Best Stocks to Buy Now

Quick answer: As of May 29, 2026, these are seven stocks Belanger Trading’s research desk believes are worth watching right now, chosen for market leadership, current catalysts, and risk/reward — from the AI leaders to a monthly-paying dividend stock to a name we’d rather watch for a pullback before acting. This is a research watchlist, not a list of buy orders.

Last updated: May 29, 2026 — Belanger Trading updates this page as market conditions, earnings, valuation, and risk/reward change. Market and earnings data as of May 29, 2026.

What this list is — and what it isn’t

The question investors ask most often is some version of: what should I be looking at right now? This page is our answer.

Most “best stocks” lists are just a pile of popular tickers. That is not how Belanger Trading builds a watchlist. We look for where real spending, real earnings, real market leadership, and reasonable risk/reward are lining up — what still deserves a spot on the watchlist, not what’s loudest on the screen today.

These are stocks Belanger Trading believes are worth watching now based on market leadership, catalysts, risk/reward, and where investor attention is moving. That is the whole job of the list — a researched starting point, not a finish line. Nothing here is a “buy all seven today” instruction. Each name is a watch candidate with a real, specific risk attached, and your own situation decides what you do with it.

The themes are the ones moving the market: the AI build-out and the chips behind it, the data-center and nuclear-power demand that build-out creates, mega-cap tech that keeps compounding, a beaten-down name that may be turning, an income sleeve for the “protect my money” side of you, and a couple of higher-upside ideas where the risk is visible.

Every great trade or investment starts with deep research. Treat the seven below as the start of yours.

The 7 stocks worth watching now

Honorable mentions worth keeping on the radar: MSFT (Microsoft), AMZN (Amazon), and VICI (VICI Properties) as a second income idea.

Where each name stands right now

A stance is editorial positioning — how we’d frame the setup today — not personalized advice. “Watch” means the thesis is intact and we’re tracking it; “buy on pullbacks” means we like the name more after weakness than after a vertical run; “wait for pullback” means the story is good but the entry looks poor here. None of these is a recommendation to buy for your situation.

What changed this month

The biggest shift is that the AI trade is broadening. Nvidia is still the leader, but attention is spreading to the companies building the infrastructure around AI — the custom chips, the data platforms, the software, and the power to run all of it. That is why this list reaches past Nvidia to Broadcom, Snowflake, Palantir, and Constellation Energy: the market is starting to pay for the picks-and-shovels layer, not just the headline name.

The second theme is quality. With major indexes near highs, the bar for a watch candidate goes up, not down. A list built for this market leans toward names with real earnings power, durable demand, or a specific reason to stay on the radar — not lottery tickets. That is why a membership compounder (Costco) and a monthly-dividend REIT (Realty Income) sit alongside the AI names: when prices are full, durability earns its place.

How Belanger chooses what’s worth watching

A name earns a spot on this watchlist when it clears four questions. Our full methodology goes deeper; the short version:

• Market leadership. Is this a leader in a theme that’s driving the market, or a follower hoping to catch the wave?
• A current catalyst. Is there a real, recent reason the name matters now — an earnings result, a deal, a guidance change — not just an old story?
• Risk/reward. What do you give up if you’re wrong, versus what you make if you’re right? A great company at an indefensible price is not a great watch.
• Where attention is moving. Money flows toward themes in waves. We watch where the next wave is heading, not where it already crested.

A name has to clear all four — and the moment a catalyst plays out or a risk turns real, it can come off. This is the first published version of this list; future updates will track how prior picks fared.

1. Nvidia (NVDA) — the AI leader

What the company does. Nvidia designs the graphics and AI chips that train and run the world’s large AI models. Its data-center GPUs are the hardware most of the AI boom is built on.

Why it made the list. Nvidia is the clearest leader in the single biggest theme in the market, and the latest numbers back it up. In its fiscal Q1 2027 (the quarter ended April 26, 2026), Nvidia reported record revenue of $81.6 billion, up 85% year over year, with data-center revenue of $75.2 billion, up 92%. It guided the next quarter to about $91 billion and raised its dividend. That is the catalyst: demand for AI compute is still accelerating, not fading.

