In this article, we will discuss the 9 Best IPO Stocks to Buy in 2026.
On April 28, Tom Lee, Fundstrat, joined CNBC’s ‘Power Lunch’ to explain that the stock market is currently focused on navigating three primary risks identified at the start of the year: the potential escalation of the war in Iran, concerns over private credit, and the transition to a new Fed chair. Lee asserted that the market has largely passed the test regarding the Iran conflict, as the economy has shown remarkable strength, and earnings estimates have actually risen. He also noted that private credit underwriting is performing better than expected, which is reflected in the rebound of the IGB (software ETF). He pointed out that many private credit loans were tied to software, and since IGB has recovered from a low of 72 back to 85, he believes this is no longer a structural problem. Consequently, Lee sees the upside case for stocks strengthening, making an S&P 500 level above 7,700 highly probable.
Several planks support this bullish outlook, including higher earnings estimates and the delivery of productivity through AI. Lee cited the positive case for AI as a driver of business growth and company formation. Furthermore, he anticipates that the risk premium will drop later this year if the Middle East situation is resolved, as it would remove the hostile oil premium that has impacted pricing for a long time. Although oil remains at $95, Lee described the current market as being in a state of stasis or a settle-in mode, noting that oil prices have not significantly moved in approximately two weeks.
Our Methodology
We used screeners to identify stocks that have gone public in the last 5 years, and limited our final selection to companies that have recently reported noteworthy developments likely to impact investor sentiment. These stocks are also popular among analysts and elite hedge funds. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the number of hedge funds that have stakes in them, as of Q4 2025.
Note: All data was sourced on April 28.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
9 Best IPO Stocks to Buy in 2026
9. Haleon (NYSE:HLN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 20
Haleon (NYSE:HLN) is one of the best IPO stocks to buy in 2026. On April 27, Haleon appointed Richard Manso as its new US Chief Marketing Officer. Reporting to Nathalie Gerschtein, CEO of US & President of North America, Manso is tasked with accelerating the company’s transition into a more agile, consumer-centric organization. His leadership will focus on integrating data, technology, and human insights to create more personalized and transparent health experiences.
In his new role, Manso will oversee Haleon’s integrated US marketing organization with a focus on driving growth across key categories. This includes advancing priority areas such as Medicare Advantage OTC, GLP-1 related health needs, and emerging platforms in Women’s and Pediatric Health. By strengthening modern marketing capabilities, he aims to build an insight-led ecosystem that engages consumers more effectively at the exact moments they make everyday health decisions.
Manso joins Haleon (NYSE:HLN) from Google, where he held senior leadership roles focused on large-scale B2B marketing and the adoption of AI-enabled marketing solutions. His background in digital transformation and data strategy is expected to help Haleon move beyond traditional product marketing to become a trusted partner in consumer health.
Haleon (NYSE:HLN), together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various consumer healthcare products in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific.
8. Venture Global Inc. (NYSE:VG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22
Venture Global Inc. (NYSE:VG) is one of the best IPO stocks to buy in 2026. On April 10, Venture Global successfully closed a $1.75 billion senior secured term loan B credit facility through its subsidiary, Calcasieu Pass Funding, LLC. This subsidiary indirectly controls the company’s Calcasieu Pass LNG project. The transaction involved a high-profile group of financial institutions, with Goldman Sachs acting as Lead Left Arranger and Bookrunner, supported by Barclays, Natixis, and Wells Fargo as Lead Right Arrangers.
The primary purpose of the new facility was to facilitate the full redemption of preferred equity interests previously held by Stonepeak Bayou Holdings II LP. By replacing this equity with debt, Venture Global significantly reduces its overall cost of capital and simplifies its capital structure. CEO Mike Sabel noted that the closing represents a major financial milestone, enhancing the company’s liquidity and showing its consistent ability to access capital markets efficiently.
This move provides Venture Global Inc. (NYSE:VG) with increased financial flexibility to pursue its strategic growth priorities and long-term stakeholder value. The successful execution of the credit facility, particularly in a dynamic market environment, further strengthens the company’s balance sheet.
Venture Global Inc. (NYSE:VG) is an energy, specifically LNG, company that owns, develops, constructs, and operates LNG production facilities in the US Gulf Coast. The company operates as a subsidiary of Venture Global Partners II LLC.
