Many investors take their lead from the so-called “smart money” in order to avoid market pitfalls and tap into outsized returns. This involves combing through analyst reports to see what the biggest shops on Wall Street are buying, and why.
There’s no guarantee that even the “strong buy” stocks that are identified by market pros are going to go up, and there are plenty of cases where the analyst community was dead wrong. But that said, these ratings can provide a strong indicator of sentiment as well as details on the overall investment thesis that many investors may be following right now.
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The following seven stocks are all “strong buys” at five or more Wall Street firms, and have zero sell ratings at present. They are also big and established names with broad followings, so there’s no risk that you’re buying into the hype of just one or two shops:
| Stock | Sector | Market value |
| Boston Scientific Corp. (ticker: BSX) | Health care | $152 billion |
| DexCom Inc. (DXCM) | Health care | $34 billion |
| Meta Platforms Inc. (META) | Communication services | $1.6 trillion |
| Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) | Technology | $3.2 trillion |
| United Airlines Holdings Inc. (UAL) | Industrials | $27 billion |
| Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) | Consumer discretionary | $2.2 trillion |
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | Consumer staples | $774 billion |
Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX)
Sector: Health care Market value: $152 billion
Boston Scientific manufactures medical devices for use by health care professionals worldwide, including coronary stents, spinal cord stimulators and endoscopy equipment. These specialized items see strong and persistent demand as they can literally help doctors save patient lives, and will not see a decline in use even if there are broader headwinds for the U.S. economy. Recent Wall Street ratings for BSX include seven “strong buy” recommendations and 23 “buy” ratings, with Barclays, Needham and RBC capital all reiterating their positive outlook for the stock in April.
DexCom Inc. (DXCM)
Sector: Health care Market value: $34 billion
Medical device company DexCom is not as well known or as entrenched as some of the more familiar names on this list, but its special focus on glucose monitoring systems and solutions for diabetics is a tremendous corner of the marketplace to be in right now. After all, more than 11% of the U.S. has diabetes — and worldwide, the International Diabetes Federation has projected that by 2045, roughly 1 in 8 adults around the globe will suffer from the disease. This tailwind is one big reason you’ll find an army of DXCM believers on Wall Street, including five “strong buy” ratings and 18 “buy” rating or equivalent.
Meta Platforms Inc. (META)
Sector:
Communication services Market value: $1.6 trillion
With a ton of analysts covering Facebook parent Meta, the overall positive outlook is perhaps even more impressive given how many analysts the firm needs to win over. In fact, the firm boasts 13 “strong buy” or equivalent ratings, and 47 more “buy” ratings on top of that. CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s public presence at the inauguration of President Donald Trump, coupled with earnings that show strong revenue growth and improved profitability, help put some strong sentiment alongside strong numbers for META stock right now.
[Read: 10 Best Growth Stocks to Buy for 2025]
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
Sector: Technology Market value: $3.2 trillion
A semiconductor giant and a Wall Street darling for good reason, NVDA stock has surged almost 1,500% in the past five years to become one of the three largest corporations listed on U.S. exchanges. And based on the analyst community’s recent ratings, which include 12 “strong buy” recommendations, and 43 more “buy” ratings, Nvidia isn’t done just yet. That includes “outperform” or equivalent ratings from Piper Sandler, Cantor Fitzgerald and Raymond James — all within the last month or so.
United Airlines Holdings Inc. (UAL)
Sector: Industrials Market value: $27 billion
While airlines can be cyclical and tied to broader consumer and business spending, Wall Street pros seem to like what they see with UAL right now. The company’s first-quarter earnings exceeded expectations, including an earlier-than-expected return to profitability, and it expects strong results for the full year 2025 as a result. Shares are admittedly underwater since Jan. 1, but the firm has won over analysts lately. That includes six “strong buy” ratings and 15 more “buy” ratings or equivalent, with positive outlooks from TD Cowen and Susquehanna issued in April.
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)
Sector: Consumer discretionary Market value: $2.2 trillion
Though admittedly exposed to consumer spending trends and global supply chain issues, Amazon is such a dominant force that it’s hard to keep it down. That’s why Wall Street is still quite bullish on the stock despite tariff uncertainties, with 19 “strong buy” recommendations and 47 more “buy” ratings or equivalent. That includes an “overweight” rating from Cantor Fitzgerald at the beginning of May after strong earnings that showed double-digit net sales growth. So while shares are still slightly in the red so far this calendar year, it’s clear that this e-commerce king still has a lot of fans on Wall Street.
Walmart Inc. (WMT)
Sector: Consumer staples Market value: $774 billion
What’s not to like about Walmart, a company with unrivaled scale in the brick-and-mortar part of retail and an e-commerce business that is second only to Amazon? The company also has a strong defensive stance as it’s known as a low-cost leader as well as one of the largest grocery stores on the planet for those workaday staples purchases, including food and personal care products. Wall Street loves the reliability of Walmart, with 12 “strong buy” ratings and 27 more “buy” ratings on the stock, including top marks from RBC, Truist and Oppenheimer in early May.
[Read: 7 Best Defense Stocks to Buy Now]
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7 “Strong Buy” Stocks originally appeared on usnews.com
