If the idea is to buy low, then going shopping for stocks when markets are flirting with record highs might not seem like the greatest idea. But there are always select names set to outperform — and that's especially true when market leadership is comparatively narrow.
Although a number of the Magnificent 7 stocks have done much of the bull market's heavy lifting, that hardly means these names are doomed to underperform from here. Indeed, as we'll see below, three of Wall Street's top five stocks to buy now hail from the Magnificent 7. Companies from the real estate, aerospace and, uh, french fry sectors are also ably represented.
Here's how we found the top S&P 500 stocks to buy now. It's well known that industry analysts are reluctant to slap Sell ratings on the names they cover. There are a bunch of reasons for this, some more defensible than others. What's less commonly understood is that Strong Buy recommendations, while not nearly as rare as Sell calls, are in somewhat short supply too.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
If you run a screen of the S&P 500 using data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, you'll see that analysts assign a consensus recommendation of Sell to a total of two stocks. At the other end of the ratings spectrum stands the Street's highest recommendation of Strong Buy. A total of 25 stocks make the cut there, as you can see in the chart below.
But first a note on our methodology: S&P Global Market Intelligence surveys analysts' stock recommendations and scores them on a five-point scale, where 1.0 equals Strong Buy and 5.0 means Strong Sell. Any score of 2.5 or lower means that analysts, on average, rate the stock a Buy. The closer the score gets to 1.0, the stronger the Buy call.
In other words, lower scores are better than higher scores.
Have a look at the chart below to see the 25 stocks in the S&P 500 that score an elite Strong Buy recommendation from industry analysts. Investors who fear it's too late to buy Amazon.com (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT) or Nvidia (NVDA) will be happy to see they easily made the list.
Also note that Emerson Electric (EMR), a member of the Dividend Aristocrats, and GE Aerospace (GE), fresh from its split from GE Vernova (GEV), are just a couple of newcomers to the list.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Analysts' top S&P 500 stocks to buy now| Company (ticker) | Analysts' consensus recommendation score | Analysts' consensus recommendation |
|---|
| Amazon.com (AMZN) | 1.29 | Strong Buy |
| Nvidia (NVDA) | 1.33 | Strong Buy |
| Microsoft (MSFT) | 1.33 | Strong Buy |
| Bio-Techne (TECH) | 1.39 | Strong Buy |
| Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE) | 1.39 | Strong Buy |
| Emerson Electric (EMR) | 1.39 | Strong Buy |
| Delta Air Lines (DAL) | 1.40 | Strong Buy |
| ServiceNow (NOW) | 1.41 | Strong Buy |
| GE Aerospace (GE) | 1.41 | Strong Buy |
| Lamb Weston (LW) | 1.42 | Strong Buy |
| Howmet Aerospace (HWM) | 1.43 | Strong Buy |
| Elevance Health (ELV) | 1.43 | Strong Buy |
| Mondelez International (MDLZ) | 1.44 | Strong Buy |
| UnitedHealth Group (UNH) | 1.44 | Strong Buy |
| PTC (PTC) | 1.44 | Strong Buy |
| Las Vegas Sands (LVS) | 1.45 | Strong Buy |
| Boston Scientific (BSX) | 1.45 | Strong Buy |
| Uber Technologies (UBER) | 1.46 | Strong Buy |
| Mastercard (MA) | 1.46 | Strong Buy |
| Synopsys (SNPS) | 1.47 | Strong Buy |
| S&P Global (SPGI) | 1.48 | Strong Buy |
| DexCom (DXCM) | 1.48 | Strong Buy |
| Targa Resources (TRGP) | 1.50 | Strong Buy |
| Meta Platforms (META) | 1.50 | Strong Buy |
| Assurant (AIZ) | 1.50 | Strong Buy |
Related Content
To continue reading this article
please register for free
This is different from signing in to your print subscription
Why am I seeing this? Find out more here
FAQs
More Wall Street Analysts:
LSEG data, meanwhile, sees collective S&P 500 profits rising 10.4% this year from a year earlier, with a 14.1% advance estimated for 2025. Data from two closely tracked Wall Street surveys published last week also noted a strong bullish bias.
