On January 8, Nancy Prial, Co-CEO & Senior Portfolio Manager at Essex Investment Management, appeared on CNBC and suggested she sees significant upside in 2026 for undiscovered small- and midcap firms tied to AI buildout, reshoring, healthcare, and defense. Given recent events, such as the strike in Venezuela that led to record market levels on the following trading day, as well as volatility stemming from announcements regarding housing and defense, Prial emphasized the critical role of diversification and suggested that portfolios should include both popular areas and companies that have not been as favored, to help weather such volatility. She believes that headline risk is often temporary, drawing a comparison to the tariff-related volatility seen in the previous year. This temporary nature provides an opportunity for investors to layer into stocks and sectors where valuations are becoming increasingly attractive.
Prial also acknowledged that the geopolitical landscape is becoming increasingly complex, making defense exposure important. However, in the defense space, her approach focuses on companies below the radar rather than major household-name contractors. By targeting subcontractors or firms in emerging areas of defense tech, she believes that investors can gain necessary exposure while protecting against the broader headline risks mentioned earlier.
That being said, we’re here with a list of the 14 best mid-cap growth stocks to buy right now.
Our Methodology
We used the Finviz stock screener to compile a list of stocks that were trading between $2 billion and $10 billion. From that, we selected growth stocks with an EPS growth rate (TTM) and a forward EPS diluted growth rate (1-year estimate) of at least 20% each. 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 by the number of hedge funds with stakes in them as of Q3 2025.
Note: All data was sourced on January 19.
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 Mid-Cap Growth Stocks to Buy Right Now
14. Calix Inc. (NYSE:CALX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 31
Calix Inc. (NYSE:CALX) is one of the best mid-cap growth stocks to buy right now. On January 15, JPMorgan upgraded Calix to Overweight from Neutral and raised its price target to $90 from $75. This decision was made following an improving spending environment among broadband service providers.
The firm highlighted that Calix is well-positioned to benefit from the Broadband Equity and Access Deployment program in unserved and underserved US regions over the medium term. The firm noted that Calix stands out from other equipment providers due to its commitment to improving service levels. Additionally, JPMorgan placed the stock on a Positive Catalyst Watch ahead of its January 28 Q4 2025 earnings report and February 24 investor day.
Calix Inc. (NYSE:CALX) has invested $2 billion over 15 years into its platform and is now accelerating AI development through a strategic partnership with Google Cloud. This third-generation platform aims to simplify operations and drive international expansion, with a monetization strategy that includes direct charges for agentic AI and tools designed to help customers grow their subscriber bases.
Calix Inc. (NYSE:CALX), together with its subsidiaries, provides cloud & software platforms, systems, and services in the US, the rest of the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
13. Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:SLAB)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 31
Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:SLAB) is one of the best mid-cap growth stocks to buy right now. On January 15, RBC Capital initiated coverage of Silicon Labs with a Sector Perform rating and $160 price target. The company is starting to see the benefits of a healthier market as old stock finally clears out of the supply chain. Despite this positive trend, the firm isn’t ready to recommend buying the stock yet and wants to wait and see if the company’s new Wi-Fi tech actually takes off first.
Earlier on December 18, MOKOSMART and Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:SLAB) announced a partnership to address critical visibility gaps in the global cold chain. This collaboration focuses on the launch of two high-precision Bluetooth beacons: the M4 Pro and the S05T temperature loggers. The initiative comes as the global cold chain market is projected to grow from $228.30 billion in 2024 to $372 billion by 2029, sustaining a CAGR of 10.30%.
The partnership uses a synergy between MOKOSMART’s rugged hardware design and Silicon Labs’ wireless precision. Both sensors are powered by the BG22 System-on-Chip, which uses a high-performance ARM Cortex-M33 core. This allows for a compact form factor while delivering industry-leading energy efficiency. For example, the S05T is a disposable, soft-foam logger featuring a 220mAh non-replaceable battery with a lifespan of up to 2 years under default settings, while the M4 Pro provides a replaceable battery option that can last up to 4 years in presence monitoring mode.
Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:SLAB) is a fabless semiconductor company that provides analog-intensive mixed-signal solutions in the US, China, Taiwan, and internationally.