The S&P 500 gained nearly 8% in the first half of 2026, despite geopolitical tensions, lingering inflation and an energy supply shock. Investors have looked past the negatives to the focus on the one positive that can consistently move markets: earnings.
According to Factset, S&P 500 companies have beat consensus estimates by an average 9.2% over the past four quarters. Stock market outlooks from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab have noted the strong earnings trend and expect it to continue, pushing the S&P 500 even higher by year end. For that reason, the best stocks to buy now focus on large- and mid-cap companies with impressive earnings outlooks.
9 Top Stocks To Buy Now For August 2026
To identify investable companies expected to deliver solid earnings growth, I screened U.S.-traded stocks on:
- Expected 2026 EPS growth of 30% or more. EPS growth for this year is the primary qualifier for this list.
- Expected EPS growth over the next three years of 20% or more. Adding a lengthier EPS growth outlook threshold helps screen out companies that are benefiting from non-recurring circumstances.
- Expected 2026 revenue growth of 15% or more. Earnings growth is often more sustainable when it comes with revenue growth.
- Free cash flow growth of 20% or more. Recent free cash flow gains support the growth story, since cash flow is harder to manipulate than EPS.
- Forward PE ratio below 30. Forward PE ratio shows the relationship between future earnings and the share price. A high forward PE shows investor confidence in the outlook, but it also adds risk. The stock price could be volatile if the company falls short of expectations.
- Market capitalization of $2 billion or more. Larger companies often have more analyst coverage, greater liquidity and more reliable financial reporting.
- More than 10 covering analysts and a consensus buy or strong buy rating. Analysts track their companies over time and can quickly identify opportunities and obstacles.
The nine qualifying companies with the highest expected EPS growth rates are introduced in the table below.
A review of each business follows. Metrics are sourced from company reports and StockAnalysis.com. For more investing ideas, see Best index funds 2026 and Best dividend stocks.
1. Micron Technology (MU)
Micron Technology Business Overview
- Stock price: $848.95
- Expected EPS growth: 785%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 171%
- Expected revenue growth: 247%
- Free cash flow growth: 1,291%
- Forward PE ratio: 5.9
U.S.-based Micron makes computer memory and data storage products that are used in AI data centers and a broad range of products.
Why MU Is A Top Choice
Analysts expect Micron Technology to report a 785% EPS gain for fiscal year 2026, which ends on August 31. Micron reported a 538% EPS in the prior year.
The earnings momentum has been good for MU shareholders. The stock price is up 630% over the past year. That doesn’t mean the window of opportunity has passed, however. The consensus price target still implies 75% upside for MU over the next 12 months.
In the last earnings call, Micron Chairman, President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said, “we are only in the early innings” with respect to AI. Mehrotra predicted MU would increasingly see growth driven by AI-capable smartphones, PCs and other consumer devices, alongside ongoing data center demand.
2. Kodiak Gas Services (KGS)
Kodiak Gas Services Business Overview
- Stock price: $65.19
- Expected EPS growth: 99%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 44%
- Expected revenue growth: 16%
- Free cash flow growth: 450%
- Forward PE ratio: 24.7
Kodiak Gas provides contract compression services to oil and gas producers. Compression increases the pressure of natural gas so it can be moved through pipelines. The company has also moved into the data center power business.
Why KGS Is A Top Choice
Analysts expect Kodiak Gas to increase EPS by 99% in 2026. The gain is supported by strength in the compression business, the 2026 acquisition of Distributed Power Solutions, and the new strategic focus on supplying on-site power to AI data centers.
The DPS acquisition provided Kodiak exposure to digital infrastructure companies. Subsequently, Kodiak announced a multi-year partnership with energy tech provider Baker Hughes to target AI power demand with 1.8 gigawatts of behind-the-meter power.
3. Nvidia (NVDA)
Nvidia Business Overview
- Stock price: $202.81
- Expected EPS growth: 88%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 50%
- Expected revenue growth: 82%
- Free cash flow growth: 65%
- Forward PE ratio: 20.3
Nvidia designs and sells graphics processing units for AI, high-performance computing, robotics, automotive, gaming and other applications. The company was an early breakout winner in the AI race and now owns an estimated 80% of the AI GPU market by revenue.
Why NVDA Is A Top Choice
For the fiscal year ending on January 31, 2027, analysts expect Nvidia to report an 88% EPS increase over the prior year. That follows 59% growth in fiscal year 2026 and 130% growth in fiscal year 2025.
Nvidia turned a first-mover advantage into a recurring growth driver with a substantial competitive moat. The company delivers high-performance products plus an ecosystem of software and development tools that keeps customers coming back. As long as Nvidia continues its pace of innovation, which has historically been effective, competitors will have a tough time making significant inroads against Nvidia’s general-purpose GPUs.
Broadcom Business Overview
- Stock price: $370.83
- Expected EPS growth: 70%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 56%
- Expected revenue growth: 66%
- Free cash flow growth: 44%
- Forward PE ratio: 23.6
Broadcom makes semiconductor-based devices for networking, connectivity, servers, broadband and industrial applications. The company has also emerged as a preferred design partner on custom AI chips, called ASICs.
Why AVGO Is A Top Choice
The consensus EPS growth estimate for Broadcom is 70% for the fiscal year ending on October 31, 2026. New partnerships with major tech players including Google, Meta and OpenAI are driving the optimism. Broadcom works with these companies to design ASICs that are optimized for specific workloads. Examples include Google’s Tensor Processing Unit and Meta’s Meta Training and Inference Accelerator chips.