The bull case.

• Data-center revenue nearly doubled year over year and still grew double digits sequentially — the build-out has not slowed.
• Forward guidance points to continued acceleration, not a plateau.
• Even after a huge run, the stock trades in the low-20s on forward earnings, cheaper than AMD on that measure — not the bubble multiple some assume.

The risk. Expectations are the risk. Despite the record quarter, the stock fell after the report — the fourth straight quarter it slipped on a beat-and-raise, because so much strength is already priced in. Add China export uncertainty and heavy reliance on a handful of hyperscaler customers, and a great business can still be a frustrating stock if the AI capex cycle cools.

What to watch next. The next quarterly report and whether data-center growth keeps its pace; any change in China export policy; and signs that big cloud customers are trimming AI capital spending. A clear slowdown in hyperscaler capex would change the view.

The Belanger Take. Nvidia is still the AI king, but the easy money may be behind it — the setup looks better on pullbacks than after vertical moves. Worth watching as the purest leader in the defining theme of the decade; the real question is whether you’re paying up for leadership or chasing a crowded trade.

2. Broadcom (AVGO) — AI infrastructure

What the company does. Broadcom makes custom AI chips and networking gear for the largest cloud companies, and owns VMware, the software that runs much of corporate America’s private-cloud infrastructure.

Why it made the list. If Nvidia sells the AI engine, Broadcom sells a lot of the plumbing around it — and increasingly, custom chips designed for specific customers. In fiscal Q1 2026, Broadcom reported total revenue of $19.31 billion, with AI semiconductor revenue of $8.4 billion, up 106% year over year. Management pointed to a roughly $73 billion AI order backlog and said it has line of sight to AI chip revenue above $100 billion in 2027.

The bull case.

• AI revenue more than doubled year over year, with a backlog that gives unusual visibility into future quarters.
• Broadcom has reportedly broadened its custom-silicon customer base beyond its earliest anchor clients, diversifying away from reliance on any single buyer.
• VMware’s shift to subscriptions adds a high-margin, recurring software layer on top of the chip story.

The risk. Broadcom’s AI growth leans on a small group of giant customers building their own chips. If even one hyperscaler slows its custom-silicon program or pulls it in-house differently than expected, the backlog can shrink fast. The stock also carries a premium valuation that assumes the 2027 targets land.

What to watch next. Whether the AI backlog keeps growing each quarter, the pace of VMware’s subscription conversion, and any commentary on customer concentration. A stalling backlog or a lost custom-silicon customer would change the view.

The Belanger Take. Broadcom may be one of the cleaner ways to play AI infrastructure without buying the most obvious name on the board. Worth watching as the “second derivative” of the AI trade — but the customer-concentration risk is real and deserves a close read before the backlog gets the benefit of the doubt.

3. Snowflake (SNOW) — the comeback / mispriced name

What the company does. Snowflake runs a cloud data platform companies use to store, share and analyze huge amounts of data — and, increasingly, to build AI on top of that data.

Why it made the list. This is the turnaround slot. After roughly a year of a sliding stock and slowing growth, Snowflake’s fiscal Q1 2027 results (reported May 27, 2026) marked a real inflection: product revenue of $1.33 billion, up 34% year over year, total revenue of $1.39 billion, a net revenue retention rate of 126%, and raised full-year product guidance to $5.84 billion. It also committed to spend $6 billion on AWS infrastructure over five years — its largest cloud commitment to date, to scale GPU and Graviton capacity for AI. Read that as a confidence signal and a deeper AWS partnership, not as new revenue: it is money Snowflake is spending, a cost as much as a vote of confidence. CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy called the quarter “a clear inflection point” for AI on the platform.

The bull case.

• Growth re-accelerated to the mid-30s on product revenue after a long deceleration — the trend reversed.
• Net revenue retention back at 126% means existing customers are spending meaningfully more, a sign the AI features are landing.
• The fear that AI would replace Snowflake’s data model is being replaced by evidence that AI is driving more usage of it.

