So here we are in 2026, and Wall Street analysts are doing what they do best: making predictions with the confidence of someone who definitely knows where they left their car keys (spoiler: they don’t).
But seriously, the numbers are pretty interesting this time around. FactSet just dropped their annual “who’s hot and who’s not” report, and it turns out analysts are feeling surprisingly optimistic. Nearly 58% of the 12,700 stocks they looked at got “Buy” ratings – the highest we’ve seen since early 2022. That’s like getting a thumbs up from your most critical friend.
The Popular Kids Table
Surprise, surprise – tech is still the cool kid. Information Technology leads the pack with 67% buy ratings, followed by Energy at 65%, and Communication Services at 64%. It’s like the same three students who always ace the test, except this time Energy decided to show up and actually study.
Meanwhile, Consumer Staples is sitting in the corner with only 44% buy ratings, probably wondering why nobody wants to get excited about toilet paper stocks anymore.
The Teacher’s Pets
Want to know which stock got a perfect 100% buy rating? Qnity Electronics – a company that makes the tiny bits that go into your phone so it can properly ignore your calls. They’re up 26% last year and analysts think they’ve got another 23% in the tank.
The usual suspects are also getting love: Microsoft (98% buy ratings), Amazon (96%), and Meta (92%). Basically, if you’ve used their app to procrastinate today, analysts probably want you to buy their stock.
The Detention Hall
On the flip side, some stocks are getting the cold shoulder. Expeditors International leads the “please sell this” list with 44% sell ratings. I’m not saying their business model is outdated, but they’re in logistics and somehow analysts are less optimistic about them than they are about most things.
T. Rowe Price managed to get 33% sell ratings and exactly zero buy ratings, which is like being the only person at a party that nobody wants to talk to.
The Reality Check
Here’s the thing though – analyst ratings are a bit like weather forecasts. They’re educated guesses based on current conditions, but sometimes it rains when they said it would be sunny. These ratings tend to be more short-term focused, so don’t bet your retirement on them.
The smart money says do your own homework. Look at the fundamentals, understand what the company actually does (revolutionary concept, I know), and remember that just because everyone else is jumping off a bridge doesn’t mean you should too – even if that bridge is made of really promising quarterly earnings.
Bottom line: Tech’s still hot, energy’s having a moment, and consumer staples are about as exciting as watching paint dry. But hey, at least the analysts are optimistic about something.