In March 2026, Broadcom predicted its AI chip revenue would reach $56 billion this fiscal year and grow to $100 billion in fiscal year 2027.
5. Celestica (CLS)
Celestica Business Overview
- Stock price: $301.34
- Expected EPS growth: 70%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 47%
- Expected revenue growth: 55%
- Free cash flow growth: 49%
- Forward PE ratio: 26.8
Celestica designs and builds technology hardware. Its Connectivity & Cloud Solutions business makes AI hardware, cloud computing systems and networking switches. The company also provides hardware manufacturing and supply chain services for aerospace, defense, industrial, health technology and capital equipment customers through its Advanced Technology Solutions operation.
Why CLS Is A Top Choice
Celestica is expected to deliver 70% EPS growth in 2026, following a gain of 56% in 2025. The company’s exposure to AI infrastructure spending is the catalyst. Specifically, strong demand for networking switches and a new AI program with a hyperscaler customer were highlights in the most recent quarter.
CLS has a history of beating consensus estimates and raising its guidance. Over the last four quarters, the company has outperformed the consensus by at least 3.8%.
6. Alamos Gold (AGI)
Alamos Gold Business Overview
- Stock price: $28.26
- Expected EPS growth: 61%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 42%
- Expected revenue growth: 31%
- Free cash flow growth: 84%
- Forward PE ratio: 10.7
Alamos Gold is a Canadian gold producer with high-quality, long-life assets in Canada and Mexico.
Why AGI Is A Top Choice
Analysts expect Alamos Gold to report 61% EPS growth in 2026. It would be the fourth consecutive double-digit EPS gain for the company. Those gains, ranging from 53% to 89%, have been driven by acquisitions, organic growth, exploration and margin expansion.
The company is a proven explorer with high-quality, long-life assets and a deep pipeline of projects. Over the past seven years, its mineral reserves have increased 64%, net of depletions. The company had projected a double-digit production gain for 2026, but that outlook was significantly disrupted by seismic events at the company’s Young-Davidson mine. Other assets in the portfolio are expanding production with attractive cost profiles.
7. Workiva (WK)
Workiva Business Overview
- Stock price: $57.18
- Expected EPS growth: 63%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 35%
- Expected revenue growth: 17%
- Free cash flow growth: 221%
- Forward PE ratio: 19.4
Workiva operates an enterprise software platform used to automate financial reporting across connected documents and data sources, gather and track sustainability data and support audit and risk assessments.
Why WK Is A Top Choice
Workiva is projected to increase its 2026 EPS by 63% from 2025, after an 89% EPS gain in the prior year. The performance would establish the company’s transition into profitability after more than a decade of double-digit revenue gains.
Investor perception of subscription-based software companies has driven the WK stock price down nearly 34% this year. But despite fears that AI would make software platforms obsolete, Workiva continues to announce large customer wins and deliver impressive gross margins. As of the first quarter of 2026, the company’s gross retention rate was 97%—a strong indication that the value proposition of its platform still stands.
8. Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX)
Neurocrine Biosciences Business Overview
- Stock price: $170.88
- Expected EPS growth: 60%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 34%
- Expected revenue growth: 32%
- Free cash flow growth: 69%
- Forward PE ratio: 16.9
Neurocrine Biosciences discovers and develops treatments addressing neurological, neuroendocrine and neuropsychiatric disorders. Medicines include Ingrezza (for movement disorders) and Crenessity (for congenital adrenal hyperplasia). The company also licenses its elagolix compound to AbbVie for commercialization.
Why NBIX Is A Top Choice
Neurocrine Biosciences is expected to increase 2026 EPS by nearly 60% over the prior year. The momentum is driven by the commercial success of Ingrezza and, to a lesser degree, Crenessity. Ingrezza has contributed to several consecutive years of double-digit revenue and free cash flow growth.
Longer-term, the company should benefit from its robust pipeline and the recent acquisition of Soleno Therapeutics. The acquisition included hyperphagia treatment Vykat XR, which has patent protections available through the mid-2040s.
9. Applovin Corporation (APP)
Applovin Business Overview
- Stock price: $424.54
- Expected EPS growth: 56%
- Expected three-year EPS growth: 36%
- Expected revenue growth: 50%
- Free cash flow growth: 72%
- Forward PE ratio: 24.4
Applovin operates an advertising platform for mobile games. The company’s technology uses AI to analyze data and identify users that are more likely to engage with an app or buy products.
Why APP Is A Top Choice
Applovin is projected to produce 2026 EPS growth of 56%, after increasing EPS from $1.92 to $10.64 between 2023 and 2025. The latest earnings boost is expected to come from the continued rollout of its self-service ad platform and an expansion into e-commerce advertising.
Applovin formerly operated two businesses, a portfolio of game studios and the advertising platform. The game studios were divested last year, but not before providing essential data to train the company’s AI advertising algorithms. Now a pure-play ad tech company, Applovin produces free cash flow margins above 70%.
Earnings are driving a strong stock market, and they can do the same for your portfolio. And if you have enough exposure in technology right now, you can find growth in other industries. Gold, biotech and ad tech are three highlighted here. Remember to match the opportunity to your own risk tolerance and investing timeline—that’s how to make the growth work for you.
