This article looks at the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now.
By the term Big Name, we denote stocks that are industry leaders with a significant presence on the stock market. These firms are typically characterized by their large market capitalization, strong brand recognition, and stable financials.
The S&P 500 Index, which tracks leading U.S.-listed companies, is up 13.42% year-to-date, building on the 24.2% and 23.31% returns in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The broad market index has hit record highs in 2025, continuing the momentum it has had since late 2022.
The rally has been fueled by growing investor interest in AI stocks, which has pushed the market caps of several technology companies beyond the $1 trillion mark, and for some, to multi-trillion dollar levels.
At the same time, this bull run has also made some investors cautious over concerns about the market being overvalued. Ongoing trade tensions, a government shutdown, and geopolitical conflicts in different parts of the world have also weighed in on the sentiment.
Volatility is on the rise as well. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) closed at 20.6 on Wednesday. The index has remained on the higher side in the past week, rising to its most elevated level since May by the end of the week.
Christian Mueller-Glissmann, who heads Asset Allocation Research at Goldman Sachs, last month said it was time to reduce exposure to U.S. large-cap stocks. He was quoted as saying the following by CNBC on September 3:
“We have had an enormous resurgence of U.S. equities lead by U.S. large-cap tech and a few companies, a very concentrated rally. That is predicated on the goldilocks momentum. If the weaker dollar trend resumes it will be good for the large cap tech companies, but when you talk about international investors that are buying U.S. equities, the drag outweighs to some extent the benefits.”
With that said, let’s shift focus to some of the best big name stocks to buy right now.
The New York Stock Exchange building. Photo by Дмитрий Трепольский on Pexels
Our Methodology
For this article, we screened U.S.-listed large-cap and mega-cap companies with a market capitalization above $50 billion that have a strong presence in their industries. We then shortlisted the top 14 companies that had the highest number of hedge fund investors having a stake in them, based on Insider Monkey’s database of prominent hedge funds as of Q2 2025. Finally, we ranked them in ascending order based on the number of hedge funds holding positions.
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).
14. Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 133
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. Earlier this month, two analysts shared their ratings and price targets for the stock, suggesting that it could continue to see growth ahead. The company’s shares are already up by 35% year-to-date.
On October 7, Seaport Global analyst David Joyce upgraded the video-streaming giant’s rating to Buy from Neutral and assigned a price target of $1,385 for its shares, representing an upside potential of 15% from Wednesday’s close.
The firm noted that while Netflix Inc.’s (NASDAQ:NFLX) share price momentum appears to be moderating, investors might be digesting the significant returns so far this year, as excitement builds around the company’s monetization momentum related to its advertising infrastructure build.
Seaport would be a buyer of the stock ahead of its Q3 earnings call on October 21, Joyce told investors in his pre-earnings research note.
In other related news, analysts at Itau BBA initiated coverage of Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) on the same day with an Outperform rating and a price target of $1,514.
The overall sentiment around the stock remains positive, with Wall Street analysts having a consensus Buy rating for the stock and an average share price upside potential of 11.9%.
13. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 133
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 15, UBS lowered the stock’s price target to $593 from $597, while keeping a Buy rating for its shares.
According to a report by TheFly, the analysts told investors that Q3 EPS estimates for the company were raised, reflecting robust insurance performance at BH Re and GEICO. Moreover, the revised outlook forecasts a modest growth in book value and EPS, with shares trading close to their intrinsic value, indicating that no buybacks are expected this quarter.
Despite the cut, the updated price target of $593 reflects an upside potential of over 21%, which is well above the consensus upside estimates of 6.3%.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) is engaged in diverse business activities, including insurance, utilities and energy, manufacturing, services and retailing, and freight rail transportation. It holds major equity stakes in several large corporations, which have helped cement its reputation as a financially robust enterprise.
However, the stock, which has largely outperformed the broad market index over the past two decades, is trailing the S&P 500 so far this year, with a return of 9.51% versus 13.42%, as of the close on October 15.
According to reports, the firm’s portfolio is highly concentrated in a select group of stocks, which have lagged the market in 2025, contributing to Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s (NYSE:BRK-B) modest returns. Another contributor has been its large cash position. Over the last few quarters, the company has actively sold stocks to accumulate cash, while warning that the market is trading at a high valuation. The news about Buffett’s retirement at the end of this year has also fueled investor skepticism about the firm’s future.
12. Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 152
Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 3, Wells Fargo analyst Ken Gawrelski cut the stock’s price target to $125 from $127, while maintaining an Overweight rating for its shares.
The analyst expects the transportation company to report healthy and steady delivery and mobility volumes in the third quarter, and anticipates more of the same in Q4. Gawrelski sees volumes as vital to preventing investor concerns related to ride saturation and autonomous vehicles (AV) competition.
Late last month, Mizuho initiated coverage of Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) with an Outperform rating and announced a price target of $130 for its shares. According to a report on TheFly on September 29, the firm described the stock as a multi-year contender, projecting a CAGR of 25% for GAAP EPS, 15% for revenue, and 16% for gross profit from 2025 to 2028.
Moreover, Mizuho also added that it sees Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) as a leader in the global gig economy with a strong competitive position, robust profitability, and free cash flow-through, high standards of management and culture, and a disciplined capital return policy. The analyst also noted that there is enough room still to sustain healthy gross bookings growth over the long term.
Overall, Wall Street analysts have an optimistic outlook for Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), with a consensus Buy rating and an average share price upside potential of 14.81% as of the close on October 15.
Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is an American transportation company that provides ride-hailing services, food delivery, courier services, and freight facilities.
11. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 156
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. Several analysts in recent days have adjusted their price targets for the stock, following OpenAI’s announcement to partner with the company to build its first in-house AI processors.
On October 14, UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri lifted the stock’s price target to $415 from $365 and kept a Buy rating on its shares. The firm, in a research note to investors, said that estimates were being raised to reflect updated checks in the supply chain after the OpenAI announcement. EPS expectations for 2026 are now close to $10, with a potential upside to revenue forecasts.
UBS further stated that large-scale deployments are anticipated to ramp up later, which could position Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO)’s EPS to reach approximately $13.50 next year and potentially exceed $20 by 2028 as projects come online.
On October 13, an analyst from Mizuho also raised the stock’s price target to $430 from $410 while maintaining an Outperform rating for its shares. The price target increase represented an upside potential of nearly 21% from the close on Monday.
According to a report on TheFly, the firm’s analyst expects the deal to potentially generate between $150 billion and $200 billion in revenue for Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) over multiple years. Moreover, Mizuho has raised the company’s AI revenue estimates to $40.4 billion for FY26, $64.5 billion for FY27, and $78 billion for FY28.
The analyst described Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) as a top pick and highlighted OpenAI’s recent chip deals with Nvidia and AMD in the analysis.
In other news, on October 14, Morgan Stanley also lifted the stock’s price target to $409 from $382, while maintaining an Overweight rating for its shares. Overall, Wall Street analysts have a bullish outlook for the stock, with a consensus Buy rating, although the average share price upside potential is just over 4% currently.
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) is a leading developer, manufacturer, and supplier of semiconductor and infrastructure software products.
10. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 156
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 16, Evercore ISI maintained its Outperform rating and price target of $290 for the stock.
This is a reaffirmation of their earlier update on September 26, in which they hiked the stock’s price target from $260, following Evercore’s annual survey of approximately 4,000 consumers in the United States about their intentions to purchase the iPhone.
The analysts told investors that the survey’s results pointed to the beginning of a better-than-anticipated iPhone refresh cycle, driven by a strong line of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) products.
Evercore further stated the tech giant’s core strength was still concentrated in the Pro tiers. However, they also believe that iPhone 17 might have exceeded initial expectations with robust sales during its first week. The price target of $290 represents an 18% upside from the stock’s closing value on October 15.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is known for its consumer electronics, software, and other related products. Its premium line of products, which includes the iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, and a range of other accessories, has earned the company widespread acclaim and customer loyalty.
9. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 158
Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 14, the company announced it had joined the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)’s Cybersecurity Partnership Programme (CPP). This marks the latest step in the public-private collaboration aimed at strengthening Europe’s digital security.
