In this article, we will discuss the 8 Best Land and Timber Stocks to Buy Now.
Land and timber stocks have come back to life after wild swings throughout the pandemic. A spike in lumber stocks over the past few years, driven by rising housing prices, has renewed investor sentiment in the sector. Given that Lumber is an important input for homebuilding and home improvement, a spike of $500 to $700 per thousand board feet in 2026 would be more than welcome in the sector.
According to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, which measures builder confidence, the market for newly built single-family homes rose to 37 in May 2026 from 34 in April, its lowest level since September 2025.
Amid the three-point improvement, builders’ confidence remains heavily pressured by high mortgage rates, affordability challenges, and economic uncertainty. The cautious outlook began early in the year, when Belco analysts warned that timber supply would remain high, but home affordability issues could crimp it.
“Perhaps the clearest signal (is that) the NAHB Executive Forecast shows no material change in single-family starts projected for 2026 versus 2025,” the Shelton, Washington-based firm reported. “It tells us the industry is not positioning for a surge, it’s planning for steadiness. And steady markets expose inefficiencies far faster than boom cycles do.”
Amid the concerns, the land and timber industry remains an excellent investment opportunity. According to the Realtors Land Institute, historical data on timberland returns show a favorable performance compared to many other investments. Additionally, timberland investment provides a hedge against inflation and supports portfolio diversification.
That said, this article explores some of the best land and timber stocks to buy now.
Our Methodology
To compile the list of the 8 best land and timber stocks to buy now, we reviewed various ETFs, and scanned financial media reports to identify companies in the land and timber industry. We also considered certain wood products companies. We ended up with 12 stocks in our initial list and applied additional filters to pick out the best. We selected stocks that are favored by hedge funds and have at least 10% upside potential. The hedge fund data was sourced from Insider Monkey’s database as of Q1 2026. Finally, we ranked the stocks based on their price upside potential.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research shows we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Insider Monkey’s quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 599.2% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 372 percentage points (see more details here).
Best Land and Timber Stocks to Buy Now
8. Mohawk Industries Inc (NYSE:MHK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 40
Stock Upside Potential: 10.41%
Mohawk Industries Inc (NYSE:MHK) is a leading name in the flooring industry, supplying products for residential and commercial spaces worldwide. It is one of the best land and timber-adjacent stocks to buy now due to its exposure to wood flooring, laminate, panels, and construction/remodeling demand.
Mohawk Industries Inc released its Q1 2026 results on April 30, reporting an 8% YoY jump in net sales to $2.7 billion. Adjusted EPS rose to $1.90 from $1.52 in the prior year.
Mohawk CEO Jeff Lorberbaum said the results were in line with expectations, despite the company operating in a challenging business environment. The executive said the results benefited from the steps the company has taken regarding productivity, product mix, and restructuring.
To cope with the high fuel costs, Mohawk is implementing price increases across many of its product categories and geographic markets. At the same time, the company is launching new products to improve its sales and margins. Amid the evolving demand and volatile costs, Mohawk is implementing operational strategies to adapt and control costs.
Despite the market pressures, Mohawk said its backlog has continued to grow. Also, the company’s commercial channel is outperforming the residential channel. Mohawk is anticipating Q2 2026 adjusted EPS in the range of $2.50 to $2.60.
Georgia-based Mohawk Industries Inc is a flooring manufacturer. Its portfolio includes wood flooring options, including waterproof wood. The company also provides wood-based panels for construction, interior decor, and industrial functions. Mohawk incorporates reclaimed wood in its panels.
7. Rayonier Inc (NYSE:RYN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 26
Stock Upside Potential: 14.89%
Rayonier Inc (NYSE:RYN) is one of the best land and timber stocks to buy now. Following its acquisition of PotlatchDeltic in a transaction that closed on January 30, Rayonier Inc formed a new business segment called Wood Products. Under this segment, the company manufactures and sells a variety of wood products, including lumber, plywood, and residual materials.
Rayonier’s Q1 2026 results, reported on May 6, showed that this segment generated $108.5 million in revenue and $6.8 million in adjusted EBITDA. Lumber sales accounted for the bulk of revenue in this segment, at $87.2 million, and plywood sales were $21.3 million. Rayonier said it benefited from strong lumber prices, supported by improved supply-demand conditions and seasonal restocking ahead of the spring building season.
