Here’s the thing about Wall Street analysts—they’re basically the relationship status of the stock market. And right now? Most of them are saying “it’s complicated” in the best way possible.
A fresh analysis from FactSet just dropped, and it’s basically a cheat sheet for what the smart money thinks about 2026. Spoiler alert: they’re feeling pretty bullish. We’re talking 57.5% of nearly 12,700 U.S. stocks have Buy ratings—the highest we’ve seen since February 2022. That’s above the five-year average, which means analysts are more optimistic than usual. Only 4.8% have Sell ratings, so the bears are basically hibernating.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Not all sectors are created equal. Information Technology is absolutely crushing it with a 67% Buy rating. Energy’s right behind at 65%, and Communication Services rounds out the top three at 64%. These are the cool kids at the stock market lunch table.
Meanwhile, Consumer Staples is getting the cold shoulder with just 44% Buy ratings. Utilities aren’t faring much better at 48%. Basically, if your company sells toilet paper or electricity, analysts are like “yeah, sure, hold it I guess.”
The Darlings and the Duds
On the “everyone loves me” end of the spectrum, you’ve got Qnity Electronics sitting pretty with a perfect 100% Buy rating. Microsoft’s right there too at 98%, followed by Amazon at 96%. These are the stocks analysts would marry if they could. Broadcom and Meta are also in the “basically can’t do wrong” category.
But then there’s the other side of the coin. Expeditors International is getting absolutely roasted with 44% Sell ratings. Garmin and Franklin Resources are also on the naughty list. These are the stocks analysts are slowly backing away from at parties.
What This Actually Means
Here’s the real talk: these ratings are analyst opinions, not gospel. They’re looking at short-term catalysts, earnings potential, and market momentum. They’re not necessarily predicting the future—they’re just reading the room right now.
The fact that Information Technology and Energy are leading the charge makes sense. Tech’s riding the AI wave, and energy’s benefiting from geopolitical tensions and energy demand. Communication Services (hello, Meta and Google) are bouncing back after a rough patch.
The takeaway? If you’re looking to invest in 2026, analysts think tech and energy are where the action is. But don’t just blindly follow the crowd. Do your homework, look at long-term trends, and remember that analyst ratings are more like weather forecasts than guarantees. Sometimes it rains anyway.
