In this article, we are going to discuss the 15 best S&P 500 stocks to buy right now.

The S&P 500 posted gains of around 16.4% in 2025. However, the index has since witnessed a decline of 4% so far this year, driven primarily by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and concerns about the economic impact of artificial intelligence.

In addition to creating an atmosphere of global political uncertainty, the war has significantly choked energy supplies and lifted prices, heightening fears of inflation. Moreover, the heavy spending on AI infrastructure and investor nerves over potential AI-driven disruption of software firms have also resulted in a pullback in the leading tech giants ⁠so far this year.

That said, the major investment banks remain optimistic and still project the benchmark S&P ​500 index to extend its rally in 2026, expecting the strong AI momentum and corporate earnings to ⁠offset the short-term economic impact of the war. An example is Morgan Stanley, which still maintains a year-end target of 7,800 for the S&P 500, provided a recession is avoided. Similarly, the analysts over at Goldman Sachs have also projected the index to hit around 7,600 by the end of 2026, as corporate earnings expand and economic growth remains steady.

With that said, here are the Best S&P 500 Stocks to Buy in 2026.

Our Methodology

To collect data for this article, we used our stock screeners to identify stocks that are currently part of the auspicious S&P 500. Then we ranked these stocks by the number of hedge funds invested in them at the end of Q4 2025, as per the Insider Monkey database. The following are the Best S&P 500 Stocks According to Hedge Funds.

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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 131

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) is one of the oldest, largest, and best-known financial institutions in the world. The company serves millions of customers, clients, and communities in over 100 global markets.

On March 31, Morgan Stanley analyst Manan Gosalia lowered the firm’s price target on JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) from $365 to $334, while maintaining an ‘Equal Weight’ rating on the shares. The reduced target still indicates an upside of over 13% from the current levels.

According to Morgan Stanley, the median bank stock in its coverage is down by 5% over the last month, driven by concerns about the potential impact of the US-Iran war on economic growth and inflation, as well as by market concerns on private credit headlines. As a result, the analyst firm trimmed its price targets across the group by an average of 9%, as it applied lower target valuation multiples to reflect the ongoing high-risk environment.

Similarly, earlier on March 26, Truist also reduced its price target on JPM (read the details here).

14. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 132

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE:AMD) operates as a semiconductor company internationally. It operates in three segments: Data Center, Client and Gaming, and Embedded.

On April 2, Erste Group turned bullish on Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE:AMD) and upgraded its rating on the stock from ‘Hold’ to ‘Buy’.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE:AMD) posted a record annual revenue of $34.6 billion for FY 2025. The company now intends to continue this momentum with a target to deliver revenue of $9.8 billion in Q1 2026, up 32% YoY, driven by the ballooning demand for high-performance CPUs and GPUs in data centers. AMD delivered an adjusted operating margin of 28% in the fourth quarter, which, according to the analyst, remains strong relative to its peers. Moreover, Erste believes that the company has an attractive product portfolio and its upcoming second-half launch of the AMD Instinct MI450 series is expected to compete with Nvidia’s Ruby architecture and drive strong demand due to its higher memory capacity.

13. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 133

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) is a holding company with a wide array of subsidiaries engaged in diverse activities, including insurance, railroads, utilities, energy, finance, etc.

In an interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick on March 31, Warren Buffett revealed that he still remains closely involved in investment decisions at Berkshire Hathaway, even after stepping down as the company’s chief executive at the beginning of the year. The legendary investor still comes into the office every day and remains hands-on, despite handing off the reins of the conglomerate to Greg Abel.

The Oracle of Omaha stated that he stays engaged with markets and his routine involves calling Mark Millard, Berkshire’s director of financial assets, before the opening bell to discuss market developments. Mr. Millard then executes trades based on those conversations. However, the 95-year-old clarified that he wouldn’t make any investment that the new CEO thinks is wrong.