Looking ahead, Rayonier expects 2026 lumber shipments to total roughly 1.1 billion board feet. Q1 lumber shipment was 199 million board feet, and Q2 shipment is forecast in the range of 310 to 320 million board feet. The company expects adjusted EBITDA from the Wood Products segment to be higher in Q2 compared to Q1.
Florida-based Rayonier Inc is a timberland REIT with assets in the US and New Zealand. Its portfolio includes millions of acres of forests across the US. The company’s main business lines include forest management, real estate development, and wood products.
6. Louisiana-Pacific Corp (NYSE:LPX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 44
Stock Upside Potential: 16.36%
Louisiana-Pacific Corp (NYSE:LPX) is one of the best land and timber stocks to buy now. The stock has retreated about 7% year to date, and the Street believes the dip presents a buying opportunity.
On May 8, DA Davidson reiterated a Buy rating on Louisiana-Pacific Corp stock but lowered the price target on the shares to $103 from $114. The firm based the price cut on what it described as near-term pressures on the company’s oriented strand board business. Other than that, DA Davidson made it clear that the price cut doesn’t reflect a decline in the stock’s perceived underlying value.
The firm highlighted some of the steps Louisiana-Pacific is taking to grow its business and noted an improved go-forward setup.
These steps include capturing a larger share of the large builder market. The management considers this market underpenetrated and sees a massive opportunity ahead. Louisiana-Pacific has secured two new enterprise deals so far in 2026, demonstrating progress in the large builder market penetration.
The other step is expanding the ExpertFinish capacity. This product line has been a growth driver for Louisiana-Pacific. The company has earmarked $200 million for strategic growth capex, and half of that is allocated to ExpertFinish expansion.
Tennessee-based Louisiana-Pacific Corp manufactures engineered wood building materials. Its products include siding, trim, fascia, and oriented strand board. Its supplies are used in new home constructions, repairs, and remodeling.
5. West Fraser Timber Co Ltd (NYSE:WFG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 14
Stock Upside Potential: 19.50%
West Fraser Timber Co Ltd (NYSE:WFG) is one of the best land and timber stocks to buy now. The Street expects West Fraser stock to pop nearly 20% from its current level.
On May 7, West Fraser Timber Co Ltd tapped Kodiak AI, Inc. for an autonomous logging pilot that could help it address the problem of driver shortage. Kodiak builds AI-powered self-driving vehicles for industrial applications.
West Fraser will try out Kodiak AI-powered autonomous trucks for log-hauling operations in Alberta, Canada. The initial work will involve West Fraser using the self-driving trucks to transport timber from forest sites to a processing facility. This pilot project will inform West Fraser’s decision regarding the future deployment of Kodiak AI-powered trucks for commercial driverless operations.
Kodiak’s autonomous driving technology is designed to handle complex industrial trucking conditions. With driverless trucks, West Fraser sees an opportunity to address driver shortages, enhance the safety of its log-hauling operations, and improve the consistency of log supply to the mills. The pilot will begin later this year. West Fraser anticipates spending between $300 million and $350 million on capital expenditures in 2026.
West Fraser Timber Co Ltd is a Canadian wood products company, providing materials used in new home construction, repair, and remodeling. Its product range includes oriented strand board, lumber, fibreboard, plywood, and pulp.
4. Leggett & Platt Inc (NYSE:LEG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32
Stock Upside Potential: 24.46%
Leggett & Platt Inc is one of the best land and timber-adjacent stocks to buy now. While the company is not a timberland owner or lumber producer, it has exposure to wood-related end markets through its furniture, bedding, and residential furnishings components,
Leggett & Platt Inc reported its Q1 2026 results on May 7. The results showed revenue decreased 10% YoY to $918 million, and adjusted EPS dropped to $0.15 from $0.24 a year ago. The quarter was hurt by weak demand across the company’s businesses, adverse weather conditions that resulted in closures, and higher operating costs.
For now, the company is mitigating these pressures through various actions, including passing through price increases. But in the long term, the management sees the planned merger with Somnigroup as the future.
Leggett & Platt agreed to be acquired by Somnigroup in an all-stock transaction valued at $2.5 billion. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, and Leggett & Platt shareholders would own roughly 9% of the combined company.
According to Leggett & Platt’s management, the merger would give the company’s shareholders an opportunity to participate in the future growth of a leading global company. Once the merger has been completed, Leggett & Platt will operate as a separate business unit of Somnigroup.
