Top 10 Best Stocks to Buy Now: Apr 2024

Everyone wants a hack to find the best stocks to buy right now.

Hate to burst your bubble, but there isn’t one. At the end of the day, you’re the one who has to live with your investment decisions — so it’s in your best interest to do your own due diligence before plunking down your cash on any ticker.

That said, plenty of trusted pros do have opinions on the top stocks to buy now — and you can use that information to make more informed choices.

Why should you have to do all the hard work? I’ve scoured the internet to find some of the best stocks to buy now, according to experts. Let’s go:

At-a-Glance: The Best Stocks to Buy Now*

Want to glance at what stocks you should get today and dash? This list is what you need:

1. Hudson Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: HDSN)
2. Mks Instruments Inc (NASDAQ: MKSI)
3. Backblaze Inc (NASDAQ: BLZE)
4. Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: ARCT)
5. First Solar Inc (NASDAQ: FSLR)
6. Paypal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: PYPL)
7. Patrick Industries Inc (NASDAQ: PATK)
8. Tempur Sealy International Inc. (NYSE: TPX)
9. Equifax Inc (NYSE: EFX)
10. Take Two Software Interactive Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO)

* Your investments are solely your responsibility. Your capital is at risk.

Top Stocks to Buy Now: Before You Trade

As I said earlier, there’s no shortcut to stock market success. You’re responsible for your own trades, so it’s worth taking the time to “build a case” for every trade.

As such, here are a few best practices that every investor should keep in mind before trading:

Consider the market

When it comes to investing, market conditions matter. A lot. For instance, is the market in a sharp downtrend? It might not be the time to enter a new position. In general, the best time to invest is when the market is in a definite and confirmed uptrend.

Have a plan in place

Before you take a position in a stock, take a little pause and consider your objectives. First, why do you think it’s a good idea to take a position? Second, do you want to put a cap on potential losses — and if so, what’s your “sell” price?

Don’t trade solely based on alerts or stock picks

 I know, weird thing to say on a stock watchlist. But here’s the thing. A stock pick — even an expert stock pick — should never be taken as a blind “buy” signal.

You don’t know what skin they have in the game (though, for the record, I do not hold positions in any of the stocks mentioned in this article).

You don’t know what criteria they’re looking for. In short, there’s a lot you don’t know. So while you can use stock picks as a guide, back them up with your own research.

April 2024: Top Stocks to Buy Now (and Why)

There are too many stocks to keep track of on your own. You need a system, and you need recommendations. For the system, WallStreetZen has you covered. For the recommendations, why not start with these ten? They’re all recommended by top analysts and have compelling reasons to add them to your portfolio, as we’ll soon explore.

This list was researched using WallStreetZen Premium tools.

1. Hudson Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: HDSN)

Known primarily for refrigerant services, Hudson Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: HDSN) has been on the rise, gaining 41.80% over the last year. Yet it is still a great stock to consider for the longer term. It has a high Zen Score of 64, well above the industry average and indicative of strong fundamentals that make it a great pick for those sit-and-wait portfolios.

And the experts and numbers (which you can get more information on from WallStreetZen) agree: 

• Analysts proclaim it a strong buy. 
• Even the minimum forecast places it at a rise of +3.59%. 
• By our metrics, HDSN is undervalued by 39.91%.

The institutional investors have picked this scent up as well, with several major players investing in the company lately. 

In truth, we wish we had a little more of that good data to shore up our certainty, but regardless it remains one of the easiest stocks to recommend for anyone looking to diversify into the specialty chemicals market.

Zen Score: 64

Average 1-year forecast: $16.00

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

2. Mks Instruments Inc (NASDAQ: MKSI)

Mks Instruments Inc (NASDAQ: MKSI) has provided systems, subsystems, instruments, and more for companies worldwide since 1961, and despite this you might not have heard of it.

Well, you’ve heard of it now in this article, and that’s because it’s risen 68.15% in the last three months and still has an optimistic forecast.

Furthermore, MKSI is currently on a cycle in which it’s expected to see growth, and it recently has tackled some of the problems making it unprofitable in recent times, with recovery anticipated by the end of the year. It is the scientific and technical instrument stock to consider for your portfolio right now.

MKSI is a stock that will be riskier to invest in than the rest of this list (the fundamentals look weak at this exact moment), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it. At the very least, add it to your premium watchlist to see if it overcomes its last problems, becomes profitable, and rises and gets further analyst recommendations.

Zen Score: 18

Average 1-year forecast: $131.67 (+12.49%)

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

3. Backblaze Inc (NASDAQ: BLZE)

As data usage grows, so will storage needs. Yet not many people think, “Well, what about the companies providing that storage? Are those worth investing in?” Backblaze Inc. (NASDAQ: BLZE) might answer that question.