Buffett also disclosed that Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) purchased $17 billion worth of Treasury bills recently at the weekly auction. However, he emphasized that the current conditions fall far short of periods that created major buying opportunities.

12. Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 137

Next on our list of the Best S&P 500 Stocks is Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU). It is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, specializing in memory and storage chips.

On April 2, Erste Group downgraded its rating on Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) from ‘Buy’ to ‘Hold’.

Erste believes that Micron requires ‘high investments’ to expand production, which will then have a negative impact on its free cash flow. The analyst firm also has concerns regarding the long-term sustainability of the memory cycle.

Mark Murphy, CFO at Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU), revealed in the company’s Q2 2026 earnings call last month that the semiconductor manufacturer intends to grow its CapEx expenditure for FY 2026 by at least 25% from $20 billion to $25 billion now. The increase is expected to go towards investments in the Tongluo fab, expansion projects in the United States, and equipment. Moreover, Micron’s CapEx is then forecasted to step up significantly also in FY 2027 to support HBM- and DRAM-related investments.

The share price of Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) has fallen by over 20% since March 17, as the market reassesses the outlook for memory pricing and AI-driven demand.

11. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) 

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 137

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets human pharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, China, Japan, and internationally.

On April 2, BofA analyst Jason Gerberry slightly bumped the firm’s price target on Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) from $1,293 to $1,294, while maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating on the shares. The revised target indicates an upside potential of over 38% from the current share price.

The development comes after the FDA approved Fundayo, Lilly’s obesity medicine, marking a major milestone for the drugmaker. The approval came on April 2, slightly ahead of the firm’s assumption. As a result, BofA fine-tuned its near-term estimates for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY), reflecting launch pricing and the anticipated early dose-mix.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) revealed that Fundayo will already start shipping from direct-to-consumer platform LillyDirect starting next week, and will be available at pharmacies and on telehealth platforms ‘shortly after.’ According to FacSet, the drug is estimated to achieve $14.79 billion in sales by 2030.

10. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 137

Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and leases high-performance fully electric vehicles and energy generation and storage systems, and offers services related to its products.

Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) suffered a setback on April 2 after posting its weakest quarterly deliveries of the year. The company recorded deliveries of 358,023 vehicles in its production and deliveries report for Q1 2026, falling below the Wall Street estimates for a tally of 365,000 units. The shortfall was driven by the fading incentives in the US and the intensifying global competition in the electric vehicles business.

Moreover, the report revealed that Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) produced 408,386 vehicles during the quarter. This indicates the electric car maker produced 50,363 more vehicles than it delivered, the widest gap in at least four years, signaling a build-up in unsold inventory.

However, on a more positive note, sales of Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA)’s China-made vehicles surged for a second straight quarter, posting a YoY growth of 23.5%.

Despite the setback, Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) remains a favorite among hedge funds, putting it in our list of the 10 Best Car Stocks to Buy in 2026.

9. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 145

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is a health care and well-being company with team members in two distinct and complementary businesses – its insurance wing, UnitedHealthcare, and its health services segment, Optum.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) received a boost on April 1 when Raymond James analyst John Ransom upgraded the stock from ‘Market Perform’ to ‘Outperform’. The analyst assigned UNH a price target of $330, indicating an upside of 19% from the current levels.

Mr. Ransom cited a potential upside to the company’s earnings estimates over the coming years for the upgrade. The analyst expects a ‘modest’ 20 basis point upside to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)’s general and administrative expenses for 2027 and 2028, driven by potential AI initiatives and margin improvement at the company’s health services arm, Optum Health.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is projecting cost reductions of nearly $1 billion for FY 2026, largely attributed to AI and automation. The company expects an adjusted EPS of greater than $17.75 for the year, with measured growth across all reporting segments, and UnitedHealthcare is projected to deliver double-digit improvements. The Minnesota-based firm has a revenue guidance of nearly $440 billion for 2026.

