This article looks at the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy.
The term refers to companies that are leading players in their industries and have a significant impact on the market. These stocks are known for their large capitalizations, strong fundamentals, and brand recognition.
Despite economic and geopolitical challenges, the S&P 500 Index, which tracks the leading 500 companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges, has returned 30% over the past 12 months. On the other hand, Bloomberg’s Magnificent 7 Total Return Index has gained 49% during the period.
From a year-to-date perspective, the broad market index’s returns have been a meagre 4.47%. However, the index closed on Friday at a record high of 7,165.08 amid hopes of a possible second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran in Pakistan.
Robert Canzo, the CEO of investment advisory firm The Wealth Alliance, believes that while news coming from the Middle East can cause volatility, the market has become resilient and was ‘looking right through’ the war, irrespective of the outcome of the negotiations in Islamabad.
He said that investors were confident about the market’s fundamentals. Moreover, Trump’s statements suggesting it will not be a long war and a strong start to the earnings season have also helped the sentiment.
While talking to CNBC recently, Kara Murphy, the Chief Investment Officer at Kestra Investments, said that she had put the Iran war in the category of ‘noise’. She noted that since 1940, whenever a large-scale geopolitical event such as this occurred, more than two-thirds of the time the markets were up 12 months later. Murphy anticipates mega-cap tech stocks to be the first to rebound when the situation settles.
With that said, let’s now head over to the list of the best big name stocks to buy.
Photo by Robb Miller on Unsplash
Methodology
We used screeners to identify companies with a market capitalization of at least $50 billion. We then shortlisted the top 15 stocks 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 Q4 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 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy
15. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 137
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. On April 21, Barclays analyst Emily Field reiterated an Overweight rating on the stock with a price target of $1,350.
This is a reaffirmation of the firm’s initiation of coverage on the pharmaceutical company in February, when it noted Eli Lilly’s strong market share in obesity drugs and added that the stock was worthy of a premium valuation.
The recent update follows Eli Lilly and Company’s announcement on April 20 of a definitive agreement to acquire clinical-stage biotechnology firm Kelonia Therapeutics for up to $7 billion. The takeover marks a significant move in the drug-maker’s push to strengthen its oncology pipeline.
In other news, Scotiabank analyst Louise Chen also reiterated an Outperform rating on the company’s shares with a price target of $1,300 following the acquisition report.
As of the close of business on April 24, the stock is a Strong Buy with an average share price upside potential of 42%.
Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets pharmaceutical products. The company has been pioneering life-changing discoveries for the last 150 years.
14. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 137
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. On April 22, the company reported financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, with earnings beating estimates and topline coming in shy of forecasts.
Revenue for the quarter increased 16% from the prior year to $22.39 billion, attributed to an increase in vehicle deliveries. However, the figure missed expectations of $22.64 billion. Adjusted earnings per share came in at 41 cents, up 52% year-over-year and surpassing expectations by four cents.
Tesla, Inc.’s automotive gross margins were recorded at 19.2%, which is more than in any quarter in the prior year. The result was driven by an increase in average selling prices and lower costs of materials, reducing the average cost per vehicle.
Capital expenditure surged 67% during the quarter to $2.49 billion, but was 40% below Wall Street’s estimates, which is likely to give the company some respite, given the annual figure is expected to top the $25 billion this year.
In other news, Wall Street continues to remain cautious on the stock with a Hold rating. Tesla has a one-year average share price target of $411.59 as of April 24, representing a 9% upside.
Tesla, Inc. is an automotive and clean energy company. It is a pioneer in the EV industry and has significantly contributed to the global shift toward sustainable transportation through its electric cars.
13. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 145
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. On April 21, the company reported financial results for the first quarter of 2026, beating Wall Street’s revenue and profit forecast.
It posted a revenue of $111.7 billion, up 2% year-over-year, and topping estimates of $109.6 billion. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $7.23, surpassing projections of $6.57 per share, as the company streamlined its operations and kept costs in check during the quarter.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated said it was raising its annual profit guidance for 2026 after Q1 results. The company now expects adjusted profit for the full year of $18.25 per share, up by 50 cents from the initial forecast.