Leggett & Platt Inc designs and manufactures a wide variety of engineered components and products. It processes finished wood products for use in furniture and residential furnishings. The company was founded in 1883 and is based in Missouri.
3. Weyerhaeuser Co (NYSE:WY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38
Stock Upside Potential: 26.48%
Weyerhaeuser Co (NYSE:WY) is one of the best land and timber stocks to buy now. The Street expects Weyerhaeuser stock to jump more than 26% from its current level.
Weyerhaeuser Co reported its Q1 2026 results on April 30. The company delivered $1.73 billion in net sales and $77 million in adjusted net earnings, translating to adjusted EPS of $0.11. These results exceeded expectations, as revenue had been forecast at $1.72 billion and EPS projected at $0.05.
Weyerhaeuser CEO Devin W. Stockfish said the company faced heightened macroeconomic uncertainty in Q1. But still, the company recorded adjusted EBITDA improvement across its business segments. The Strategic Land Solutions segment delivered strong earnings improvement, the Wood Products segment recorded solid recovery, and the Timberlands business maintained stable performance.
During the quarter, Weyerhaeuser advanced key growth initiatives in its Wood Products segment. Additionally, the company made progress on the actions to optimize its portfolio. These actions include the divestiture of some 108,000 acres of non-core timberlands in Virginia. This transaction was completed in February, and the company received $192 million.
Looking ahead, the management said the focus is on advancing the strategy to accelerate growth and deliver strong long-term value to shareholders.
Weyerhaeuser Co is a timberland and wood products company. It owns more than 10 million acres of timberland in the U.S. and manages millions of acres in Canada.
2. UFP Industries Inc (NASDAQ:UFPI)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 28
Stock Upside Potential: 29.63%
UFP Industries Inc (NASDAQ:UFPI) is one of the best land and timber stocks to buy now. Analysts expect the stock to jump more than 29% from its current level.
UFP Industries Inc’s Q1 2026 results, released on April 29, showed revenue slipped 8% YoY to $1.46 billion due to weak prices and unit sales. EPS of $0.89 declined from $1.30 a year ago. Earnings were impacted by higher fuel costs, adverse weather, and other factors. The company said rising input costs accounted for more than half of the decline in profit in the quarter.
While Q1 2026 did not go well for UFP Industries, the management believes the current headwinds will be temporary. The management further noted progress in managing costs and executing on strategies to position the company for long-term success.
On cost controls, the company says it is on track to deliver at least $25 million in cost outs by the end of 2026. At the same time, it is structurally lowering its cost base. On growth strategies, the management mentioned combining organic expansions with disciplined acquisitions, strengthening core businesses, and launching innovative products.
Michigan-based UFP Industries Inc converts lumber into various value-added products. It manufactures, distributes, and sells a variety of products used in construction, packaging, and other industrial applications. The company operates three main business segments.
1. Boise Cascade Co (NYSE:BCC)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 37
Stock Upside Potential: 30.24%
Boise Cascade Co (NYSE:BCC) is one of the best land and timber stocks to buy now. Analysts see at least a 29% upside in the Boise Cascade stock from the current level. Boise Cascade reported its Q1 2026 results on May 4. It said total revenue fell 2% YoY to $1.5 billion. Net income slipped to $17.8 million, or $0.50 per share, compared with $40.3 million, or $1.06 per share, in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA was $66.6 million.
At the segment level, the Building Materials Distribution business reported a 1% decline in sales to $1.39 billion. The segment’s EBITDA dropped 23% to $48.2 million. This segment was weighed down by a decrease in sales price and increases in selling and distribution expenses.
The Wood Products segment recorded a 4% drop in sales to $398.2 million. The segment’s EBITDA declined 20% to just under $32 million. Lower sales prices and higher costs affected this segment’s performance.
Boise Cascade CEO Jeff Strom said the results were impressive considering the company operated in a difficult demand environment. Strom noted that demand during the quarter was influenced by factors such as adverse weather, geopolitical events, and volatile mortgage rates. Looking ahead, Boise Cascade anticipates adjusted EBITDA in the band of $83 million to $115 million.
Boise Cascade Co, based in Boise, Idaho, manufactures a wide variety of wood products and distributes building materials. Its product portfolio includes plywood, engineered wood products, and lumber. The company also supplies composite decking, roofing, siding, and doors.
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