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10 of the Best Stocks to Buy for 2026

By U.S. News & World Report

The stock market has been on fire the last few years as investors have piled into artificial intelligence technology stocks. However, the big rally has some market experts worried about bloated valuations. The S&P 500’s Shiller price-to-earnings ratio is above 41, its highest level since the 1990s dot-com bubble. Nevertheless, analysts still see plenty of stocks that have significant valuation upside.

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The 10 best stocks to buy included below are all recommended by Argus analysts and have a Thomson Reuters consensus rating of “positive,” an Argus A6 quantitative rating of “buy” and a Market Edge rating of “long”:

Stock Implied change
NetApp Inc. (ticker: NTAP) 10.4%
Zions Bancorporation NA (ZION) 15.1%
Sanmina Corp. (SANM) 5.9%
Marriott International Inc. (MAR) 20.3%
Trane Technologies PLC (TT) 13.3%
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT) 20.4%
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) 18.3%
Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Co. (HPE) -2.8%
New York Times Co. (NYT) 8.6%
Simon Property Group Inc. (SPG) -0.5%

NetApp Inc. (NTAP)

NetApp provides storage hardware, software and services to a wide range of enterprise customers. Analyst Jim Kelleher says NetApp’s stock has underperformed its peers lately, which makes its valuation very attractive at current levels. Kelleher says AI is supporting storage demand and has helped NetApp exceed consensus earnings estimates in recent quarters. He says the majority of NetApp’s fiscal 2026 earnings growth has come in the second half of the year, suggesting positive profitability trends and the potential for 20% free cash flow margins in 2027. Argus has a “buy” rating and $130 price target for NTAP stock, which closed at $117.73 on May 11.

Zions Bancorporation NA (ZION)

Zions Bancorporation is a U.S. regional bank that operates seven different brands of bank branches in the western U.S. in states such as Utah, California and Texas. Its leading bank brands include Zions Bank, California Bank & Trust and Amegy Bank. Analyst Kevin Heal says Zions shares have been trading under 10 times his 2026 earnings estimate. Net interest margin was 3.27% in the first quarter of 2026, and Heal projects it will stay in an attractive range between 3.2% and 3.4%. Argus has a “buy” rating and $70 price target for ZION stock, which closed at $60.80 on May 11.

Sanmina Corp. (SANM)

Sanmina is an electronic manufacturing services company that provides customized services to original equipment manufacturers in industries such as communications, enterprise computing, multimedia, automotive, and defense and aerospace. Sanmina acquired the data center infrastructure manufacturing business of ZT Systems from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) in October 2025. Kelleher says the combination of the ZT Systems deal and Sanmina’s internal investments suggest the company is experiencing positive momentum from high-growth markets such as generative AI networking. He is bullish on the company’s solid execution and new program wins. Argus has a “buy” rating and $260 price target for SANM stock, which closed at $245.44 on May 11.

Marriott International Inc. (MAR)

Marriott International operates and franchises hotels and other lodging properties and brands around the world. Its leading brands include JW Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Sheraton. Analyst John Staszak anticipates a rebound in the lodging industry in 2026 and says Marriott’s impressive liquidity and its profitable, fee-based business will make the stock a big winner. He says Marriott’s emphasis on corporate travel differentiates it from competitors and will help it achieve strong earnings growth in 2026. In the longer term, Staszak says Marriott’s global presence will provide unique regional opportunities. Argus has a “buy” rating and $425 price target for MAR stock, which closed at $353.32 on May 11.

Trane Technologies PLC (TT)

Trane Technologies is a global manufacturer of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The company’s top brands include Trane, Thermo King and American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning. Analyst John Eade says Trane’s long-term focus will be on improving energy efficiency in customer buildings by lowering greenhouse gas emissions and food waste and improving productivity. Eade says energy efficiency will be an ongoing problem, and Trane has a track record of successfully navigating past market cycles and crises. The company has also steadily grown its dividend. Argus has a “buy” rating and $540 price target for TT stock, which closed at $476.50 on May 11.

