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5 Best Stocks to Buy Now for a $1 Million Portfolio

In this article, we will take a look at the 5 Best Stocks to Buy Now for a $1 Million Portfolio. For deeper discussion and analysis, read 10 Best Stocks to Buy Now for a $1 Million Portfolio. 

A technical stock market chart. Photo by Energepic from Pexels

5. Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 80

On May 11, DA Davidson raised its price recommendation on Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) to $162 from $150. It reiterated a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst said Airbnb’s first-quarter results came in ahead of both the company’s guidance and Wall Street expectations on key financial metrics. The firm also noted that Airbnb delivered 9% growth in room nights, even as the conflict in the Middle East began to affect travel trends in March.

During the company’s Q1 2026 earnings call, Airbnb Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman Brian Chesky said the company posted a strong start to 2026. Revenue increased 18% year over year to $2.7 billion. Chesky also said gross booking value rose 19% from the prior year, while Nights and Experiences Booked grew 9%. He added that the Middle East conflict had an estimated 100 basis point impact on growth during the quarter.

He pointed to several product initiatives that helped support conversions and booking trends. According to Chesky, nearly 20% of global gross booking value came from Reserve Now, Pay Later bookings. He also said Airbnb was seeing longer booking lead times and increased demand for larger, higher-priced homes. Improvements in listing relevance were also helping drive booking activity, he added.

Discussing Airbnb’s push beyond home rentals, Chesky said the company continued to expand its experiences business and was seeing more cross-selling among users. He noted that nearly one-quarter of new guests who booked an experience later booked a stay or service. About one in three experience customers also booked a stay within 90 days. Chesky added that Airbnb was continuing to expand its boutique and independent hotel pilot. He said roughly 55% of guests who booked a hotel through Airbnb later returned to book a home on the platform.

Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) operates a global platform for stays and experiences. Its marketplace connects hosts and guests through online and mobile platforms, allowing users to book accommodations and experiences around the world.

4. NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 82

On May 8, Wells Fargo downgraded NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) to Equal Weight from Overweight and lowered its price target to $45 from $55. The firm said Nike no longer fits with its view that clothing companies are likely to outperform over the next few years. Wells Fargo noted that the broader shift away from athletic apparel, along with what it described as “over-saturation” from rising competition, is creating fundamental challenges for the company. The analyst also said Nike’s global turnaround is taking longer than expected and added that disruption in international markets is likely to weigh on results in the near term.

Earlier, on April 27, Oppenheimer said Nike introduced a new Kobe collaboration called the “Kobe Siempre Hermanos” and “Siempre Mio.” According to the firm, channel checks showed the Kobe basketball shoes sold out within minutes. Oppenheimer added that the Air Force 1 collaboration remained available online only. The firm described the Kobe franchise launches as “another green shoot” for Nike. Oppenheimer also said the releases offered “yet another proof point, that where Nike is focused, consumers, are responding well.” The firm maintained an Outperform rating on Nike shares and said it remains positive on the company’s turnaround potential.

NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) designs, markets, and distributes athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and related services for sports and fitness activities.

3. MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ:MELI)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 113

On May 11, Morgan Stanley lowered its price recommendation on MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ:MELI) to $2,450 from $2,600. It reiterated an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm said it had “again underestimated MELI’s investment scope,” though it also noted that GMV, credit growth, and the company’s capabilities had expanded beyond expectations. The analyst added that 2026 is “shaping up as a lost year for EBIT,” but said the company still appears positioned for outsized revenue growth and future margin recovery.

During MercadoLibre’s Q1 2026 earnings call, VP & CFO Martin de Los Santos pointed to accelerating commerce growth in Brazil and improving logistics efficiency. He said Brazil’s GMV increased 38% year over year, while growth in items sold accelerated to 56%. De Los Santos also noted that cost per shipment declined 17% year over year in local currency terms, adding that stronger demand was helping lower costs.

He also highlighted the scale of MercadoLibre’s fintech operations and continued expansion in its credit business. According to De Los Santos, Mercado Pago’s monthly active users rose 29% from a year earlier, while assets under management increased 77%. He further stated that the company’s credit portfolio nearly doubled to $14.6 billion. In addition, he said MercadoLibre issued 2.7 million credit cards during the quarter, while credit card TPV climbed 90% year over year.

Discussing profitability and investments, De Los Santos said the company generated $611 million in operating income, representing a 6.9% margin. He added that the margin compression reflected a deliberate decision to continue investing in strategic initiatives.

MercadoLibre, Inc. (NASDAQ:MELI) is a Uruguay-based e-commerce company with Argentine roots. Its platforms support retail and wholesale commerce through online services designed to help users complete commercial transactions more efficiently.

2. Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 114

On May 13, Reuters reported that Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) eliminated 1,000 roles as the retailer continues simplifying its operating structure, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Under CEO John Furner and a reshaped leadership team, Walmart has been pushing further into a technology-focused strategy as it targets higher-income shoppers and expands its marketplace and delivery businesses. According to a company memo, Walmart spent the past year moving away from operating separate structures for Walmart U.S., Sam’s Club, and its international markets. Instead, the retailer has been building a more unified system on a single shared platform. The company has also been accelerating its digital transformation efforts as it competes more aggressively with Amazon.com, Costco, and Aldi.

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the development, said many affected employees were asked to relocate to Walmart’s offices in Bentonville or Northern California.

As of January 31, Walmart employed about 2.1 million people worldwide, according to its annual filing. The company remains the largest private employer in the United States, with roughly 1.6 million employees. About 92% of those workers are hourly employees.

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) operates as a technology-powered omnichannel retailer. The company runs retail and wholesale stores, clubs, e-commerce websites, and mobile applications across the United States, Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India, and Mexico.

