5 Strong Stocks Worth Watching in Early 2026: A Guide Based on Analyst Recommendations

As 2026 unfolds, investors face a critical question: which stocks are positioned for success amid ongoing economic uncertainty? The answer increasingly lies in following the detailed research conducted by professional analysts. Among the stocks to keep an eye on this year, five names have emerged as particularly compelling based on broker recommendations and fundamental improvements in earnings projections. These are Bunge Global SA (BG), Air Canada (ACDVF), Adient (ADNT), Arrow Electronics (ARW), and ChargePoint Holdings (CHPT).

Why 2025 Taught Us to Be Smarter About Stock Selection

The year 2025 told a familiar story: optimism followed by disappointment. Markets began with strong momentum as investors anticipated significant gains. However, that confidence quickly eroded. Competition from affordable AI solutions overseas, mounting trade uncertainties, persistent inflation pressures, and elevated borrowing costs created a challenging environment. As the year progressed and trade tensions eased somewhat, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times—a move that temporarily restored investor confidence. Yet this relief proved short-lived. Government spending delays and stretched valuations in the AI sector reignited concerns, leaving many portfolios underwater.

This volatility doesn’t mean investors should abandon stocks entirely. Rather, it highlights why professional guidance matters. Investors who simply followed broad-market strategies suffered through sharp swings. Those who relied on carefully researched stock picks from credible analysts fared better. The lesson: in uncertain times, knowing which stocks to keep an eye on makes all the difference.

The Professional Advantage: Why Analyst Recommendations Matter

Here’s what individual investors often overlook: professional analysts have advantages most retail traders lack. They attend company earnings calls and management presentations, dive deep into financial filings, and maintain ongoing dialogue with company leadership. This access to detailed information allows them to identify companies positioned for outperformance before the broader market recognizes it.

Analysts also combine quantitative rigor with qualitative insight. They don’t just look at current valuations—they examine earnings trajectory, management execution, competitive positioning, and macro tailwinds. By following stocks that attract analyst upgrades and positive earnings revisions, investors gain access to this professional-grade research without conducting it themselves.

The Selection Framework: How to Identify Quality Stocks

The five stocks featured here were identified using a disciplined screening process that combines three key elements:

Improving Analyst Sentiment: The selection prioritized companies receiving net positive rating changes from research firms over the past four weeks. This metric identifies when professional opinion is shifting favorably toward a name.

Rising Earnings Expectations: For stocks to keep an eye on, improving analyst forecasts matter as much as current valuations. Companies seeing upward revisions to quarterly earnings estimates demonstrate momentum in fundamentals, not just sentiment.

Reasonable Valuations: The price-to-sales ratio serves as a crucial filter. Lower ratios indicate companies trading at discounts relative to their revenue generation, suggesting a margin of safety. These five stocks all rank in the bottom 10% of the market on this metric, meaning they offer value alongside their positive catalysts.

Additional screening criteria included trading volume (ensuring liquidity) and market capitalization (focusing on established companies). The result: five names worth monitoring closely.

Five Quality Companies Positioned for Growth

Bunge: This global agriculture and food producer is executing a strategic transformation centered on its Viterra acquisition. The merger significantly expands Bunge’s ability to source crops globally, process them efficiently, and move products through integrated logistics networks. Management is laser-focused on capturing merger synergies, streamlining the portfolio, and deploying capital wisely—all designed to improve cash generation and reduce earnings volatility across agricultural cycles. The company has beaten earnings estimates in three of the past four quarters, with an average beat of 11.75%. It currently carries a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Air Canada: The airline sector has caught a powerful tailwind from surging travel demand and declining fuel costs. Both represent genuine tailwinds for margins and profitability. Analyst estimates for Air Canada’s 2026 sales and earnings have jumped 7.1% and 98.9% respectively, year-over-year—a dramatic upward revision reflecting this improving outlook. The carrier beat estimates in two of the past four quarters with a 0.66% average beat. It carries a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Adient: As one of the world’s largest automotive seating suppliers, Adient benefits from a winning combination: broad product offerings, a diverse customer base, and significant international presence. These attributes create competitive moats and recurring revenue streams. Recent business wins continue to arrive, signaling that customers view Adient’s technology and cost structure as superior. The company beat earnings estimates in two of four recent quarters with a 23.62% average beat—an impressive track record. Adient holds a Zacks Rank of #3.

Arrow Electronics: This New York-based distributor stands as one of the world’s largest suppliers of electronic components and computing infrastructure. Arrow’s real strength lies in providing superior service and access to cutting-edge technologies. That positioning should support sustained growth as digital transformation accelerates across industries. Arrow has delivered positive earnings surprises in all four of the most recent quarters, averaging a 14.6% beat. With a projected three to five year EPS growth rate of 10.7%, the company demonstrates consistent execution. It holds a Zacks Rank of #3.

ChargePoint: Electric vehicles are reshaping transportation, and ChargePoint owns a central position in this structural shift. The company operates the largest EV charging network globally, with access to more than 1.3 million charging ports spanning North America and Europe. That scale translates to over 16 billion electric miles powered—a testament to market penetration. ChargePoint recently launched its next-generation software platform, enabling charging station operators to monitor performance in real-time, adjust pricing dynamically, and respond instantly to customer needs. This technology advantage should drive recurring software revenue as the EV installed base grows. Earnings projections for ChargePoint’s fiscal 2026 and 2027 suggest year-over-year improvements of 32.4% and 35.8% respectively. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

Building a Stronger Portfolio for 2026

Individual investors needn’t navigate this complex landscape alone. Stocks to keep an eye on often emerge from the same disciplined research processes that professionals employ. Following analyst recommendations—especially when combined with fundamental momentum signals like earnings estimate improvements and reasonable valuations—tilts the odds in investors’ favor.

The five stocks featured here represent a starting point. Each demonstrates improving analyst sentiment, positive earnings momentum, and reasonable valuations relative to their revenue generation. Whether added to an existing portfolio or serving as the foundation for a new allocation, they merit close monitoring as 2026 unfolds.

The key to investment success has never been complex. It requires identifying quality companies, understanding why professional analysts favor them, and maintaining a disciplined approach to valuation. In 2026, these principles matter more than ever.