The risk. Snowflake’s usage-based model means revenue can soften quickly if customers optimize spending, and the stock had been falling for about a year precisely because growth slowed. One strong quarter is an inflection, not a guarantee — and the valuation has already rebuilt a lot of optimism. This is the highest-variance “value” idea on the list.

What to watch next. Whether the next quarter confirms the re-acceleration, the adoption curve for its AI products, and net revenue retention holding above 125%. A relapse to slowing growth would change the view.

The Belanger Take. Snowflake is not a proven AI winner yet, but it is back on the watchlist because AI needs usable data, not just chips. Worth watching as a “show me the second quarter” comeback — the inflection is real, but you’re watching to confirm a trend, not to assume it.

4. Costco (COST) — defensive quality

What the company does. Costco runs membership warehouse clubs. Most of its profit comes from annual membership fees, which makes its earnings unusually steady.

Why it made the list. This is the “protect my money” anchor among individual stocks. In fiscal Q3 2026 (reported May 28, 2026), Costco posted net sales of $69.15 billion, up 11.6%, comparable sales up 9.8% (6.6% excluding gas and currency), and earnings of $4.93 per share, up 15%. Membership fee income rose to $1.37 billion, up 10.7%, with a U.S. and Canada renewal rate of 92.2%. Members keep renewing at over 90%, in good markets and bad.

The bull case.

• The membership model produces recurring, high-visibility profit that holds up when the economy wobbles.
• Comparable sales are still growing high single digits before fuel and currency — real demand, not just inflation.
• Renewal rates above 92% are the closest thing in retail to a subscription moat.

The risk. Quality isn’t free. Costco trades at a rich multiple for a retailer, which means a stumble — a weak quarter, a renewal-rate dip, margin pressure — can hit the stock harder than the steady business would suggest. You’re paying up for reliability, and the stock dipped even on this strong report.

What to watch next. The renewal rate (any move below ~92%), comparable-sales trends excluding gas, and whether the premium valuation compresses on a soft quarter. A renewal-rate decline would change the view.

The Belanger Take. Costco is rarely cheap, but quality rarely is — this is the kind of stock you watch when you want durability, not fireworks. About as steady a business as you’ll find; the only real argument is the price.

5. Realty Income (O) — income / dividend

What the company does. Realty Income is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns thousands of freestanding, single-tenant commercial properties leased on long, net-lease terms. It pays its dividend every month — the reason it trademarked the name “The Monthly Dividend Company.”

Why it made the list. Not every name worth watching is a high-growth stock. Realty Income is the income sleeve — the part of a watchlist built to pay you while you wait, in cash, monthly. As of May 29, 2026 it yields roughly 5%, and it has paid more than 655 consecutive monthly dividends since its 1994 listing and raised the payout for 31+ straight years as an S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrat — including its 114th consecutive quarterly increase, announced March 2026. A monthly check that has only ever gone up is a rare thing.

The bull case.

• Pays monthly, not quarterly — income that actually matches how bills arrive.
• A 31-year, 655-plus-month record of paying and raising the dividend, through multiple recessions — durability you can underwrite.
• Long net leases (tenants cover taxes, insurance, maintenance) make the rent stream unusually predictable, and it balances a watchlist full of high-multiple AI names with something that pays cash.

The risk. Realty Income is a rate-sensitive REIT: when long-term rates rise, the share price tends to fall, and a high payout means total return leans on the dividend rather than big capital gains. Its tenant base skews toward retail, so a wave of store closures or a weak consumer would pressure occupancy. Like any equity, it drops in a broad selloff — and it will badly lag the AI names in a tech-led rally.

What to watch next. Occupancy (historically very high), AFFO-per-share growth, dividend coverage, and the path of long-term interest rates. A deterioration in dividend coverage, or a sustained rise in rates, would change the view.

The Belanger Take. Realty Income is an income idea, not a growth-stock substitute — the dividend matters, but rates still drive the story. Worth watching as the income anchor: a name that pays you every month while you wait, with a track record that earned the benefit of the doubt. Own it for durable income, not for a rally.

