5 Best Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold in 2026

4. ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW)

With one-year EPS and revenue growth estimates of 19.81% and 18.47%, respectively, ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) earns a place on our list of the best growth stocks to buy and hold in 2026. The stock has 70% upside potential as of April 23, 2026.

Barclays analyst Raimo Lenschow came back to ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) on April 23, 2026, reinstating coverage with an “Overweight” rating and a price target of $132. His read on the first-quarter results was measured: the broader macroeconomic environment had an impact, but nothing that changes the fundamental story.

Lenschow highlighted that ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) remains among the strongest-positioned software names, owing to its deep integration within customers’ IT environments, a structural advantage the firm believes will position the company as an integral participant in enterprise AI adoption.

That assessment is reinforced by the company’s first-quarter financial results, announced a day earlier.

ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) reported subscription revenue of $3.671 billion, up 22% year-over-year, with total revenue of $3.770 billion, reflecting equivalent growth. Demand indicators remained robust: current remaining performance obligations rose 22.5% to $12.64 billion, while total remaining performance obligations expanded 25% to $27.7 billion. Now Assist customers with annual contract values exceeding $1 million grew more than 130% year-over-year, underscoring durable commercial momentum in the company’s AI product portfolio.

Still, the quarter was not without headwinds.

Non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.97 per share, with subscription revenue growth facing a 75-basis-point drag from delayed large deal closings in the Middle East.

ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) also shared its expectations for the rest of the year.

For the second quarter of 2026, it sees subscription revenue coming in between $3.815 billion and $3.820 billion and expects to keep 26.5 cents of operating profit for every dollar earned. For the full year, ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) increased its revenue forecast to between $15.735 billion and $15.775 billion, with operating profitability of 31.5% and free cash flow margin of 35%.

ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) provides cloud-based and AI-embedded end-to-end workflow automation solutions for enterprises. The company is located in Santa Clara, California, and was founded in June 2004 by Frederic B. Luddy.