ‘S&P 493’ was up 3% this year, while the MAG7 was down 7%, representing a 10% outperformance by the broader market.

That being said, we’re here with a list of the 12 cheap new stocks to buy now.

Our Methodology

We used screeners to identify stocks that are trading below a forward P/E of 15 and have gone public in the last 5 years. We 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.

Note: All data was sourced on March 4. 

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).

12 Cheap New Stocks to Buy Now

12. NIQ Global Intelligence (NYSE:NIQ)

NIQ Global Intelligence (NYSE:NIQ) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 27, NIQ Global Intelligence reported strong financial results for the full-year 2025. In Q4 alone, total revenue reached $1,139.1 million, which was a 9.2% year-over-year increase, while organic constant currency growth stood at 5.7%. For the full year, total revenue grew 5.7% to $4,198.4 million. The company’s Intelligence segment was a primary driver, with organic constant currency revenue increasing 7.7% in the final quarter and 7.1% for 2025.

Profitability and liquidity improved following a transformative year that included the company’s IPO in July 2025. Net losses were narrowed substantially, with Adjusted EBITDA for the full year rising 23.8% to $916.5 million, representing a margin of 21.8%. This financial strengthening was supported by a revamped capital structure and debt refinancing that reduced annualized interest expenses by ~$100 million. By the end of 2025, NIQ Global Intelligence maintained a robust liquidity position of $1,268.8 million.

The company expanded its technological moat by capturing 4 trillion data records per week through its AI-powered Connect engine and launching new agentic AI features to enhance client decision-making. For 2026, NIQ Global Intelligence (NYSE:NIQ) projected organic constant currency revenue growth between 5.0% and 5.3% and an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 23.5% to 23.8%. To support these targets, the company approved a 2026 restructuring program aimed at generating $55 to $65 million in annualized cost savings through AI-enabled efficiencies and workforce optimization.

NIQ Global Intelligence (NYSE:NIQ) is a global consumer intelligence company that provides brands, retailers, and other clients with insights into consumer shopping behavior to inform strategic and operational decisions.

11. Gulfport Energy Corporation (NYSE:GPOR)

Gulfport Energy Corporation (NYSE:GPOR) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 24, Gulfport Energy Corporation reported strong operational execution for the full-year 2025, delivering total net production of 1.04 Bcfe per day and a 29% year-over-year increase in liquids production to 18.7 MBbl per day. The company reported net income of $427.8 million and adjusted EBITDA of $878.5 million, supported by a successful U-development in the Utica and expanded inventory in the Marcellus.

For 2026, Gulfport expects total net daily production to range between 1.030 and 1.055 Bcfe per day, with liquids production forecasted to grow ~5% over 2025 levels. The company plans a total capital expenditure budget of $400 to $430 million, prioritizing high-return dry and wet gas development in the Utica and Marcellus basins. A key focus involves evaluating the Marcellus North area in Jefferson and Belmont Counties to support future inventory planning. This disciplined capital allocation will drive meaningful growth in adjusted free cash flow, assuming current commodity strip pricing.

The company’s 2026 financial strategy emphasizes aggressive shareholder returns and strategic acreage acquisition. Gulfport Energy Corporation (NYSE:GPOR) plans to complete its $100 million discretionary land investment program by the end of Q1 2026, adding more than two years of drilling inventory. Simultaneously, the company intends to use its adjusted free cash flow and revolver capacity to repurchase more than $140 million of common stock in Q1 alone.

Gulfport Energy Corporation (NYSE:GPOR) acquires, explores, and produces natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids in the US.

10. Millrose (NYSE:MRP)

Millrose (NYSE:MRP) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 26, Millrose Properties reported results for its inaugural year, achieving a full-year net income of $2.44 per share and an Adjusted Funds From Operations/AFFO of $2.58 per share. The company exceeded its financial targets, finishing Q4 with an AFFO run rate of $0.77 per share, surpassing original guidance. This performance was underpinned by a portfolio of $9.2 billion in homesite option contracts across 30 states.

Notably, despite macroeconomic uncertainty, the company maintained high portfolio stability with zero option terminations across its 142,000 homesites during the year. Millrose (NYSE:MRP) successfully executed a diversification strategy to grow its platform beyond its foundational Lennar Master Program Agreement. Invested capital outside of the Lennar relationship reached $2.4 billion by year-end, beating the company’s stretch target of $2.2 billion.