During the earnings call, the firm mentioned that it had acquired the healthcare technology platform Alegeus Technologies during the quarter, with the takeover expected in the second half of the year.
In other news, Wall Street has a Moderate Buy rating on the stock with an average share price upside potential of 7% as of the close of business on April 24.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is a healthcare and well-being company focused on enabling people to live healthier lives and making the health system more efficient through easing the overall experience and strengthening relationships with care providers.
12. Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 146
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. On April 17, Piper Sandler analyst Thomas Champion lifted the price target on the stock to $115 from $103 and maintained an Overweight rating.
According to a report on TipRanks, the firm noted that the company’s first-quarter results came in as expected, with revenue and EBIT both surpassing Piper’s forecasts by one percent.
Champion believes the downturn in stock price following the results was due to Netflix, Inc. reiterating its full-year guidance. However, the analyst noted that while the results were not ‘flashy’, the company was focusing again on its primary business, with initiatives such as advertising also showing promise.
As of the close of business on April 24, the stock sports a Strong Buy rating, with an average share price upside potential of 25%.
The streaming giant posted a revenue of $12.25 billion in Q1 against estimates of $12.18 billion. Net income per share came in at $1.23, nearly double year-over-year and beating expectations by 47 cents.
Netflix, Inc. is a global entertainment company offering TV series, documentaries, movies, and games across multiple languages and genres.
11. Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 147
Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. On April 21, TD Cowen analyst John Blackledge reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $114, representing an upside potential of 53% from Friday’s close.
According to a report on TipRanks, the analyst said that the company was well placed to gain from the ‘autonomous vehicle ramp’ with the inclusion of self-driving technology to its network, and that its current share price didn’t match its long-term potential.
Moreover, the firm also noted the momentum across Uber Technologies, Inc.’s Mobility and Delivery segments, which has created a competitive edge that is hard to compete with for smaller peers.
In other news, last week the company announced that it was launching a new feature for customers to return purchases made through Uber Eats for a fee. The courier pick-up service will initially apply at multiple retail locations, such as Best Buy, Petco, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and more, with plans to add other partners ahead.
Uber Technologies, Inc. is an American transportation company that provides ride-hailing services, food delivery, courier services, and freight facilities.
10. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 150
Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. As of the close on April 24, Wall Street remains bullish on the stock with a Strong Buy rating and sees an average share price upside potential of 28%.
On Friday, Truist Securities trimmed its price target on the stock to $590 from $611, while maintaining a Buy rating. The adjustment came as part of the firm’s broader research and first-quarter earnings preview for Payments and Capital Markets stocks.
Other recent updates include BMO Capital initiating coverage of the global payments company on April 21, with an Outperform rating and a price target of $605.
According to a report on TipRanks, the firm noted the resilience in Mastercard Incorporated’s competitive position even as doubts remain regarding digital currencies and alternative payment methods. In a research note to investors, BMO Capital said that the company’s multi-rail capabilities were setting it up as ‘the orchestration layer across all rails’.
The update follows Citigroup’s adjustment on the stock on April 14, when it trimmed the price target to $675 from $735 and maintained a Buy rating. However, analyst Bryan Keane noted that the company’s fundamentals still remained solid despite an overall volatile macro environment.
Mastercard Incorporated 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.
9. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 169
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. On April 21, Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett maintained a cautious outlook on the stock with a Neutral rating and a price target of $268. This is a reaffirmation of the firm’s earlier March update.
On the same day, Wedbush reiterated its Outperform rating on the stock with a price target of $350. The update followed news about the company’s leadership changes earlier in the week.
On Monday, the iPhone maker announced that Tim Cook was stepping down from his role as CEO to become Executive Chairman, with John Ternus becoming the new chief executive.
According to TipRanks, Wedbush’s Daniel Ives said that he expects investors to have mixed reactions to the abrupt leadership change just ahead of the WWDC event, raising questions about the company’s strategy. Moreover, the analyst noted the transition has come at a time when Apple Inc. is making significant inroads into AI.