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

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 147

On May 11, Fox Advisors analyst Steven Fox upgraded Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) to Outperform from Equal-Weight and set a $95 price target on the shares. The analyst said Uber’s heavier pace of investment over the past year appears “poised to more consistently contribute to profit growth.” Fox also said the company may have just “topped off” its strategy by expanding into hotel bookings, acquiring parking marketplace SpotHero, and taking other strategic steps to position its rideshare platform for what he described as a hybrid autonomous rideshare future.

During Uber’s Q1 2026 earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said gross bookings increased 21% year over year, while the company’s audience expanded 17%. He also noted that Mobility gross bookings accelerated to 20% and reached record margins during the quarter.

According to Khosrowshahi, Delivery revenue rose 23%, supported mainly by growth in grocery and retail. He added that Uber’s freight business returned to growth for the first time in nearly two years. Khosrowshahi further stated that non-GAAP EPS increased 44% from the prior year. He also said the company returned a record $3 billion to shareholders through share buybacks during the quarter. He highlighted Uber’s growing scale as well, noting that the company surpassed 50 million Uber One members and 10 million drivers and couriers worldwide.

Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) operates a technology platform designed to move people and goods from point A to point B. The company’s platform supports a range of services across its Mobility, Delivery, and Freight segments.

While we acknowledge the potential of UBER 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 UBER and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 14 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy for Steady Growth and 10 Best Robinhood Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. Insider Monkey focuses on uncovering the best investment ideas of hedge funds and insiders. Please subscribe to our free daily e-newsletter to get the latest investment ideas from hedge funds’ investor letters by entering your email address below.

The $250 Trillion AI Hype is Real. A few years from now, you’ll probably wish you’d bought this stock.

Dr. Inan Dogan

Dr. Ian Dogan

Co-Founder and Research Director at Insider Monkey

When Jeff Bezos said that one breakthrough technology would shape Amazon’s destiny, even Wall Street’s biggest analysts were caught off guard.

Fast forward a year and Amazon’s new CEO Andy Jassy described generative AI as a “once-in-a-lifetime” technology that is already being used across Amazon to reinvent customer experiences.

At the 8th Future Investment Initiative conference, Elon Musk predicted that by 2040 there would be at least 10 billion humanoid robots, with each priced between $20,000 and $25,000.

Do the math. According to Musk, this technology could be worth $250 trillion by 2040.

Put another way, that’s roughly equal to:

  • 175 Teslas
  • 107 Amazons
  • 140 Metas
  • 84 Googles
  • 65 Microsofts
  • And 55 Nvidias

And here’s the wild part — this $250 trillion wave isn’t tied to one company, but to an entire ecosystem of AI innovators set to reshape the global economy.

It’s a leap so massive, it could reshape how businesses, governments, and consumers operate worldwide.

Even if that $250 trillion figure sounds ambitious, major firms like PwC and McKinsey still see AI unlocking multi-trillion-dollar potential.

How could anything be worth that much?

The answer lies in a breakthrough so powerful it’s redefining how humanity works, learns, and creates.

And this breakthrough has already set off a frenzy among hedge funds and Wall Street’s top investors.

What most investors don’t realize is that one under-owned company holds the key to this $250 trillion revolution.

In fact, Verge argues this company’s supercheap AI technology should concern rivals.

Before I reveal the details, let’s talk about how some of the richest people on the planet are positioning themselves.

  • Bill Gates sees artificial intelligence as the “biggest technological advance in my lifetime,” more transformative than the internet or personal computer, capable of improving healthcare, education, and addressing climate change.
  • Larry Ellison — through Oracle, is spending billions on Nvidia chips and partnering with Cohere to embed generative AI across Oracle’s cloud and apps.
  • Warren Buffett — not known for tech hype — says this breakthrough could have a ‘hugely beneficial social impact.

When billionaires from Silicon Valley to Wall Street line up behind the same idea — you know it’s worth paying attention to.

Even as we admire what Tesla, Nvidia, Alphabet, and Microsoft have built, we believe an even greater opportunity lies elsewhere…

But the real story isn’t Nvidia — it’s a much smaller company quietly improving the critical technology that makes this entire revolution possible.

And judging by what I’m hearing from both Silicon Valley insiders and Wall Street veterans…

This prediction might not be bold at all:

A few years from now, you’ll wish you’d owned this stock.

The best part? You can discover everything about this company and its groundbreaking technology right now.

I’ve compiled everything you need to know about this groundbreaking company in a detailed, members-only report.

Trust me — you’ll want to read this report before putting another dollar into any tech stock.

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Buy This $3 Stock Now Before the 400% Surge Begins

Dr. Inan Dogan

Dr. Ian Dogan

Co-Founder and Research Director at Insider Monkey

My name is Inan Dogan. I’m the co-founder and Research Director of Insider Monkey. I have an important message for you today.

Since March 2017, my stock picks have returned 16.5% annually. Today, I’ve found an opportunity even bigger than my British American Tobacco call.

Two years ago, Wall Street wrote off British American Tobacco (BTI) as a “melting ice cube.” The stock had crashed 40% from its peak, and consensus said the business was dying.

We looked under the cover and realized they were wrong.

We alerted our subscribers, and BTI returned 90% in just 16 months.

Now if you had invested just $10,000 in BTI in June 2024, you’d be sitting on $19,000 in October 2025.

Today, we have identified a nearly identical pattern in a digital-first giant trading at $3.

While the market panics over a surface-level revenue decline, our PhD-led research shows management has actually surgically cut $100 million in waste to focus on high-margin growth.

This pattern is a hallmark of our 16.5% annual return track record. The current opportunity offers a 400% upside potential—dwarfing even our 90% BTI return.

Get the ticker for our new “Underdog” pick and the full BTI case study for just 99 cents.

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