Global markets have had a genuinely strange 2026. Tension in Iran, on-again tariff threats, and growing doubts about how much longer the AI infrastructure boom can run have all added volatility — yet the S&P 500 keeps trading close to record highs. For investors trying to figure out where to put new money, that mix of nervousness and momentum makes stock selection more important than usual.
This list narrows things down to five stocks to buy that stand out right now on the numbers that matter most: analyst conviction, earnings momentum, and a clear connection to the AI buildout driving most of the market’s gains. Every pick below is grounded in current analyst ratings and price targets rather than guesswork — though as with any investment, prices and forecasts shift, so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not a substitute for it. This article is for informational purposes only and isn’t personalized financial advice.
Whether you’re building a long-term core portfolio or just looking for a few names to dig into further this week, the goal here is the same: separate companies with real momentum behind them from ones riding pure hype.
| # | Company | Ticker | Sector | Standout Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nvidia | NVDA | AI Semiconductors | Strong Buy consensus; ~42% implied upside to the average target |
| 2 | Micron Technology | MU | Memory / AI Semiconductors | Steep EPS growth from the AI memory shortage |
| 3 | Amazon | AMZN | Cloud / AI Infrastructure | One of only two “Magnificent Seven” stocks beating the S&P 500 in 2026 |
| 4 | Alphabet | GOOGL | AI / Search / Cloud | Large new Berkshire Hathaway stake |
| 5 | AppLovin | APP | AI Ad-Tech | 56% projected EPS growth; 70%+ free cash flow margins |
1. Nvidia (NVDA)
Nvidia is the most obvious name on any list of stocks to buy tied to artificial intelligence, and the numbers still back that up. Shares closed at $214.72 on August 21, 2026, but the average 12-month price target across 62 analysts sits at $304.73 — implying roughly 42% upside from current levels, according to consensus data compiled by S&P Global and published on StockAnalysis.com. The consensus rating: Strong Buy.
The bull case hasn’t really changed shape in 2026, it’s just kept compounding — hyperscalers are still racing to build out data center capacity, and demand for Nvidia’s AI chips continues to outpace what the company can ship. Nvidia reports its next quarterly earnings on August 26, 2026, with Wall Street penciling in EPS of roughly $2.13 and revenue near $93.6 billion — a report that could move the stock sharply in either direction.
One thing worth flagging: price targets carry a wide spread, from roughly $180 to $500, which tells you analysts themselves disagree about how durable this growth cycle is. Competition is the other variable worth watching — custom AI silicon from OpenAI, AMD, and Qualcomm is frequently cited as the main long-term risk to Nvidia’s dominance, even though none of it has dented near-term demand yet. If you’re nervous about paying up for AI exposure, Nvidia’s earnings print is the single most important date on the calendar this month.
2. Micron Technology (MU)
If Nvidia represents the AI chip story, Micron represents what’s happening one layer down, in memory. The AI data center boom has created a genuine shortage of high-performance DRAM and NAND, and Micron’s earnings reflect it: the company is projected to post 785% EPS growth for fiscal 2026 (which ends August 31), on top of 538% growth the year before, according to Forbes’ Investor Hub coverage. Forbes put the stock’s one-year price gain at 630% in that same analysis.
Wall Street has responded accordingly. Stifel analyst Brian Chin reiterated a buy rating with a $300 price target, noting that a higher average selling price helped drive 20% sequential growth in Micron’s DRAM and NAND revenue last quarter — concrete evidence of a supply shortage rather than just AI-themed enthusiasm. TipRanks’ AI-driven analyst model separately rates the stock “outperform” with a $285 target. Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra has described the AI buildout as still in its early stages, pointing to AI-capable smartphones, PCs, and ongoing data center demand as the next legs of growth.
Memory is historically a boom-and-bust business, so the cycle risk here is real — but for investors comfortable with that, it’s one of the more compelling stocks to buy on pure earnings momentum right now.
3. Amazon (AMZN)
Amazon earns its spot on this list for a simple reason: of the seven mega-cap “Magnificent Seven” stocks, only two have actually outperformed the S&P 500 in 2026 — Nvidia and Amazon, according to Motley Fool’s August analysis. That’s a notable divergence from Apple, Meta, and Tesla, all of which have lagged the broader market this year.
The engine behind Amazon’s outperformance is familiar: AWS. Cloud infrastructure and AI workloads keep pushing demand for Amazon’s data center capacity higher, and that segment carries far better margins than the retail business investors used to associate with the Amazon name. Amazon’s e-commerce and logistics operations, while slower-growing, still throw off steady cash flow that helps fund AWS’s aggressive data center buildout — a financial cushion pure-play AI infrastructure companies don’t have. Combined with a reasonable valuation relative to its Magnificent Seven peers, Amazon stands out as one of the more balanced options for investors who want AI exposure without paying pure-play semiconductor multiples.
4. Alphabet (GOOGL)
Alphabet’s case rests on something simple but hard to ignore: Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway made a large new investment in the stock. Berkshire ended the second quarter of 2026 sitting on nearly $370 billion in cash and short-term investments, and it chose to put a meaningful slice of that toward Alphabet, according to Motley Fool’s reporting on Berkshire’s recent portfolio moves.
That’s notable coming from a firm historically cautious about technology stocks. Alphabet’s combination of AI research through Gemini, a dominant search and advertising business, and Google Cloud’s growing share of the AI infrastructure market gives it multiple ways to benefit from the same trends driving Nvidia and Micron higher, without the single-product concentration risk those two carry. Google Cloud has also been steadily closing the gap with AWS and Microsoft Azure in the cloud infrastructure race, giving Alphabet a third growth engine beyond search and YouTube advertising.