These newer investments achieved a weighted average yield of approximately 11.0%, driving the total portfolio yield up to 9.2%. By the end of 2025, Millrose had expanded its reach to 15 distinct builder counterparties, including nine of the top 25 national homebuilders, effectively broadening its recurring revenue base. Looking ahead to 2026, Millrose expects to deploy up to $2 billion in net new capital, supported by a robust investment pipeline and $1.3 billion in available liquidity. The company targets a 10% year-over-year growth in AFFO per share and an exit run rate of $0.78 to $0.80 by Q2.

Millrose (NYSE:MRP) purchases and develops residential land and sells finished homesites to homebuilders by way of option contracts with predetermined costs and takedown schedules.

9. Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (NYSE:BXSL)

Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (NYSE:BXSL) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 25, Blackstone Secured Lending Fund reported results for Q4 and the full-year 2025, characterized by resilient earnings and active capital deployment. Net investment income for the quarter reached $0.80 per share, representing an 11.8% annualized return on equity and providing 104% coverage for the $0.77 per share dividend.

For the full year, BXSL delivered a 9.6% net return, outperforming the leveraged loan market by 360 basis points. Management emphasized that the fund’s low-cost structure and focus on high-quality, first-lien loans (which comprise the vast majority of the portfolio) continue to drive durable performance despite broader market volatility. Portfolio fundamentals remained healthy, with companies in the top 90% of the portfolio growing EBITDA by 9% over the past twelve months and maintaining interest coverage above two times.

While Net Asset Value per share saw a slight decrease to $26.92 due to unrealized losses, non-accruals remained very low at 0.5% of fair market value. The quarter was one of the most active for the fund, featuring $1 billion in new funding across 13 new credits and 15 add-ons. Notable investments included sectors such as life sciences and AI infrastructure, with a specific focus on AI-protected software verticals like ERP and data management. For 2026, Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (NYSE:BXSL) maintains a constructive outlook supported by a strong balance sheet and $2.5 billion in total liquidity.

Blackstone Secured Lending Fund (NYSE:BXSL) is a business development company and a Delaware statutory trust formed on March 26, 2018, and structured as an externally managed, non-diversified closed-end investment fund.

8. Ingram Micro Holding Corporation (NYSE:INGM)

Ingram Micro Holding Corporation (NYSE:INGM) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On March 2, Ingram Micro Holding Corporation reported financial results for 2025, with net sales reaching $52.6 billion, which was a 9.5% increase year-over-year. Q4 was particularly strong, generating $14.9 billion in net sales and surpassing the high end of the company’s guidance. This growth was distributed across all four geographic segments, with the Asia-Pacific region delivering consistent double-digit gains.

Despite a shift in sales mix toward lower-margin AI-enablement and client solutions, the company improved its operational efficiency, reducing full year operating expenses to 5% of net sales. Furthermore, Q4 adjusted free cash flow reached $1.63 billion, marking the highest quarterly level for the company in over a decade. The CEO attributed much of this momentum to the Xvantage platform, which now processes the majority of the company’s net sales and utilizes AI-driven capabilities to enhance customer productivity.

For Q1 2026, Ingram Micro Holding Corporation (NYSE:INGM) projects net sales between $12.45 billion and $12.80 billion. The company expects continued expansion in operating expense leverage and improving gross margins, forecasting non-GAAP diluted EPS in the range of $0.67 to $0.75. This outlook reflects a potential year-over-year earnings increase of up to 23%.

Ingram Micro Holding Corporation (NYSE:INGM), through its subsidiaries, distributes information technology products, cloud, and other services in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and internationally.

7. Aura Minerals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUGO)

Aura Minerals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUGO) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 26, Aura Minerals reported the financial results for 2025, driven by a quarterly production peak of 82,000 gold equivalent ounces and an annual total of 280,000 ounces. This generated a record quarterly adjusted EBITDA of $208 million and a full year EBITDA of $548 million, doubling the company’s EBITDA for the second consecutive year. While surging gold prices led to a GAAP net loss of $20 million due to non-cash derivative valuations, the adjusted net income for the year reached $206 million.

Strategic expansion remained a core focus, highlighted by the $76 million acquisition of Minerales de Occidente/MSG and the successful ramp-up of the Borborema project. At Borborema, the company secured a critical license to relocate a road, unlocking an additional 670,000 ounces of gold reserves and extending the life of the mine.

Looking toward 2026, Aura Minerals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUGO) is targeting a long-term production profile exceeding 600,000 gold equivalent ounces. The upcoming year will focus on a turnaround at the MSG mine to lower long-term costs and an expansion of the Almas plant capacity to 3 million tons.

Aura Minerals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUGO) is a gold and copper production company that develops and operates gold and base metal projects in the Americas.

