Three Stocks Set to Outperform the Market in 2026
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 16 2026
0mins
Should l Buy GOOGL?
Source: Fool
- Alphabet Cloud Growth: Alphabet's cloud business had an annual revenue run rate of approximately $70 billion at the end of 2025, with a backlog growth exceeding 100% year-over-year to $240 billion in Q4, which is expected to significantly enhance the company's profitability in 2026 and solidify its leadership in the AI sector.
- BeOne Drug Development Progress: BeOne Medicines plans to announce Phase 3 study results for Brukinsa in combination with rituximab in the first half of 2026, and is expected to gain U.S. regulatory approval for sonrotoclax, further enhancing its competitiveness in the blood cancer treatment market.
- Rhythm Drug Approval Outlook: Rhythm Pharmaceuticals' Imcivree is anticipated to receive FDA approval for treating acquired hypothalamic obesity by March 20, 2026, which would significantly expand its market potential as this condition affects more patients than the combined total of its three existing indications.
- Multiple Clinical Trial Data Releases: Rhythm also plans to report top-line data from a Phase 3 study evaluating Imcivree in four other genetic diseases in Q1 2026 and disclose results from an exploratory Phase 2 study on Prader-Willi syndrome in the first half of the year, further boosting investor confidence.
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Analyst Views on GOOGL
Wall Street analysts forecast GOOGL stock price to rise
33 Analyst Rating
26 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 273.500
Low
305.00
Averages
374.25
High
400.00
Current: 273.500
Low
305.00
Averages
374.25
High
400.00
About GOOGL
Alphabet Inc. is a holding company. The Company's segments include Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets. The Google Services segment includes products and services such as ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Google Maps, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. The Google Cloud segment includes infrastructure and platform services, collaboration tools, and other services for enterprise customers. Its Other Bets segment is engaged in the sale of healthcare-related services and Internet services. Its Google Cloud provides enterprise-ready cloud services, including Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace. Google Cloud Platform provides access to solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) offerings, including its AI infrastructure, Vertex AI platform, and Gemini for Google Cloud; cybersecurity, and data and analytics. Google Workspace includes cloud-based communication and collaboration tools for enterprises, such as Calendar, Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Meet.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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See More
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- Staggering Order Volume: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced a staggering $1 trillion order backlog expected by 2027, which not only highlights the immense potential of AI infrastructure demand but also provides the company with multi-year revenue visibility, significantly boosting investor confidence.
- Diverse Clientele: This order volume comes from major hyperscalers, cloud providers, and sovereign governments worldwide, indicating strong demand for Nvidia's GPUs and data center equipment, with deliveries anticipated over the next 12 to 24 months, thereby mitigating revenue risk for the company.
- High Margin Assurance: With these orders locked in at premium pricing, Nvidia's gross margin is expected to remain robust at 71.07%, ensuring not only short-term profitability but also laying a solid foundation for long-term growth.
- Valuation Appeal: Trading at a forward P/E ratio of approximately 22, near its lowest during the AI revolution, Nvidia's $1 trillion backlog suggests that market expectations for future growth may be overly conservative, presenting investors with increased upside opportunities in the early innings of the AI infrastructure era.
See More
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- Market Share Insights: The CMA's findings indicate that Microsoft and Amazon each hold a 30-40% share of the infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) market, highlighting their significant market power which may hinder competition from new entrants.
- Microsoft's Response: Microsoft has committed to working
See More
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- Surge in Capital Expenditures: The Magnificent Seven are projected to spend nearly $700 billion on capital expenditures in 2025, raising concerns among investors about the ability of these companies to deliver strong returns on such massive investments, which has contributed to declining valuations across the group.
- Lowest Valuation for Meta: Meta Platforms currently trades at less than 20 times forward earnings, with a projected 73% increase in capital expenditures for 2026 aimed at supporting AI infrastructure, although its advertising business could benefit from AI applications.
- Investor Confidence Wavers: Despite Meta's success in advertising revenue, investors are concerned about Zuckerberg's investment strategy in AI, particularly after significant losses in its metaverse division, highlighting the need for disciplined investment approaches.
See More
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- Investor Anxiety: While investors remain optimistic about AI's potential, there are concerns regarding the significant spending on AI infrastructure by the 'Magnificent Seven,' with projected capital expenditures nearing $700 billion in 2025, leading to a decline in overall valuations.
- Meta's Low Valuation: Meta Platforms is currently trading at a PE ratio of less than 20 times forward earnings, with projected capital expenditures for 2026 ranging from $115 billion to $135 billion, a 73% increase from last year, primarily aimed at supporting AI infrastructure, raising concerns about investment returns.
- Advertising Business Potential: Meta reported a 24% year-over-year increase in advertising revenue in 2025, highlighting AI's potential in enhancing ad targeting, although investors are wary of Zuckerberg's investment strategies, especially following his significant bet on the metaverse.
- Alphabet's Success: Alphabet's stock has risen over 75% in the past year, successfully overcoming a high-profile lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice, demonstrating the competitiveness of its AI models and positioning itself as a value investment choice within the 'Magnificent Seven,' attracting investor interest.
See More
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- Sector Underperformance: In 2026, the technology sector ranks as the second-worst performer in the S&P 500, with Apple shares down over 10% year-to-date, indicating a broader industry weakness.
- Analyst Optimism: Morgan Stanley analysts project a nearly 28% increase in Apple's stock price over the next 12 months, with about 60% of analysts rating it as a 'buy' or 'strong buy', reflecting strong market confidence in the company.
- Strong Upgrade Demand: Morgan Stanley's Global Smartphone Survey reveals a record high in the number of consumers in the U.S. and China planning to upgrade to new iPhones in the next 12 months, suggesting that Apple is poised to gain market share despite industry challenges.
- Foldable Phone Potential: The survey indicates that 27% of current iPhone users are 'extremely interested' in purchasing a foldable iPhone, with projections suggesting that Apple could more than double the global foldable smartphone market within 18 months of its launch, potentially generating up to $60 billion in annual revenue.
See More