As of the close of business on April 24, the tech giant is rated a Moderate Buy, with an average share price upside potential of 11% based on recommendations from 27 analysts.
Apple Inc. is known for its consumer electronics, software, and other related products. Its premium product line, which includes the iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, and a range of accessories, has earned the company widespread acclaim and customer loyalty.
8. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 184
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. According to Insider Monkey’s database for Q4 2025, 184 hedge funds held a stake in the company, up from 179 in the prior quarter. The increase suggests growing institutional interest in the stock.
Moreover, Wall Street continues to remain bullish on the global payments technology giant with a Strong Buy rating as of the close on April 24. The stock has an average one-year share price target of $393.72, representing an upside potential of 27%.
On Friday, Truist trimmed its price target on the stock to $361 from $372 as part of a broader note previewing first-quarter results for companies in the Payments and Capital Markets group.
Earlier in the week, on April 22, BMO Capital initiated coverage of Visa Inc. with an Outperform rating and set a share price target of $365. According to TipRanks, the analyst told investors that the company is viewed as the ‘best-in-class’ in the payments segment, while noting its defensible moat and diversified business model.
Visa Inc. is a payment technology company that facilitates electronic transactions worldwide.
7. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 202
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. As of the close on April 24, the stock is a Strong Buy, with an average share-price upside potential of 10% based on recommendations from 31 analysts.
Recent updates include Mizuho, on April 16, maintaining an Outperform rating on the stock and setting a price target of $480 after hosting company executives for discussions with investors. Following the session, the firm maintained its bullish outlook on the chip designer, confident in its AI revenue trajectory for next year and beyond.
A day earlier, on April 15, J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo also reiterated their Overweight ratings on Broadcom Inc., with share price targets of $500 and $430, respectively.
Investor sentiment towards the stock continues to improve as well. According to Insider Monkey’s database for Q4 2025, 202 hedge funds held a stake in the company, up from 183 at the end of the prior quarter.
In other news, the company announced on Wednesday the expansion of its partnership with Google Cloud for Cloud Network Insights. The service is powered by AppNeta.
Broadcom Inc. is a leading developer, manufacturer, and supplier of semiconductor and infrastructure software products, widely used by organizations worldwide to meet their mission-critical requirements.
6. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 224
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. On April 22, the company unveiled its A13 process technology at the 2026 North America Technology Symposium.
According to the press release, the latest innovation is a ‘direct shrink’ of the A14 node that debuted last year and offers a 6% improvement in area savings. Moreover, it offers increased power efficiency, along with complete backward compatibility with A14 design rules, which will allow users to efficiently move their designs to the nanosheet transistor technology. TSM said that it plans to begin A13 production in 2029.
In other news, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited continues to remain on analysts’ radar and currently sports a Strong Buy rating with an average upside potential of 16% as of the close on April 24.
Recent updates include Barclays on April 22 lifting its price target on the stock to $470 from $450 and maintaining an Overweight rating. According to TipRanks, the firm cited strong first-quarter 2026 results and a guidance upgrade as the reason behind the adjustment. In a research report to investors, the analyst said Barclays expects the company’s AI demand momentum to continue.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited is a semiconductor design and manufacturing foundry. It is the market leader in producing super-advanced semiconductor chips used to power electronic devices such as smartphones, servers, and laptops.
5. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 256
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. On April 23, Guggenheim analyst Michael Morris maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $850.
The New York Stock Exchange building. Photo by Дмитрий Трепольский on Pexels
This was a reaffirmation of the firm’s previous update in late January, when it lifted the price target by $50 to $850 and kept a Buy rating after the company beat Wall Street’s sales estimates for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Earlier on April 22, BMO Capital reiterated its cautious outlook on the tech giant, citing concerns surrounding the company’s AI strategy and its ability to monetize the heavy capital expenditure planned for 2026, said media reports. The firm has a Market Perform rating on the stock with a price target of $730.
As of the close of business on April 24, Meta Platforms, Inc. is a Strong Buy with an average share price upside potential of 27%.