The cooperation is focused on sharing situational awareness and cybersecurity threats to enhance EU’s collective resilience. The partnership, which will be managed from Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)’s European Cyber Resilience Centre in Waterloo, Belgium, reinforces the firm’s commitment to enhancing the security of the wider digital ecosystem.
The CPP’s objectives are to improve effective incident response and preparedness across operational, technical, and political levels; achieve common situational awareness before and during cyber incidents; and bolster cross-border and cross-layer cooperation through information exchange on vulnerabilities, threats, and incidents.
Joining the program has further reiterated the company’s role as a vital partner in Europe’s cybersecurity efforts to protect businesses and consumers in the digital age.
Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is a payment card services company that provides financial services to individual consumers, merchants, small and large businesses, and governments by facilitating electronic funds transfers.
8. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 159
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 14, Goldman Sachs analyst Scott Fidel initiated coverage of the stock with a Buy rating. It also assigned a price target of $406 for its shares, representing an upside potential of 12.31%.
In a research note to investors, Fidel noted that the managed care industry was in the midst of its most significant underwriting downturn in more than 15 years. The firm suggests increased exposure to Medicare Advantage as it anticipates a margin recovery phase starting in 2026.
However, the Goldman analyst noted that he does not expect the Medicare Advantage recovery to play out uniformly across the wider group. The firm also added that there will be a longer path to cyclical recovery in Medicaid and the healthcare exchange.
Moreover, Fidel expects UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s (NYSE:UNH) new management to review its business practices, address shareholder concerns, and enforce more conservative pricing to reflect upwardly revised medical cost baselines across vital business lines.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is a diversified healthcare company that provides insurance services in the US through its UnitedHealthcare segment and operates internationally through its Optum division..
7. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 167
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 13, Bernstein analyst Harshita Rawat maintained an Outperform rating for the stock with a price target of $380 for its shares.
The reaffirmation, which comes despite the stock underperforming the broad market index this year, represents an upside potential of 9% for Visa Inc. (NYSE:V).
Bernstein noted that the multiples decreased by mid-single to high-single digits for both Visa and Mastercard since June, as the stablecoin narrative gained traction following the passage of the GENIUS Act.
While this could be one factor behind the underperformance, Rawat also highlighted other factors that could have affected performance, such as GICS reclassification, funding sources for AI investments, and financial stocks rotation.
Despite the challenges, Bernstein expressed confidence in the company’s business fundamentals, saying the firm felt better about Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) as a business now than it did five years ago.
In other related news, on October 6, Baird analyst David Koning lifted Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)’s price target to $410 from $400 and maintained an Outperform rating on its shares, after updating its model following the Q4 earnings preview.
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is a payment technology company that facilitates electronic transactions worldwide.
6. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 187
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 10, Susquehanna lifted the stock’s price target to $400 from $300, while maintaining a Positive rating for its shares.
The adjustment came ahead of the company’s Q3 2025 earnings results on October 16, in which the analyst anticipates a beat and raise from the semiconductor foundry. According to TheFly, Susquehanna sees a strong year ahead for TSM, given that its Q4 FY25 and Q1 FY26 tracking is ahead of consensus and seasonal trends.
In other related news, on October 9, Barclays analyst Simon Coles also raised their price target for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) to $330 from $325, and kept an Overweight rating on its shares.
In his analysis, Coles noted recent events that have driven European semicap stocks on track towards highs last witnessed in Q2 2024. However, the analyst added that further upside will likely depend on additional chip factory fabrication (fab) project announcements.
Overall, Wall Street analysts maintain an optimistic outlook for the stock, with a consensus Buy rating and an average share price upside potential of 4% as of the close on October 14. The stock has had robust returns in 2025 so far, returning 48% YTD.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is a semiconductor design and manufacturing foundry based in Taiwan.
5. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 219
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 14, Goldman Sachs lifted the stock’s price target to $288 from $234, while maintaining a Buy rating for its shares.
The adjustment came as part of a broader research note released by the firm, previewing third-quarter results in Digital Advertising names. Goldman said that it continues to view Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) as among the most levered artificial intelligence companies in its coverage universe.
The analyst added that this view was also becoming more universally acceptable now among investors, with the stock making significant gains since his last earnings preview. Moreover, the growth in usage of Gemini and core Search, coupled with the Search antitrust verdict being more favorable than initially expected, has led to a healthy re-rating of the shares.
