In this article, we will take a look at the 13 Best Long Term Low Risk Stocks to Buy Now.
As markets continue to shift, many investors are starting to slow down and think in longer time frames. Michael Sonnenfeldt, founder of TIGER 21, told CNBC Select that high-net-worth investors are spending less time trying to predict market moves. Instead, they are going “back to basics,” focusing on long-term ownership of businesses, real estate, and diversified portfolios.
Sonnenfeldt said wealthy investors usually commit their money with patience. They are not chasing quick gains or reacting to every headline. That discipline helps them stay invested during market pullbacks and benefit as the economy grows over time. For individual investors, the lesson is simple. Take the time to understand what you are buying and be prepared to hold it. Jumping in and out of the market or following short-lived trends often leads to emotional decisions, and those decisions tend to be costly.
He also pointed out that many affluent investors rely on index funds to participate in public markets without the stress of picking individual stocks. For them, it is a practical way to stay invested and reduce unnecessary complexity.
Index funds follow broad market benchmarks and spread money across many companies at once. That structure naturally builds diversification and reduces the risk that comes with owning just a few stocks. The same thinking applies beyond equities. Richard Carter, vice president of fixed income products and services at Fidelity Investments, emphasized this point, saying:
“Diversifying the investments in your portfolio can help manage risk even within what might be considered low-risk investments. When evaluating fixed income investments investors need to recognize that even low-risk investments may involve differences in the degree of credit or default risk, their amount of price volatility, and the timing of their payouts or return profile.”
Given this, we will take a look at some of the best long-term stocks to buy now.
Our Methodology:
For this list, we screened for stocks with a 5-year return of over 60%, which shows their long-term appeal. From that list, we picked companies with a beta of less than 1.0 over the past years, using monthly price data. Beta lower than 1.0 shows that these stocks are less volatile than the overall market. The stocks were ranked according to their beta value.
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).
13. Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB)
Beta (5Y Monthly): 0.98
5-Year Return: 66.88%
On February 5, Evercore ISI lifted its price target on Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB) to $57 from $52 and kept an In Line rating. The update followed the bank’s Q4 earnings release and revised forecasts.
Earlier, on January 20, Fifth Third posted higher fourth-quarter profits, helped by stronger interest income as loan demand picked up. A steadier economic backdrop, recent rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, and easing tariff worries have improved sentiment across the US economy. With confidence improving, both consumers and businesses have shown a greater willingness to borrow.
Lower borrowing costs also played a role, making credit easier to access and trimming interest expenses on new and existing loans. Net interest income rose 6% to $1.53 billion, while total loans increased 5%. Fee-based businesses also delivered solid results. Wealth and asset management revenue climbed 13% to a quarterly record of $185 million. Commercial payments revenue was up 8%, and assets under management grew roughly 16% to $80 billion.
Not every segment moved higher. Capital markets fees dipped 2% to $121 million, largely reflecting softer loan syndication activity.
Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB) is a diversified financial services firm and operates as the indirect holding company for Fifth Third Bank, National Association.
12. Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI)
Beta (5Y Monthly): 0.88
5-Year Return: 47.98%
On February 2, Argus Research analyst Kristina Ruggeri downgraded Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) to Hold from Buy.
A few days earlier, on January 29, Seaport Research analyst Scott Graham trimmed his price target on the stock to $220 from $255 while maintaining a Buy rating. He pointed out that sales growth was softer in the first half of the year, but noted that visibility into a second-half pickup had improved, giving the firm more confidence in a potential inflection.
During the Q4 2025 earnings call, the company’s Chairman, President, and CEO explained that the business closed the fourth quarter with solid financial performance, rounding out another year marked by record sales, profitability, and cash flow. He pointed to strong customer demand for the cellular AMI solution and said the addition of SmartCover into the BlueEdge smart water management platform was progressing well. He also indicated that winning the PRASA AMI project in Puerto Rico strengthened the company’s position and supported its long-term growth outlook.
The newly appointed Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer said fourth-quarter 2025 sales reached $221 million, reflecting an 8% increase from the prior year and 2% base sales growth. He noted that operating profit margins improved by 40 basis points to 19.5%, up from 19.1%. Base operating earnings rose 9% year over year, which lifted base operating margins by 140 basis points to 20.5%. He added that gross margins expanded by 180 basis points to 42.1% in the quarter, compared with 40.3% a year earlier.
Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) designs, manufactures, and markets flow measurement, quality, control, and related system solutions for customers around the world.
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