In other news, on Thursday, the company announced to lay off roughly 10% of its workforce and stop hiring for thousands of other vacant positions it was looking to fill, in a bid to enhance efficiency and offset its spending on AI projects. The move will impact roughly 8,000 employees.
Meta Platforms, Inc. is one of the world’s largest technology companies. It operates several popular social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Threads.
4. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 264
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. It is the go-to company for firms looking for GPUs and semiconductors as they increase spending on artificial intelligence.
Institutional interest in the stock continues to grow. According to Insider Monkey’s database for Q4 2025, 264 hedge funds held a stake in the company, increasing from 234 in the prior quarter.
On the other hand, Wall Street remains bullish on NVIDIA Corporation with a Strong Buy rating. As of the close of business on April 24, the company’s shares have an average upside potential of 31%.
Recent updates include Bernstein’s April 17 reiteration of its Outperform rating on the stock, with a price target of $300. This is a reaffirmation of the firm’s previous update in late February following the company’s solid fourth-quarter results.
In other news, the chip maker’s shares got a huge boost on Friday, with returns of over 4% after Intel reported upbeat first-quarter results, as other AI giants prepare for their quarterly earnings reports.
NVIDIA Corporation is an AI infrastructure company engaged in accelerated computing aimed at addressing complex computational problems.
3. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 288
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. The Google parent is planning on investing up to $40 billion in Anthropic, the two companies said on Friday.
The agreement will see the tech giant providing an initial $10 billion in cash for a computing capacity expansion initiative, with the remaining amount dependent on meeting certain performance targets.
The development builds on an announcement earlier in the month by Anthropic about signing a deal with Broadcom and Google for multiple gigawatts of computing capacity, which is anticipated to come online from next year.
Following the news, both Needham and Jefferies reiterated their Buy ratings on Alphabet Inc., with price targets of $400.
As of the close of business on April 24, the stock is a Strong Buy with an average share price upside potential of 13%.
Alphabet Inc. owns several notable platforms, including 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.
2. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 312
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. Earlier this week, the company said it would offer voluntary buyouts to employees as job cuts continue to impact the tech industry amid rising AI spending.
According to reports, the software giant will give about 7% of its workforce the option of early retirement. Senior directors and below employees, whose age and number of years worked at the company are equal to or higher than 70 years, will be able to avail the program, according to CNN.
This is the first time that Microsoft Corporation has offered such a program in its history. Eligible employees will be notified on May 7.
In other news, the stock continues to remain on analysts’ radar and currently sports a Strong Buy rating with an average share price upside potential of 36% as of the close on April 24.
Recent updates include a Thursday update from Guggenheim, which maintained a Buy rating on the tech giant with a price target of $586. Earlier during the week on April 22, Citigroup trimmed its price target to $600 from $635, citing multiple compressions. However, the firm reiterated its Buy rating for the stock.
Microsoft Corporation develops software, services, devices, and cloud-based solutions and is renowned for products such as Windows, Azure, Office, LinkedIn, and Xbox.
1. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 381
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is among the 15 Best Big Name Stocks to Buy. Wall Street continues to have a bullish outlook on the company with a Strong Buy rating and an average upside potential of 9% for its shares, as of the close on April 24.
Recent updates include Oppenheimer, which on Friday raised its price target to $275 from $260 while maintaining an Outperform rating. The firm said it was positive on the company’s trajectory ahead of Q1 results while adding that the current share price was beginning to indicate an encouraging outlook for AWS following the CEO’s recent letter to shareholders.
Earlier, on April 23, UBS analyst Stephen Ju raised the price target on Amazon.com, Inc. by $3 to $304 and reiterated a Buy rating. The firm noted the momentum driven by recent deals with Anthropic and OpenAI, which has led to an increase in backlog. According to TipRanks, the analyst also highlighted that growth estimates for AWS and 2027 operating income were well above Wall Street’s estimates.
In other news, Reuters on Friday reported that Meta had reached an agreement with Amazon to use AWS’s Graviton5 CPU chips. The deal is expected to be multi-year and worth billions of dollars.
Amazon.com, Inc. engages in e-commerce, online advertising, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital streaming. The stock has returned 17% year-to-date.
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