The stock has had impressive returns in 2025, gaining 33% YTD as of the close on October 15.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) owns several notable platforms such as Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, and YouTube. The company is also known for pioneering work and research in cloud computing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.
4. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 235
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 15, HSBC analysts led by Frank Lee upgraded the stock to Buy from Hold, citing their expectation that the total addressable market (TAM) for AI GPUs will continue to increase beyond hyperscalers, which should result in continuous earnings growth.
The firm also lifted its price target for the stock to $320 from $200, representing an upside of nearly 78% from Tuesday’s close. Lee and his team said they had made the adjustments on the back of increasing FY27 estimates for GPU TAM compared to previous expectations, resulting in an upward revision in their data center revenue forecast for FY27 to $351 billion, which is 36% above consensus projections.
The HSBC analysts also anticipate that a potential trade deal between the United States and China could result in easing of China GPU uncertainties, which could help NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) see a demand recovery in the Chinese market.
Moreover, the analysts raised their earnings forecast for Nvidia in FY27 to $8.75 per share, higher than the average street projections of $6.48. They said that this encouraging outlook was backed by surging demand across the global AI chip market.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is a full-stack computing infrastructure company. It is the go-to company for firms looking for GPUs and semiconductors as they increase spending on artificial intelligence.
3. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 260
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. On October 15, the company announced it would invest up to $1.5 billion in an AI data center in Texas.
This would mark the social media giant’s 29th such facility worldwide, as it expands its infrastructure to facilitate AI workloads. The data center in El Paso will be Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)’s third in Texas. It is expected to come online in 2028, with a capacity to scale to a 1-gigawatt site, making it among the largest planned data center campuses in the country.
Once operational, the new data center is expected to create around 100 jobs, with over 1,800 construction workers likely to be on-site during peak construction. The company said that it chose El Paso due to its skilled workforce and robust electrical grid.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) employs over 2,500 people across Texas and has invested more than $10 billion in the state, including the latest investment in El Paso.
The announcement follows the company’s $29 billion off-balance-sheet deal in August with Blue Owl and Pimco for a data center campus in Louisiana.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the largest technology companies in the world. It operates several popular social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Threads.
2. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 294
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. According to a report by Reuters on Monday, the company has been sued by consumers for allegedly illegally inflating prices for generative AI under a secret agreement with OpenAI.
The proposed class action has been filed in San Francisco’s federal court. It claims that the technology giant leveraged an exclusive cloud computing deal with the ChatGPT maker to restrict the supply of computational resources required to run the AI chatbot.
The lawsuit said the deal, which Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) struck in the early days of OpenAI’s development, was in violation of the federal antitrust law, as it restrained competition and resulted in artificially driving up ChatGPT’s subscription prices, while impacting the product quality for millions of users of the platform.
The lawsuit further mentioned that while the alleged restraints on OpenAI have eased, they remain as ‘a sword of Damocles over OpenAI wielded by one of its principal competitors’. It also alleged that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) exploited its agreement with OpenAI to capitalize on its success, while simultaneously building its own rival products, such as Copilot.
In a statement, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) said that it was reviewing the lawsuit and added that it believes the OpenAI partnership promotes innovation, competition, and responsible AI development.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a technology company best known for its operating systems and software products. It has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI to date.
1. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 335
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is among the 14 Best Big Name Stocks to Invest in Right Now. According to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday, billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos’ former wife, has slashed her stake in the company by 42% since last year.
Scott now holds 81.1 million shares in the firm, according to the latest disclosure dated September 30, the report said. This is down 58 million from a year ago. The reduction is worth an estimated $12.55 billion, based on the stock’s closing price on Tuesday.
Following her divorce from Bezos in 2019, Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), amounting to $36 billion. However, Bezos still exercises sole voting authority over her holdings and is required to disclose them annually.
Scott is known for giving large grants to small nonprofit organizations. Last year, she gave away $2 billion to 199 organizations, taking her total donations to $19.25 billion to more than 2,450 non-profit teams over the last five years.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is an American multinational technology company that engages in e-commerce, online advertising, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital streaming..
While we acknowledge the potential of AMZN 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 AMZN and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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