What are the top weighted stocks in the S&P 500? ›
Top 10 S&P 500 Stocks By Weight
| Number | Company | Weight |
|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | 6.8% |
| 2 | Apple | 5.9% |
| 3 | Nvidia | 5.1% |
| 4 | Amazon.com | 3.8% |
6 more rows2 days ago
Top S&P 500 index funds in 2024
| Fund (ticker) | 5-year annual returns | Expense ratio |
|---|
| Fidelity ZERO Large Cap Index (FNILX) | 14.6% | 0% |
| Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) | 14.5% | 0.03% |
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) | 14.5% | 0.095% |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) | 14.5% | 0.03% |
4 more rowsApr 5, 2024
More Wall Street Analysts:
LSEG data, meanwhile, sees collective S&P 500 profits rising 10.4% this year from a year earlier, with a 14.1% advance estimated for 2025. Data from two closely tracked Wall Street surveys published last week also noted a strong bullish bias.
Which stock will boom in 2024? ›
Best Stocks to Invest in India 2024
| S.No. | Top 5 Stocks | Industry/Sector |
|---|
| 1. | Tata Consultancy Services Ltd | IT - Software |
| 2. | Infosys Ltd | IT - Software |
| 3. | Hindustan Unilever Ltd | FMCG |
| 4. | Reliance Industries Ltd | Refineries |
1 more rowMay 6, 2024
Sign up for Kiplinger's Free E-Newsletters
| Company (ticker) | Analysts' consensus recommendation score | Analysts' consensus recommendation |
|---|
| Amazon.com (AMZN) | 1.29 | Strong Buy |
| Nvidia (NVDA) | 1.33 | Strong Buy |
| Microsoft (MSFT) | 1.33 | Strong Buy |
| Bio-Techne (TECH) | 1.39 | Strong Buy |
21 more rowsVanguard S&P 500 ETF
This index fund provides exposure to hundreds of well-known U.S. stocks, including Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, and Amazon. Billionaire Warren Buffett has guided Berkshire Hathaway to incredible success.
Is now a good time to invest in the S&P 500? ›
The S&P 500 has hit 20 intraday highs in 2024. As stocks climb higher many stock valuations may be stretched beyond their intrinsic value. But it's still possible to find great investment opportunities as the stock market hits new all-time highs.
Will S&P 500 hit $10,000? ›
If the S&P 500 does compound 9.2% annually over the next 10 years, it will reach 10,000 by 2033, Colas wrote Friday. Of course, that's a high bar, as Colas notes.
What is the best month for the S&P 500? ›
S&P 500 Seasonal Patterns
- Best Months: March, April, May, July, October, November, and December.
- Worst Months: January, June, and September.
At least 11 Wall Street firms have lifted their year-end forecasts for the S&P 500 SPX so far in 2024. In the past week alone, BMO Capital Markets and Deutsche Bank revamped their 2024 targets for the large-cap benchmark index, raising them to 5,600 and 5,500, respectively.
What is the most accurate stock predictor? ›
1. AltIndex – Overall Most Accurate Stock Predictor with Claimed 72% Win Rate. From our research, AltIndex is the most accurate stock predictor to consider today. Unlike other predictor services, AltIndex doesn't rely on manual research or analysis.
How much will the S&P 500 be worth in 2025? ›
According to Luxembourg-based ISABELNET, a firm that has been doing private research on the U.S. stock market since 1998, consensus analyst estimates for the S&P 500 are $242 for 2024 earnings and $278 for 2025.
Which top 5 shares to buy? ›
Overview of the top long-term stocks in India as per market capitalisation
- Reliance Industries. With a market capitalisation of ₹19,91,203 crore (as on 19th February 2024), Reliance Industries Limited is the biggest stock in Indian markets. ...
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) ...
- HDFC Bank. ...
- ICICI Bank. ...
- Infosys.
The 9 Best Stocks To Buy Now
| Company (Ticker) | Forward P/E Ratio |
|---|
| Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) | 13.2 |
| Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG) | 52.2 |
| The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC) | 12.3 |
| The Progressive Corporation (PGR) | 18.2 |
5 more rowsMay 10, 2024
By rebalancing regularly to maintain equal weightings, these ETFs ensure that each stock has an equal influence on fund performance. The largest equal-weighted ETF is the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP).
Which sector has maximum weightage in S&P 500? ›
The S&P 500 is divided into 11 sectors, including technology, healthcare, and financials, which help categorize the largest U.S. companies. Technology is the largest sector, reflecting significant growth and market influence from major companies like Apple and Microsoft.
How are S&P 500 stocks weighted? ›
The S&P Index 500 index is structured as a capitalization-weighted index, or “market cap weighted index”, where the individual constituents that comprise the index have a percent contribution based on their total market capitalization, i.e. equity market.
What is the most popular price-weighted index? ›
One of the most popular price-weighted stocks is the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), which consists of 30 different stocks, or components.
