In this article, we will list the 5 Strong Buy S&P 500 Stocks to Invest In. Please visit 10 Strong Buy S&P 500 Stocks to Invest In if you would like to see the extended list and the methodology behind it.
5. Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET)
On May 1, 2026, Morgan Stanley analyst Meta Marshall raised the price target on Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) to $180 from $165 and maintained an Overweight rating. Meta Marshall said discussions around the company have picked up after a period of underperformance tied to concerns about share and margins, and remains positive ahead of Q1 results, citing potential upside from new customer traction and margin resilience.
On April 20, 2026, Evercore ISI added Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) to its “Tactical Outperform” list ahead of earnings scheduled for May 5, expecting upside to revenue and EPS estimates of $2.61B and 81c, driven by AI demand and enterprise momentum.
Earlier in April, JPMorgan raised its price target on Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) to $200 from $190 and kept an Overweight rating as part of a broader hardware and networking preview, noting AI infrastructure spending across servers, switches, copper interconnects, and optical could support results.
Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET) provides networking solutions for AI, data center, campus, and routing environments globally.
4. T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS)
On May 4, 2026, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS) disclosed in a regulatory filing that the company’s Broadband Chief Andre Almeida purchased 5,097 shares on May 1 for a total of $1.0M.
On April 30, 2026, LightShed Partners upgraded T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS) to Buy from Neutral, alongside AT&T, citing both as the only U.S. connectivity names positioned for revenue growth over the next five years. The firm said T-Mobile has “the price, the brand, the network, and the spectrum,” and noted that while concerns around pricing, SpaceX, and competition persist, they are not enough to “break the thesis.”
On April 29, 2026, TD Cowen analyst Gregory Williams raised the price target on T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS) to $261 from $252 and maintained a Buy rating, pointing to revenue upside, EBITDA above the $9.0B to $9.1B range, and higher EBITDA and FCF guidance, with some Q1 costs shifting into Q2.
On April 28, 2026, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS) reported Q1 EPS of $2.27 versus $2.11 consensus and revenue of $23.1B compared to $23.02B expected. Postpaid service revenue reached $15.6B, up 15% year over year, with 217,000 net account additions. CEO Srini Gopalan said the quarter reflects a “strong start,” with accelerating growth and continued execution toward 2026 and 2027 targets.
T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS) provides wireless communication services across the United States and its territories.
3. Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG)
On April 30, 2026, Argus analyst John Staszak raised the price target on Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) to $205 from $188 and maintained a Buy rating after Q1 results came in ahead of expectations. John Staszak cited strong margins and said the company’s “solid though conservative” guidance indicates continued strength in the business.
RBC Capital analyst Brad Erickson lowered the price target on Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) to $220 from $244 while keeping an Outperform rating following the results and outlook. Brad Erickson said the impact of the Middle East conflict led to a slightly larger-than-expected reduction in guidance, though management remains focused on product, marketing execution, and long-term targets. The firm reduced its estimates but still sees mid-teen EPS growth over time.
On April 28, 2026, Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $1.14 versus $1.08 consensus and revenue of $5.5B compared to $5.52B expected. Room nights grew 6% year over year, with the company estimating a 2 percentage point impact from the Middle East conflict, while gross bookings increased 15%, or about 8% on a constant currency basis. CEO Glenn Fogel said results reflect a “solid start,” with Adjusted EBITDA growth of 19% and continued strength in key markets despite the impact of the conflict.
Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) provides online travel and reservation services globally.
2. Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL)
On May 4, 2026, BMO Capital raised its price target on Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) to $245 from $240 and maintained an Outperform rating as part of a broader real estate update following Q1 results, interest rate changes, and management discussions.
RBC Capital also raised its price target on Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) to $238 from $230 with an Outperform rating after the company’s Q1 beat and guidance increase, noting continued strength in both organic and external growth.
On April 28, 2026, Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) reported Q1 normalized FFO of $1.47 versus $1.45 consensus and revenue of $3.35B compared to $3.2B expected, with total portfolio year-over-year SSNOI growth of 16.4%, including 22.1% growth in Seniors Housing Operating. Welltower raised its FY26 normalized FFO outlook to $6.21 to $6.35 from $6.09 to $6.25, compared to $6.22 consensus, and expects average blended SSNOI growth of 12.25% to 16.00%, led by Seniors Housing Operating at approximately 16.5% to 21.5%.
Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) invests in housing and wellness communities for seniors across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
1. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)
On May 4, 2026, Citizens analyst Andrew Boone raised the price target on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) to $515 from $385 and maintained an Outperform rating. Andrew Boone cited accelerating growth across Search, Cloud, YouTube, and subscriptions, adding that vertical integration and efforts to commercialize TPUs position the company to benefit from AI demand by expanding its addressable market and leveraging cost and compute advantages.
On April 30, 2026, Roth Capital raised its price target on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) to $435 from $395 with a Buy rating, citing a “strong” Q1 beat and broad-based momentum tied to AI adoption.
RBC Capital also increased its price target to $425 from $400 and maintained an Outperform rating, describing results as “rock solid,” with 19% Search growth and 63% growth in Google Cloud, where backlog nearly doubled sequentially to $460B.
On April 29, 2026, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) reported Q1 EPS of $5.11 versus $2.67 consensus and revenue of $109.9B compared to $107.03B expected. CEO Sundar Pichai said the company is off to a “terrific start,” highlighting “19% revenue growth” in Search, “63%” growth in Cloud, and paid subscriptions reaching 350 million, with AI investments driving usage and platform activity.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) operates Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets across global markets.
While we acknowledge the potential of GOOGL 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 GOOGL and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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