6. Palantir (PLTR) — the smaller high-upside name

What the company does. Palantir builds software that helps governments and large companies pull their data together and act on it — and its newer AI platform (AIP) lets customers put AI to work on that data.

Why it made the list. This is the high-upside, high-risk slot. Palantir’s Q1 2026 (reported May 4, 2026) showed revenue up 85% year over year to $1.63 billion, U.S. commercial revenue up 133%, and a raised full-year guide to roughly $7.66 billion, about 71% growth. Its Rule of 40 score hit 145% — rare territory that combines fast growth with strong margins.

The bull case.

• U.S. commercial revenue is growing triple digits — Palantir is no longer just a government contractor; the commercial business is the growth engine.
• Profitable growth at this rate is unusual; the Rule of 40 figure puts it alongside a small group of elite software and chip names.
• The AI-software story has a long runway if enterprises keep buying the platform.

The risk. Valuation is the entire bear case. Palantir trades at one of the richest multiples in software, so the stock can fall hard even on a great quarter — it dropped after this report despite 85% growth. Any deceleration in commercial growth, or a rotation away from expensive names, hits PLTR more than most. This is a watch candidate, not a core holding for the cautious.

What to watch next. U.S. commercial growth staying triple-digit, net new commercial customer counts, and whether the valuation premium holds up if growth slows even slightly. A clear deceleration in commercial revenue would change the view.

The Belanger Take. Palantir has the story, the momentum, and the believers — which also means the stock can punish late buyers. Worth watching as the swing-for-upside name: extraordinary growth, extraordinary valuation. If you watch it, watch the commercial-growth line above all, and remember the price already assumes a lot goes right.

7. Constellation Energy (CEG) — wait for a pullback

What the company does. Constellation is the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States. It sells carbon-free electricity — increasingly, directly to the data centers powering the AI boom.

Why it made the list — and why it’s the wait-for-a-pullback name. CEG sits at the intersection of two themes: AI and energy. Data centers need enormous, reliable power, and nuclear is one of the few sources that can deliver it around the clock. Constellation has signed standout deals — a partnership with Microsoft to restart the Three Mile Island plant and a 20-year agreement with Meta to keep an Illinois reactor running — and completed a roughly $26.6 billion acquisition of Calpine that adds 23 GW of capacity and is projected to drive about 20% EPS growth in 2026.

Here’s the honest part: the story is excellent and the stock knows it. CEG has run up roughly 40% over the past year and trades at a forward P/E around 24 — well above the mid-to-high-teens typical of regulated utilities. That’s why it’s the wait-for-a-pullback slot, not a chase-it-here name.

The bull case.

• It owns scarce, hard-to-replace nuclear capacity exactly when AI data centers are bidding up reliable power.
• Long-term contracts with hyperscalers turn that capacity into predictable, multi-decade revenue.
• The Calpine deal expands its footprint into Texas and California and is expected to add meaningfully to earnings.

The risk. The stock has priced in a lot of the good news and trades at a premium to utility peers, so it can fall sharply on any disappointment — the shares have already pulled back around 12% off recent highs, a reminder of how a premium name reacts when sentiment cools. Nuclear projects also carry regulatory, restart-timeline, and execution risk, and the Calpine integration is a large undertaking.

What to watch next. A meaningful pullback toward a more reasonable valuation, progress on the Three Mile Island restart, the Calpine integration, and any new hyperscaler power contracts. Buying after a big run, before any pullback, is the trap to avoid here.

The Belanger Take. The AI-power thesis is real; the question is whether the stock already reflects too much of it. Worth watching on weakness, not chasing on strength — the time to do the work and decide your entry is before the next pullback, so you’re ready if it comes rather than paying the premium today.

Honorable mentions

Three more names on the radar that didn’t take a numbered slot:

VICI Properties (VICI). A second income name worth considering alongside Realty Income — an experiential REIT that owns the real estate under marquee casinos and gaming venues on long, triple-net leases. As of May 29, 2026 it yields roughly 6.4%, and the standout fact is its durability: VICI has reported 100% rent collection since its 2018 IPO — straight through the COVID shutdowns, when its tenants kept paying in full and on time, and it has raised the dividend eight years running. A landlord that didn’t miss a beat during the worst stretch for its industry is worth watching.

