In this piece we will look at the 5 Best Stocks to Buy and Hold For the Next 5 Years. Please visit 10 Best Stocks to Buy and Hold For the Next 5 Years if you’d like to see an extended list and how we came up with the list of Best Stocks to Buy and Hold For the Next 5 Years.
5. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 256
On April 20, Bank of America Securities reiterated a Buy rating on Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) but lowered the price target from $885 to $820. The Street in general has a bullish opinion on the stock. At the time of this writing, 90% of the 73 analysts covering the stock had a Buy rating on the stock, with the 12-month average price target suggesting more than 28.9% upside from the current level. Analysts expect the company to grow its EPS by 19% over the next 5 years, making Meta one of the Best Stocks to Buy and Hold For the Next 5 Years.
Bank of America Securities noted that checks indicate that first-quarter advertisement spending aligns with advertiser expectations and does not show any major pullbacks due to the Middle East conflict. The firm projects stronger Q1 results as compared to the consensus. BofA estimates revenue at $56.0 billion, versus Street’s expectation of $55.4 billion and EPS at $7.44, versus $6.64.
The firm also highlighted that the adjustment reflects a valuation recalibration ahead of Q1 earnings, not fundamental concerns. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is expected to release results on April 29, 2026.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) develops products that help people connect with their friends and family. The company operates through Reality Labs (RL) and Family of Apps (FoA). It operates major apps such as Instagram, Messenger, Facebook, Meta AI, Threads, and WhatsApp.
4. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 264
Analysts expect NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) to grow its EPS by more than 39% over the next 5 years. The stock is among our Best Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next 5 years. Wall Street has been bullish on the stock as 93% of the 70 analysts covering the stock have a Buy rating. The 12-month average price target suggests more than 33.9% upside from the current level.
On April 20, Reuters reported that Morgan Stanley released a research note suggesting that the increase in autonomous artificial intelligence can boost the demand for CPUs and transform the data center buildout, which is currently more focused on GPUs.
The estimates that agentic AI can add somewhere around $32.5 billion to $60 billion to the data center CPU market, which is already expected to exceed $100 billion by 2030. Morgan Stanley believes that the next wave of agentic AI will be driven by coordination more than raw computing power, and CPUs in this regard provide more control to manage multistep tasks.
Morgan Stanley has named NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) as one of the major beneficiaries of the next phase of agentic AI.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is a technology company that pioneered the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and is now a global leader in accelerated computing and artificial intelligence (AI). It has evolved into a full-stack computing infrastructure company that powers AI factories, data centers, autonomous vehicles, and robotic applications.
3. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 288
On April 20, KeyBanc analyst Justin Patterson reiterated a Buy rating on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and raised the price target from $370 to $380. Analysts expect Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) to grow its EPS by 13.25% over the next 5 years, and the stock also ranks among our Best Stocks to Buy and Hold For the Next 5 Years.
Justin Patterson said in a research note that the Street underestimates the rapid ramp-up in Google’s cloud growth. He noted that the continued cloud growth has helped build strong momentum. This is particularly important as search remains in the low double digits.
KeyBanc forecasts Alphabet’s 2027 EPS nearing $14, supported by Cloud’s acceleration and broader AI opportunities. This projection aligns with broader analyst EPS estimates averaging $13.75 for 2027, though the firm sees upside from Cloud outpacing expectations.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is a technology holding company and the parent of Google. It generates revenue primarily through advertising, cloud computing, and hardware, while overseeing “Other Bets”—subsidiaries in fields like artificial intelligence, autonomous driving (Waymo), and healthcare.
2. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 312
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is set to release its fiscal Q3 2026 earnings on April 29. Wall Street is bullish on MSFT ahead of the earnings, and the stock also ranks as one of the Best Stocks to Buy and Hold For the Next 5 Years.
Recently, on April 20, Evercore ISI reiterated an Outperform rating on the stock with a price target of $580. The firm said in a research note that they view the quarter as a survival and advance quarter, which will build momentum for Q4 and the second half of 2026. The firm expects Azure capacity to ramp up during the quarter.
Azure growth is expected at the high end of approximately 38% despite a 4% tougher year-over-year comparison. Moreover, the company has also added major Stargate-scale capacity in Texas and Norway recently, along with expansion in Denmark, signaling robust demand.
Wall Street expects quarterly revenue to reach $81.4 billion in Q3, along with a GAAP EPS of $4.05. Moreover, analysts’ 12-month average price target suggests more than 40% upside from the current level.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops and sells a wide range of software, cloud services, devices, and business solutions, serving both individual users and enterprise customers worldwide. Its flagship products include Windows, Microsoft 365, Azure, LinkedIn, and Xbox.
1. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 381
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) ranks among the Best Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next 5 Years. Analysts expect the company to grow its EPS by more than 19% over the next 5 years. The next 12-month outlook looks promising as well, with analysts’ average price target suggesting more than 40.95% upside from the current level.
Recently, on April 20, KeyBanc maintained a Buy rating on Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) but raised the price target from $285 to $325. The increased price target comes despite the firm’s caution on operating income for the first half of 2026. The caution is based on elevated gas prices and investments in Amazon’s Leo satellite project.
However, Keybanc finds AWS as a standout story of the quarter, with growth expected to accelerate to around 30%, driven by capacity expansions and new client wins. As per the firm, this positions AWS as a reliable medium-term revenue engine for Amazon. The firm also pointed to optionality from AI-powered advertising in Rufus, potential grocery market share gains, and further Amazon Leo developments. They project EPS nearing $10 per share by 2027.
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) is an American technology company offering e-commerce, cloud computing, and other services, including digital streaming and artificial intelligence solutions.
While we acknowledge the potential of AMZN to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AMZN and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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