6. Jackson Financial Inc. (NYSE:JXN)

Jackson Financial Inc. (NYSE:JXN) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 18, Jackson Financial reported record-breaking retail annuity sales of $19.7 billion for the full-year 2025, which was a 10% increase year-over-year. This was fueled by performance in registered index-linked annuities/RILA, which reached $6.9 billion, and institutional sales that surged 77% to $3.5 billion. Q4 alone saw $5.9 billion in retail annuity sales, up 27% year-over-year. These results were supported by the expanding capabilities of its asset management subsidiary, PPM America, which saw its assets under management grow 26% to $93.7 billion.

While the company reported a net loss of $17 million for 2025 due to non-operating items like hedging results and reinsurance fluctuations, its underlying business performance remained robust. Adjusted operating earnings reached $1.6 billion ($22.67 per diluted share) for 2025, compared to $1.4 billion in 2024. This record profitability was driven by higher spread income from RILA and institutional assets, as well as a reduced share count from aggressive buybacks.

In 2025, Jackson Financial Inc. (NYSE:JXN) exceeded its capital return targets by returning $862 million to common shareholders through $634 million in share repurchases and $228 million in dividends. Building on this momentum, the company increased its Q1 2026 dividend by 12.5% to $0.90 per share and established a higher capital return target of $900 million to $1.1 billion for 2026.

Jackson Financial Inc. (NYSE:JXN), through its subsidiaries, provides a suite of annuities to retail investors in the US. It operates through three segments: Retail Annuities, Institutional Products, and Closed Life & Annuity Blocks.

5. Ryan Specialty Holdings Inc. (NYSE:RYAN)

Ryan Specialty Holdings Inc. (NYSE:RYAN) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 12, Ryan Specialty reported financial results for 2025, marked by a total revenue increase of 21.3% to over $3.05 billion. For Q4, revenue grew 13.2% year-over-year to $751.2 million, supported by an organic revenue growth rate of 6.6%. While GAAP net income for the quarter decreased to $31.2 million, the company’s adjusted EBITDAC grew to $222.3 million. This performance represents the company’s seventh consecutive year of growing total revenue by 20% or more.

Ryan Specialty Holdings Inc.’s (NYSE:RYAN) growth strategy was heavily supported by its M&A activity, closing five high-quality acquisitions in 2025 that are expected to contribute over $125 million in annualized revenue. This inorganic expansion particularly supported the Underwriting Management specialty, which saw a 34.2% increase in commissions and fees for Q4.

To further drive long-term efficiency, Ryan Specialty announced the ‘Empower Program,’ which is a three-year restructuring initiative starting in 2026. This program is designed to streamline operations across brokerage and underwriting through technology and data optimization, with an expected cumulative charge of $160 million and projected annual savings of $80 million by 2029.

Ryan Specialty Holdings Inc. (NYSE:RYAN) operates as a service provider of specialty products and solutions for insurance brokers, agents, and carriers in the US, Canada, the UK, the rest of Europe, India, Singapore, and internationally.

4. Corebridge Financial Inc. (NYSE:CRBG)

Corebridge Financial Inc. (NYSE:CRBG) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 9, Corebridge Financial reported a significant operational milestone in 2025, delivering a record $41.7 billion in total premiums and deposits, which was a 4% increase over the previous year. This growth was led by the Institutional Markets and Individual Retirement segments, with the former seeing a 28% surge in Q4 deposits driven by new pension risk transfer business.

Despite a GAAP net loss of $366 million for the full year, the company’s adjusted after-tax operating income totaled $2.4 billion, or $4.42 per share. The company’s core sources of income, which include base spread, fee income, and underwriting margins, reached $6.1 billion for the year. Individual Retirement remained a key profit driver, contributing $455 million in adjusted pre-tax operating income in Q4 alone, supported by higher base spreads despite a shifting interest rate environment.

Corebridge Financial Inc. (NYSE:CRBG) also strengthened its capital position, maintaining a Life Fleet RBC ratio between 430% and 440%, well above regulatory targets. Holding company liquidity ended the year at a healthy $2.3 billion, providing significant flexibility for the company’s aggressive capital management strategy. The CEO expressed confidence in the firm’s hard-to-replicate competitive advantages and a commitment to creating sustained value through its diverse distribution network and powerhouse product suite heading into 2026.

Corebridge Financial Inc. (NYSE:CRBG) provides retirement solutions and insurance products in the US. The company operates through Individual Retirement, Group Retirement, Life Insurance, and Institutional Markets segments.