Microsoft (MSFT). The other mega-cap AI compounder. In fiscal Q3 2026, Microsoft reported revenue of $82.9 billion, up 18%, with Azure growing about 40% and an AI revenue run-rate near $37 billion. Worth watching because it monetizes AI across cloud, software and Copilot at once — the catch is a ~$190 billion capital-spending plan for 2026 the market wants to see pay off.

Amazon (AMZN). AWS is reaccelerating. In Q1 2026, Amazon posted revenue of $181.5 billion, AWS growth of 28% (its fastest in 15 quarters), and record operating income of $23.9 billion. Worth watching for cloud reacceleration, a fast-growing $17 billion ad business, and the best retail margins in its history.

Stocks we like but would not chase here

A great company can still be a poor entry. Belanger Trading separates the company from the setup: a strong story can turn into a bad trade when investors pay too much for it. Two names on this list fit that description right now — we like the business, we just wouldn’t reach for the shares after the run they’ve had.

• Constellation Energy (CEG). The clearest case. Nuclear power for AI data centers is a real, durable thesis, but the stock has run hard and trades at a premium to utility peers. We’d rather research now and watch for a better entry than pay up after a big move. This is the wait-for-a-pullback name on the list, not a chase-it-here name.
• Costco (COST). A business we’d defend in almost any market — but the multiple already prices in the durability. Even a strong quarter has dipped the stock, because the bar is so high. We like it as a steady compounder to own through cycles; we’d be more interested adding on weakness than paying the full premium after a strong report.

Saying “great company, wrong price” is the opposite of cheerleading — and it’s the whole point of watching a name instead of buying it on sight.

Options angle

Some of these names may be better watched through the options market than chased outright — especially the expensive or volatile ones. Two ways the options market can help:

• As a positioning clue. Unusual options activity can hint at where larger traders are leaning before it shows up in the share price. We treat it as one signal among several — never a reason to act on its own — but it’s a useful read on names like NVDA, PLTR, or CEG where sentiment swings fast. (More on how we read it on our unusual options activity page.)
• As a way to express a view. For a stock you’d only want at a lower price, the options market offers ways to wait and get paid. A cash-secured put is one approach — but be honest about what it is: the cash you set aside doesn’t remove the risk, it funds it. You still carry stock-like downside if the name falls hard, with your upside capped at the premium. When the goal is collecting premium with a known maximum loss and more efficient use of capital, we generally prefer a defined-risk put spread.

This doesn’t make every stock on this list an options trade. It means the options market is one more clue — not a substitute for the research above.

How to use this list

A watchlist is a starting point, not a shopping list. Three rules:

• This is research, not advice. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy a specific stock for your situation. Use it to decide what to study, then make your own call.
• Size your own positions. A high-upside name like PLTR and a steady income name like O do not belong at the same position size. Decide how much you can afford to be wrong on before you act.
• Keep watchlist discipline. Write down why a name is on your list and what would take it off. When the reason changes — a catalyst plays out, a risk turns real — revisit. A watchlist you never update is just a list of old ideas.

How we update this list

Belanger Trading updates this page as market conditions, earnings, valuation, and risk/reward change. A name comes off the list for one of three reasons:

1. The thesis breaks. The reason it was here — the catalyst, the leadership, the growth — no longer holds.
2. The stock runs too far, too fast. A good company at an indefensible price stops being a good watch.
3. A better opportunity replaces it. Capital and attention are finite; a stronger setup can bump a weaker one.

This is a watchlist, not a permanent endorsement. The “Last updated” date near the top reflects the most recent revision.