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT)

Hilton Worldwide is one of the largest global hospitality companies. The company owns and manages hotels and timeshares under various brands, including Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hampton by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton. Staszak says unit expansion, higher management fees and improving business and leisure travel demand will be a winning combination for Hilton. He says new brands, a robust project development pipeline and a thriving loyalty program will also help Hilton maintain its positive momentum beyond 2026. Staszak says spinning off the timeshare business will also boost earnings. Argus has a “buy” rating and $380 price target for HLT stock, which closed at $315.53 on May 11.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)

JPMorgan Chase is one of the world’s largest banks and financial services companies with nearly $5 trillion in assets. Analyst Stephen Biggar says JPMorgan’s net interest income was up 9% in the first quarter of 2026, supported by credit card segment improvement and strong loan growth. Biggar says JPMorgan is his preferred 2026 investment among large U.S. bank stocks because of its attractive valuation, its superior credit card franchise, its strong loan growth profile and its ability to gain share in its capital markets business. Argus has a “buy” rating and $355 price target for JPM stock, which closed at $300 on May 11.

Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Co. (HPE)

Hewlett-Packard Enterprise provides enterprise storage and server technology, as well as a wide range of related products and services. Kelleher says HPE’s 2025 acquisition of Juniper Networks in combination with its Aruba networking business makes Hewlett-Packard a major player in the growing hybrid cloud and AI technology markets. Recent growth in the company’s high-margin networking business is expanding the company’s overall margins. Kelleher says HPE stock’s valuation does not reflect the company’s AI-driven revenue and earnings upside potential or its industry-leading, cloud-native, AI-focused product portfolio. Argus has a “buy” rating and $30 price target for HPE stock, which closed at $30.87 on May 11.

New York Times Co. (NYT)

New York Times is a global media organization focused on collecting, creating and distributing news. In addition to its core New York Times news product, the company’s top offerings include Games, Cooking, The Athletic and Wirecutter. Analyst Christine Dooley says New York Times has successfully transitioned its legacy newspaper to the digital landscape. One technique that has worked particularly well has been offering introductory trial promotions and then converting those trial customers into regular subscribers. Dooley says these efforts to lean into digital subscriber growth have paid off. Argus has a “buy” rating and $84 price target for NYT stock, which closed at $77.33 on May 11.

Simon Property Group Inc. (SPG)

Simon Property is a retail real estate investment trust, or REIT, that specializes in regional malls, outlet centers, and community and lifestyle centers. Analyst Marie Ferguson says Simon’s consistently positive revenue growth in recent years demonstrates its ability to create value even in a difficult market. Ferguson says Simon’s open-air malls are gaining popularity in the U.S. as shopping and dining destinations, and the company’s upscale, mixed-use properties have positive pricing and leasing momentum. Ferguson says Simon also made the right call by divesting its stakes in Forever 21 and Authentic Brands. Argus has a “buy” rating and $200 price target for SPG stock, which closed at $201 on May 11.

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10 of the Best Stocks to Buy for 2026 originally appeared on usnews.com

Update 05/12/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.