Mairs & Power, an investment advisor, recently stated the following regarding UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) in its Q4 2025 investor letter:

“While stock selection has historically delivered positive long-term results for our shareholders, it was a notable headwind in 2025, with Fiserv (FI) and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) standing out as prominent detractors from relative performance. Despite their recent pullbacks, both positions remain substantial long-term winners, appreciating more than 300% and 100%, respectively, since our initial investments.

Both companies experienced significant execution missteps that ultimately resulted in weaker-than-expected reported fundamentals. Although we had been trimming these positions due to stretched valuations and growing concerns around leadership uncertainty, in hindsight we should have acted more decisively in reducing our exposure to these names.

That said, we believe the challenges at both companies are largely self-inflicted operational issues rather than structural impairments to their franchises. In short, the problems appear fixable but will take time to resolve. We are therefore comfortable maintaining our current positions and believe patient capital will ultimately be rewarded as execution improves…” (Click here to read the full text)

8. Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 147

Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) operates a technology platform that uses network and technology to power movement from point A to point B. Its segments include Mobility, Delivery, and Freight.

Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) revealed on March 30 that it had agreed to acquire chauffeur service platform Blacklane, as part of its push into premium and executive travel. While Uber declined to provide any financial details, Blacklane was valued at $547.32 million after a funding round in ​October 2024, ​according ⁠to PitchBook data. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to the receipt of customary regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

Founded in Germany in 2011, Blacklane connects guests worldwide with independent local chauffeur services via an app and web booking platform. The company operates in over 500 cities across more than 60 countries worldwide.

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), stated:

“Premium travel is one of the most exciting growth areas of Uber’s business. We want to offer the widest selection of options to meet our riders where they are: from the everyday commute to luxury rides. We’re incredibly impressed by what Blacklane has built and we’re eager to work with them to amplify how we deliver truly exceptional service to more people in cities around the world.”

Following the acquisition, Bank of America Securities reiterated its ‘Buy’ rating on Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), while assigning the stock a price target of $103 (read the details here).

7. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 150

Next on our list of the Best S&P 500 Stocks is Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA). The company connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments, digital partners, businesses, and other organizations worldwide by enabling electronic payments and making those payment transactions secure and accessible.

On April 1, Evercore ISI trimmed its price target on Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) from $610 to $550, while keeping an ‘In Line’ rating on the shares. The lowered target still indicates an upside potential of over 11% from the current share price.

According to the analyst, while Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) and Visa still offer long-term quality, there is a rise in investor skepticism as the market shifts focus from near-term execution to terminal growth and defensibility. With multiples near cycle lows, Evercore believes that the setup is more attractive for patient, long-term holders. However, there is a lack of near-term catalysts, and the burden of proof is higher than it has been in years.

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is projecting its FY 2026 net revenues to grow at the high end of a low double-digit range on a currency-neutral basis, excluding inorganic activity. Moreover, the company expects a tailwind of approximately 1 to 1.5 ppt from foreign exchange.

6. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 184

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities.

On April 1, Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) launched six new artificial intelligence tools aimed at overhauling its dispute resolution infrastructure, helping reduce the billions of dollars lost annually to inefficient, outdated processes. Three of its new tools focus on merchants, allowing them to address potential disputes before they escalate, while the remainder are directed at the financial institutions that issue and acquire payments.

The move comes as Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)’s dispute volumes have climbed sharply, with the company processing 106 million disputes globally in 2025, up 35% since 2019. The strategy is part of a larger push by major financial institutions to incorporate AI into their businesses.

Andrew Torre, President of Value-Added Services at Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), commented:

“Disputes put strain on every part of the payments ecosystem, frustrating consumers, while driving cost and complexity for merchants and financial institutions. When outdated technology cannot keep pace, fraud goes undetected. Our expanded suite of dispute services gives clients the visibility they need to focus on what matters most: serving customers, launching new products and growing their businesses.”

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) was also recently included in our list of the 10 Best Stocks to Buy According to Billionaire Ken Griffin.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best S&P 500 Stocks to Buy Right Now.

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