5. AppLovin (APP)
AppLovin is the least familiar name on this list, and arguably the most interesting. The company runs an AI-powered advertising platform for mobile apps, and after divesting its game-studio business, it’s now a pure-play ad-tech company with free cash flow margins above 70%, according to Forbes’ Investor Hub.
The growth numbers are hard to overstate: AppLovin’s earnings per share grew from $1.92 in 2023 to $10.64 in 2025, and 2026 EPS growth is projected at another 56%. Much of that momentum is expected to continue as the company rolls out its self-service ad platform and pushes into e-commerce advertising — a new growth lane beyond mobile gaming.
Because it’s a smaller, more concentrated business than the other names on this list, AppLovin carries more volatility risk — a single soft quarter can move the stock far more than it would for a diversified giant like Amazon or Alphabet. But for investors looking for a way to invest in AI applications rather than just the infrastructure underneath them, it’s a distinctive pick.
How We Chose These Stocks to Buy
Every stock on this list had to clear three bars:
- Analyst conviction. Each pick carries a Buy, Strong Buy, or Outperform consensus from multiple covering analysts, not just one bullish call.
- A real earnings story. Rather than picking stocks purely on price momentum, this list leans on actual EPS growth, revenue trends, and margin data.
- A clear connection to 2026’s dominant market theme. Every stock here ties back to the AI infrastructure buildout in some way — as a chipmaker, a memory supplier, a cloud provider, or an AI application layer.
No screening process replaces due diligence, though. Company fundamentals, valuations, and price targets are all subject to change, particularly around earnings dates like Nvidia’s August 26 report.
Risks Worth Considering
No list of stocks to buy would be complete without acknowledging the risks. September has historically been the S&P 500’s weakest month, with the index averaging a 0.6% loss, according to CFRA data cited by Forbes — which some investors read as a buying opportunity and others read as a reason for caution. AI infrastructure spending is also facing more scrutiny than it did a year ago, with some analysts openly questioning how long hyperscalers can keep increasing capital expenditure before demanding a return on it.
There’s also concentration risk to consider: four of the five picks above are tied directly to the AI infrastructure theme, so a portfolio built entirely around this list would be making a fairly focused bet on one market narrative continuing. Since all five stocks above trade on U.S. exchanges in U.S. dollars, investors buying from Germany or elsewhere in the eurozone should also factor in currency risk — a strong dollar or weak euro can meaningfully affect returns once converted back to EUR, separate from how the stock itself performs.
On the plus side, these are five liquid, heavily covered stocks to buy — not penny stocks or speculative micro-caps. Every one is a large company, which matters if you ever need to exit a position quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best stocks to buy right now?
Based on current analyst ratings and earnings momentum, Nvidia (NVDA), Micron (MU), Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL), and AppLovin (APP) stand out as some of the best stocks to buy now, largely due to their exposure to the ongoing AI infrastructure buildout.
Is Nvidia still a good stock to buy in 2026?
Nvidia carries a Strong Buy consensus from 62 analysts and an average price target of $304.73, implying meaningful upside from its August 2026 trading price, though its August 26 earnings report is likely to be a major catalyst in either direction.
Are AI stocks too expensive right now?
Some analysts have raised concerns about AI infrastructure spending durability, and valuations on names like Nvidia have run up significantly. Still, earnings growth at companies like Micron and AppLovin has kept pace with or exceeded price gains, which is part of why analyst ratings remain largely positive.
How much money do I need to start buying stocks?
Most major brokers now support fractional shares, meaning you can start investing in stocks like Nvidia or Amazon with as little as a few dollars rather than needing the full share price upfront.
Is September a good time to buy stocks?
Historically, September is the S&P 500’s weakest month, averaging a 0.6% loss. Some investors treat seasonal dips as buying opportunities, but timing the market around one month’s historical average carries its own risks.
Should I buy all at once or spread out my purchases?
Many investors use dollar-cost averaging — buying a fixed dollar amount at regular intervals — specifically to avoid the risk of putting a full position on right before a pullback, rather than trying to time a single perfect entry point.
Key Takeaways
- Nvidia (NVDA) — Strong Buy consensus, ~42% implied upside to its average price target; earnings due August 26, 2026.
- Micron (MU) — Projected 785% EPS growth for fiscal 2026, driven by the AI memory shortage; price targets of $285–$300.
- Amazon (AMZN) — One of only two Magnificent Seven stocks beating the S&P 500 in 2026, powered by AWS.
- Alphabet (GOOGL) — Backed by a large new Berkshire Hathaway investment; diversified AI exposure across search, cloud, and Gemini.
- AppLovin (APP) — 56% projected EPS growth and 70%+ free cash flow margins from its AI ad platform.
- These are five stocks to buy worth researching further — not a personalized recommendation. Verify current prices before acting.
Conclusion
There’s no single “best” stock to buy in 2026 — only the stock that fits your own portfolio, risk tolerance, and time horizon. What ties these five stocks to buy together is that each one has a specific, current reason behind it: real analyst conviction, real earnings growth, and real exposure to the trends actually moving markets right now, rather than hype alone.
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This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Stock prices, ratings, and price targets change frequently and were accurate as of August 21–23, 2026. Always conduct your own research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.