Trump secretly switched planes in Turkey amid security concerns, official says

By CNN
(CNN) — President Donald Trump secretly slipped out of Turkey last month on an alternate military plane, which he boarded while hidden inside a catering truck, as part of an elaborate ruse prompted by an Iranian threat, according to a US official.The clandestine security plan — first reported by the Washington Post and confirmed by CNN — underscored the lengths American officials went to in order to protect Trump from being assassinated by Iran.Trump had flown to Turkey on a new plane gifted by Qatar and meant to be used as Air Force One. But while he was on the trip, officials announced he would fly out on an older presidential plane, which CNN and others had previously reported was due to security concerns.That, though, was apparently part of the subterfuge. After boarding the older aircraft, a moment caught on camera, Trump secretly got off via the catering vehicle and moved to a smaller Air Force C-32A. The Qatari-gifted plane, the older aircraft used as Air Force One, and the C-32A then all departed separately for the UK. Once there, Trump got on board the Qatari-gifted plane and flew home.For the last month, much of the public discussion about the plane swap had been centered around the security capabilities of the Qatar-donated plane. Trump had boasted about the new aircraft — even though officials felt it was not as secure as other planes because it had to be retrofitted to serve as Air Force One — and the president seethed privately over coverage of its deficiencies, CNN previously reported.Now, attention is likely to shift to reporters and staffers unknowingly being aboard a decoy plane — and the nature of the threat that prompted such dramatic security measures.When asked about the reports of the secret plane switch, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung told CNN, “The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff. As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”Details from the presidential travel pool — a group of journalists who travel with the president and document his movements — provide a closer look at the unusual sequence of events surrounding Trump’s departure from Turkey following a consequential NATO Summit.Trump was aboard the old Air Force One in Ankara as of 8:26 p.m. local time, according to a pool report.Air Force One was wheels up at 8:43 p.m. local time, according to a subsequent pool report, 17 minutes later.The pool was also “advised to keep our window shades in the press cabin closed,” according to a print pool note from Politico’s Megan Messerly. This is extraordinarily unusual, and seemed indicative of a security situation; Trump would later say it was “because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with.”A supplemental pool note from ABC’s Michelle Stoddart on Tuesday, sent in light of the secret plane revelation, noted that a Secret Secret agent came back to the press cabin to remind the media to keep the shades closed. When a photographer attempted to lift a shade, they were quickly told to lower it again. And when the press inquired with White House staff about why, they only said it was a request from Secret Service.Video shows what appeared to be a catering truck parked next to Air Force One at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport during that time, about seven minutes before the aircraft begins taxiing.The plane then was “wheels down” at RAF Mildenhall in England at 10:29 p.m. local time. But it wasn’t until roughly 20 minutes later that the pool notified news networks that an underwing shot — a camera angle from underneath the wing of the plane — was being set up to capture the president deplaning.That is an unusually long period of time — and it’s enough that Trump theoretically would be able to get off the smaller plane and back on Air Force One before cameras could capture it. For comparison, CNN was part of the pool on Sunday, when it took roughly eight minutes between wheels down and the underwing shot to be established.Trump was seen stepping off Air Force One about one minute after the pool alerted that the underwing shot was up.That timing was notably faster than what CNN crews typically experience. Usually, it takes several minutes for the president to deplane after the pool crew has assembled under the aircraft. The pool is generally in position before the first Air Force One door is opened and the stairs for the president are put into place.CNN reviewed pool video from Mildenhall that showed the stair car already in position and the aircraft door already open when the pool shot came up. There also appeared to be more security personnel on the tarmac than CNN crews are accustomed to seeing.Trump later boarded the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One at 11:01 p.m., according to pool notes. The pool captured video of the president walking from one aircraft to the other.CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and photojournalist Khalil Abdallah noted that when they traveled as part of the pool covering Davos and had to turn around and board a new aircraft due to what officials described as a minor electrical issue, the White House did not allow the CNN crew to film Trump transferring between planes. Instead, the crew was instructed to wait until he had boarded the new aircraft.During the flight on the Qatari gifted plane, Trump was asked what prompted the aircraft switch.Trump had said the change was to give US service members stationed at the base “a chance to tour the Aircraft.” Pressed on whether there were any other issues, Trump quickly responded, “no issues.”Trump was also asked why reporters had been instructed to lower the window shades on the aircraft.He said it was “because you’re probably on a dangerous flight.”“They didn’t ask me to close mine, but if they did, I would’ve done it,” Trump added.“But if I go, you go. Right?” Trump said. “Perhaps someday you want to change professions”Trump ultimately landed at Joint Base Andrews and deplaned Air Force One at 1:23 am ET.“He saluted and quickly loaded into the Beast,” a pool note said.This story was updated with additional reporting.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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