3. Joint Stock Company Kaspi.kz (NASDAQ:KSPI)

Joint Stock Company Kaspi.kz (NASDAQ:KSPI) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On March 2, Kaspi.kz reported full-year 2025 core revenue growth of 19%, totaling KZT 3.1 trillion (~$6.2 billion) and consolidated net income growth of 10%, reaching KZT 1.1 trillion (~$2.1 billion). This performance landed at the lower end of management’s guidance due to persistent external headwinds, like a 24% decline in smartphone sales, high interest rates, and regulatory tax changes. However, the company’s CEO highlighted that underlying net income, excluding these one-off factors, grew by 18%, showing the resilience of Kaspi.kz’s core business model.

Management is rapidly integrating Hepsiburada in Türkiye by applying the ‘Kaspi Playbook’ to shift the focus toward high-frequency engaged consumers, who grew 29% in Q4. A significant monetization opportunity exists in closing the gap between the 25 annual purchases per consumer seen in Kazakhstan and the current average of ~7 in Türkiye. To capture this growth, 2026 guidance for the Turkish business is set at EBITDA breakeven, allowing for aggressive reinvestment into logistics and personalization tools.

For 2026, Joint Stock Company Kaspi.kz (NASDAQ:KSPI) has issued consolidated guidance targeting ~20% growth in Gross Merchandise Value, Total Payment Volume, and Total Fintech Volume. The company is also scaling its ‘Kaspi Alaqan’ palm-pay technology, which has already reached 10% transaction penetration in Almaty just 90 days after launch.

Joint Stock Company Kaspi.kz (NASDAQ:KSPI), together with its subsidiaries, provides payments, marketplace, and fintech solutions for consumers and merchants in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine. It operates in three segments: Payments, Marketplace, and Fintech.

2. Solventum Corporation (NYSE:SOLV)

Solventum Corporation (NYSE:SOLV) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 26, Solventum reported Q4 2025 financial results that exceeded expectations, despite a reported sales decline of 3.7% to $2 billion. This decrease was driven by the divestiture of the company’s Purification and Filtration business in September 2025. However, organic sales grew by 3.5%. The company achieved GAAP diluted EPS of $0.36 and adjusted diluted EPS of $1.57, fueled by debt reduction following the recent divestiture and operational efficiencies that helped offset incremental tariff headwinds.

The MedSurg segment, Solventum’s largest, led the growth with a 6.2% reported increase in Infection Prevention and Surgical Solutions. Dental Solutions also showed strong momentum with an 8.6% reported sales increase, while Health Information Systems grew by 3.7%. However, the company’s free cash flow for the quarter was $33 million, a drop from the prior year’s $92 million, reflecting the costs associated with its transformation into a standalone entity following its spin-off from 3M.

Solventum Corporation (NYSE:SOLV) introduced its full-year 2026 guidance, projecting organic sales growth between 2.0% and 3.0%. This forecast includes an estimated 100-basis-point negative impact from strategic SKU exits as the company streamlines its portfolio. Management expects adjusted EPS to range from $6.40 to $6.60 and anticipates a significant recovery in free cash flow to ~$200 million.

Solventum Corporation (NYSE:SOLV) is a healthcare company that develops, manufactures, and commercializes a portfolio of solutions to address critical customer and patient needs in the US and internationally. It has three segments: Medsurg, Dental Solutions, and Health Information Systems.

1. Talen Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:TLN)

Talen Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:TLN) is one of the cheap new stocks to buy now. On February 26, Talen Energy reported a full-year 2025 GAAP net loss of $219 million, which was a significant shift from the previous year’s $998 million profit. This decline was primarily attributed to the absence of one-time gains from asset sales recorded in 2024 and a $501 million non-cash charge related to a strategic realignment of executive management and stock-based compensation.

Despite the net loss, the company’s operational health remained robust, with Adjusted EBITDA rising to $1,035 million and Adjusted Free Cash Flow reaching $524 million, driven by stronger capacity and energy revenues. The company aggressively expanded its footprint in the PJM market through high-profile acquisitions. In November 2025, Talen closed a $3.8 billion deal for the Freedom and Guernsey plants, adding 2.8GW of capacity.

Building on this momentum, the company announced the Cornerstone Acquisition, a $3.45 billion agreement to acquire three additional facilities in Ohio and Indiana from Energy Capital Partners. These moves are central to the Talen Flywheel strategy, aimed at diversifying cash flows and providing the reliable baseload generation required to power the rapidly growing AI data center sector. Talen Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:TLN) reaffirmed its strong outlook for 2026, guiding for Adjusted EBITDA between $1,750 and $2,050 million and Adjusted Free Cash Flow between $980 and $1,180 million.

Talen Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:TLN) is an independent power producer and infrastructure company that produces & sells electricity, capacity, and ancillary services into wholesale power markets in the US.

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

READ NEXT: 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026 and 12 Dirt Cheap Stocks to Buy Now.

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