So you want to know which stocks Wall Street thinks are worth buying in 2026? Well, buckle up—because the data just dropped, and it’s actually pretty interesting.
Here’s the deal: analysts are feeling pretty optimistic right now. According to FactSet’s analysis of nearly 12,700 U.S. stocks, a whopping 57.5% have Buy ratings—the highest we’ve seen since February 2022. That’s above the five-year average of 55.5%, which basically means Wall Street is in a good mood.
But before you go all-in on every stock with a thumbs-up, let’s break down what’s actually getting the love.
The Sectors Winning the Popularity Contest
Information Technology, Energy, and Communication Services are the cool kids at the party right now, with the highest percentages of Buy ratings. Tech is sitting pretty at 67% Buy ratings (shocking, I know). Energy’s at 65%, and Communication Services is at 64%. Meanwhile, Consumer Staples and Utilities are getting the cold shoulder with only 44% and 48% Buy ratings respectively. Apparently, boring is out of fashion.
The Stocks Everyone Wants
If you’re looking for the real crowd-pleasers, Qnity Electronics (Q) is the prom king with a perfect 100% Buy rating. It’s a semiconductor materials play that returned about 26% last year. Analysts think it could go up another 23% from here.
Then you’ve got the usual suspects: Microsoft (98% Buy), Amazon (96% Buy), Broadcom (94% Buy), and Meta (92% Buy). These are the names that show up at every analyst meeting, and for good reason—they’ve been printing money.
The Stocks Everyone’s Dumping
On the flip side, some stocks are getting absolutely roasted. Expeditors International (EXPD) has 44% Sell ratings—basically Wall Street’s way of saying “yikes.” Garmin, Franklin Resources, and Consolidated Edison are also on the naughty list with 36%, 36%, and 35% Sell ratings respectively.
Here’s the Thing Though
These ratings are just analyst opinions. They’re not gospel. In fact, many of these ratings are short-term focused, which means they can change faster than a TikTok trend. The analysts themselves will tell you to do your own research and think long-term.
What’s actually interesting here is the pattern: tech and energy are hot, defensive stocks are cold, and the market is clearly betting on growth over stability. Whether that’s the right call for 2026 remains to be seen, but at least now you know what the smart money is thinking.
The bottom line? If you’re building a portfolio, pay attention to where the Buy ratings are concentrated. But also remember that Wall Street has been wrong before—and they’ll probably be wrong again. Use this data as one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture.
