On January 21, Lynn Martin, NYSE president, joined CNBC to discuss the IPO landscape for 2026. Martin predicted a super cycle for IPO activity this year. She noted that many companies are currently ready to go public, with acceleration expected toward the end of Q1 and into Q2. Regarding high-profile mega IPOs, she suggested that they may take a more selective and measured approach due to the significant size of the capital raises they are contemplating. She emphasized that these companies will likely wait to see what the markets signal before proceeding
On January 13, James Demmert, CIO of Main Street Research, appeared on CNBC to suggest that 2026 could be a groundbreaking year for IPOs and M&A. There is a significant pipeline of companies prepared to go public following delays caused by a government shutdown. Demmert advised investors to focus on banks with the talent to capitalize on this. While traditional consumer-focused banks are expected to beat expectations, he suggested that they will not do so by a wide margin. He argued that for true earnings juice, investors should favor investment-heavy banks. Regarding market volatility and the probe of Jerome Powell, Demmert remained unconcerned, labeling the situation as one of many ‘Trumpisms’. He urged investors to focus instead on earnings and profit margins.
That being said, we’re here with a list of the 14 best IPO stocks to buy right now.
Our Methodology
We sifted through the Finviz stock screener to compile a list of stocks that went public in the past 5 years. We then selected 14 stocks that were the most popular among elite hedge funds and that analysts were bullish on. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the number of hedge funds that have stakes in them, as of Q3 2025.
Note: All data was sourced on February 9.
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 Best IPO Stocks to Buy Right Now
14. BrightSpring Health Services Inc. (NASDAQ:BTSG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 48
BrightSpring Health Services Inc. (NASDAQ:BTSG) is one of the best IPO stocks to buy right now. On February 2, BTIG analyst David Larsen raised the firm’s price target for BrightSpring Health to $55 from $50 with a Buy rating. This was part of a broader research note evaluating Healthcare IT and Digital Health companies ahead of their Q4 2025 earnings. Larsen expressed a positive outlook and identified the company as a proven operator that has consistently performed well across various market cycles.
Earlier on January 27, TD Cowen analyst Charles Rhyee also raised the firm’s price target for BrightSpring Health to $46 from $42 with a Buy rating. In a Q4 2025 earnings preview, Rhyee noted that the company is expected to sustain its momentum due to strong trends in specialty generics.
BMO Capital raised its price target for BrightSpring Health Services Inc. (NASDAQ:BTSG) on January 23 to $46 from $40 with an Outperform rating. The firm’s deep-dive analysis highlights strong pharmaceutical relationships and competitive positioning, reinforcing conviction in the durable growth of the company’s specialty business.
BrightSpring Health Services Inc. (NASDAQ:BTSG) operates as a home and community-based healthcare services platform in the US. It operates through two segments: Pharmacy Solutions and Provider Services.
13. Centuri Holdings Inc. (NYSE:CTRI)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 49
Centuri Holdings Inc. (NYSE:CTRI) is one of the best IPO stocks to buy right now. On January 23, Manish Somaiya of Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on Centuri with an Overweight rating and a $34 price target. This adjustment was made as the firm cited a robust multi-year investment cycle in the Engineering & Construction sector.
This growth is driven by grid modernization, electrification, energy transition efforts, and increased power demand from data centers and reshoring, which together provide record backlogs and long-term revenue visibility. Cantor Fitzgerald highlighted Centuri’s highly recurring, MSA-driven utility revenue and accelerating electric growth, and noted that rapid post-spin deleveraging supports significant valuation upside.
Furthermore, on January 7, Wells Fargo analyst Joseph O’Dea increased the firm’s price target for Centuri Holdings Inc. (NYSE:CTRI) to $30 from $25 with an Overweight rating. In a review of the Electrical Equipment & Multi-Industry sector, the firm noted that it expects initial 2026 guidance ranges to be largely underwhelming, attributing this to a cautious approach in setting market expectations.
Centuri Holdings Inc. (NYSE:CTRI) operates as a utility infrastructure services company in North America. The company has four segments: US Gas Utility Services, Canadian Gas Utility Services, Union Electric Utility Services, and Non-Union Electric Utility Services.