Find stocks by what you’re looking for

Looking for something more specific than a general watchlist? These pages go deeper by theme:

• Best AI stocks — the chipmakers, infrastructure and software names riding the AI build-out
• Cheap stocks to buy now — lower-priced and beaten-down names worth a closer look
• Best dividend stocks — income-focused ideas for the steady side of a portfolio
• Best stocks for covered calls — names that work well if you sell covered calls for extra income

Frequently asked questions

What are the best stocks to buy right now? There’s no single answer that fits everyone — which is why we frame this as a watchlist, not a buy list. As of May 29, 2026, the seven worth watching now, by our read, are Nvidia (NVDA), Broadcom (AVGO), Snowflake (SNOW), Costco (COST), Realty Income (O), Palantir (PLTR) and Constellation Energy (CEG), each chosen for a specific reason with a specific risk, explained above.

Are these buy recommendations? No. This is research, not personalized investment advice. Each name is a watch candidate with a real risk attached. What you buy, hold or pass on depends on your goals, time horizon and risk tolerance — decisions only you (and, ideally, a licensed advisor) can make.

How often is this list updated? Weekly, and sooner when a major earnings report, deal, or market move changes the picture. The “Last updated” date near the top reflects the most recent revision; the data-as-of date tells you how current the figures are.

What’s the best AI stock to watch here? For a pure leader, Nvidia (NVDA) is the most direct way to watch the AI data-center build-out. For a different angle, Broadcom (AVGO) offers custom AI chips and networking with a large order backlog. Both carry premium valuations.

What’s the best dividend pick on this list? Realty Income (O) — “The Monthly Dividend Company,” a net-lease REIT yielding around 5% (as of May 29, 2026) that has paid 655-plus consecutive monthly dividends since 1994 and raised the payout for 31-plus straight years. Built for the steady, income side of a portfolio rather than maximum growth.

Why is Constellation Energy a “wait for a pullback” pick? CEG has the strongest story-meets-stock setup on the list — nuclear power for AI data centers — but the shares have run up sharply and trade at a premium to utility peers. We’d rather research now and watch for a better entry than chase the name after a big run.

Get the free Belanger Trading watchlist

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Last updated: May 29, 2026 — Belanger Trading updates this page as market conditions, earnings, valuation, and risk/reward change.

What this page is not

Belanger Trading publishes research and analysis for informational purposes. Nothing on this page is personalized investment advice. The stocks above are watch candidates we’re researching, not recommendations to buy for your specific situation. Investing involves risk, including the loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. As of publication, neither Belanger Trading nor its research desk discloses a position in the securities discussed unless stated otherwise on this page.

Sources

• Nvidia Q1 FY2027 results and stock reaction — CNBC, May 20, 2026; Yahoo Finance, May 2026; CNBC, May 21, 2026; valuation context — The Motley Fool, May 22, 2026
• Broadcom Q1 FY2026 AI revenue and backlog — FinancialContent, March 2026; TIKR; customer list and XPU momentum — Futurum Group
• Snowflake Q1 FY2027 results and AWS deal — Yahoo Finance, May 2026; CEO commentary — The Motley Fool transcript, May 27, 2026
• Costco Q3 FY2026 results — CNBC, May 28, 2026; membership and renewal figures — StockTitan
• Realty Income (O) monthly dividend, 655+ consecutive monthly payments, 31-year Aristocrat streak, 114th consecutive quarterly increase (March 2026) — SEC 8-K, Q1 2026; Realty Income dividend history
• VICI Properties (VICI) ~6.4% yield, 100% rent collection since 2018 IPO including through COVID, 8 consecutive annual dividend increases — VICI dividend history; SEC 8-K, Q1 2026
• Palantir Q1 2026 results and guidance — BusinessWire, May 2026; Rule of 40 and stock reaction — CNBC, May 4, 2026; Investing.com, May 2026
• Constellation Energy AI-power deals and Calpine acquisition — Yahoo Finance Energy; Yahoo Finance Energy; one-year run and expansion — Yahoo Finance Energy; valuation and recent pullback — stockanalysis.com; Simply Wall St
• Microsoft Q3 FY2026 results — CNBC, April 29, 2026; capex plan — Yahoo Finance, May 2026
• Amazon Q1 2026 results — CNBC, April 29, 2026