So here we are in 2026, and Wall Street analysts are feeling pretty optimistic – which, let’s be honest, is about as rare as finding a parking spot in Manhattan during rush hour.
According to the number-crunchers at FactSet, a whopping 57.5% of nearly 13,000 U.S. stocks are getting “Buy” ratings right now. That’s the highest we’ve seen since February 2022, back when we all thought inflation was “transitory” and NFTs were the future. Ah, simpler times.
The Popular Kids Table
Three sectors are basically the cool kids that everyone wants to sit with at lunch:
Information Technology (67% Buy ratings): Shocking absolutely no one, tech is still the golden child. Microsoft and Amazon are sitting pretty with 98% and 96% buy ratings respectively. Because apparently, we haven’t learned our lesson about putting all our eggs in the tech basket.
Energy (65% Buy): Remember when oil was dead? Yeah, analysts don’t either. Diamondback Energy is getting 94% buy ratings, proving that reports of fossil fuels’ demise were greatly exaggerated.
Communication Services (64% Buy): Meta’s sitting at 92% buy ratings, which is impressive considering they’re still trying to convince us that the metaverse is totally going to happen, guys.
The Standout Stars
The real MVP? Qnity Electronics with a perfect 100% buy rating. They make semiconductor materials, which is basically like being the person who supplies coffee to a newsroom – absolutely essential and everyone loves you for it.
Other analyst darlings include the usual suspects: Broadcom (94%), Boston Scientific (94%), and Amazon (96%). It’s like a greatest hits album, but for your portfolio.
The Stocks Getting Side-Eyed
On the flip side, some companies are getting the cold shoulder. Expeditors International is leading the “maybe don’t” category with 44% sell ratings. Ouch.
Consumer Staples are having a rough time overall, with only 44% buy ratings. Apparently, analysts think people might stop buying toilet paper and cereal. Bold strategy, Cotton.
Utilities aren’t faring much better at 48% buys. Because nothing says “exciting investment opportunity” like… electricity bills?
The Reality Check
Here’s the thing though – analyst ratings are like weather forecasts. They’re educated guesses based on current conditions, but sometimes it still rains on your parade.
The fact that we’re seeing this much optimism could mean we’re in for a great year, or it could mean we’re all getting a little too comfortable. Remember, the best time to be greedy is when others are fearful, not when everyone’s already at the party.
So while these ratings are interesting cocktail party conversation, do your own homework. Because at the end of the day, the only person who really cares about your money is you.