There are two charts you should look at to be hopeful about Backblaze along with the analysts:

First, the revenue forecast, and I think the chart speaks for itself:

Second, the price target, which, even conservatively, is looking great:

Yet rising on the back of a strong need for cloud storage and higher pricing that makes FY 2024 look hopeful for the company, Backblaze’s Zen score is still only 27. Why? According to Seeking Alpha, it has stiff competition and is still raising prices, which might make people rethink their subscriptions. Additionally, it is going through a lot of cash, and its investments and plans might not all pan out.

We recommend that you use our premium tools to get some more numbers and opinions on this one before you dive in. It’d be fair to want something a little safer, but the potential gains are worth the risk for many.

Zen Score: 27

Average 1-year forecast: $13.67 (+69.78%)

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

4. Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: ARCT)

It’s no secret that the biotechnology sector is in a pretty good spot right now. Yet that poses two questions:

1. Will the rise ever come crashing down?
2. Which biotech stock should you pick?

The answers are (1) we don’t know but it looks fine for the moment, and (2) Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: ARCT) is the best option by most metrics. 

Consider:

• It has one of the highest Zen Scores on our site (find out why here) amongst an industry with low scores (industry average: 22). The fundamentals are as solid as they come.
• Analysts consider it a strong buy.
• Its products (perhaps a loose term, but still applicable) are in high demand and likely will be for years to come.
• It is severely, severely undervalued compared to its intrinsic value.

This company is exploring RNA medicines at a time when they’ve never been hotter and is currently working on multiple projects that could be major (read: very profitable) medical breakthroughs.

Don’t sleep on this one, and learn more about what it’s up to using WallStreetZen’s tools.

Zen Score: 70

Average 1-year forecast: $51.00 (+22.54%)

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

5. First Solar Inc (NASDAQ: FSLR)

Given the momentum thus far and government support, the success of solar is less a question of “if” but “when?” and “how much?” And First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) is set to capture that success. While the stock price is actually down over the last year (-4.12% as of this writing), analyst targets are much more optimistic, and the consensus lands on a strong buy.

First Solar Inc. is in a strong position compared to other alternative energy companies, the sector is set to find more stability, and solar technology is improving. It also happens to be one of the top performing solar stocks on the market. Whether for the medium-term or long-term, FSLR looks like a potential sunny day for your portfolio.

Zen Score: 61

Average 1-year forecast: $221.73 (+40.12%)

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

6. Paypal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: PYPL)

Paypal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: PYPL) might be a part of your daily life. Yet it’s also a significant stock force and has made numerous acquisitions over the years, enhancing its technology and brand.

According to Seeking Alpha, while some analysts are saying to hold after recent poor news, the needle still teeters towards “buy,” and for good reasons:

• The company’s fundamentals look solid (WallStreetZen Score: 50), and they know how to manage their assets. PayPal is far more stable than most of its competitors.
• It has brand dominance and recognition like no other competitor and is a strong international force in the market.
• Even if analysts are cooling off to some degree, price targets are still looking positive for PYPL.

Paypal is not the most exciting stock on this list. Yet the fundamentals are strong, and there are plenty of reasons to keep this stock around in your portfolio when you’re looking for some stability. If you want to weigh more of the pros and cons yourself, consider doing so using WallStreetZen’s premium tools.

Zen Score: 50

Average 1-year forecast: $68.25 (+13.58%)

Analyst consensus: Buy

7. Patrick Industries Inc (NASDAQ: PATK)

Patrick Industries (NASDAQ: PATK) has been holding steady but rising over time in the best way, with business plans going to, well, plan. With forecasts for 9.8% growth on an annualized basis, a generally rising stock price quarter over quarter (the last year has been great, as seen below), and a strong buy recommendation from analysts, there’s no reason you shouldn’t consider PATK for your portfolio.

And while by our numbers, it isn’t significantly under- or over-valued right now, it looks to be stable (outside of some long-term debt) and on the incline for some time to come. That could make it a grounding force for many portfolios. 

Yet if you want to learn more and understand why Patrick Industries has been reliable, consider checking out some of the stats listed under WallStreetZen and its premium features.

Zen Score: 43

Average 1-year forecast: $116.25 (+6.22%)

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

8. Tempur Sealy International Inc. (NYSE: TPX)

If the market jumps on a mattress company, will it bounce back? Tempur Sealy International Inc. (NYSE:TPX) looks great now after a boost in December (see below), and it has the potential to grow even more in the near future.

While there was a problem with mattress demand for the last few years, it looks like demand will return to normal levels in the next year or two.

Tempur Sealy also looks to have a great product lineup for 2024 and 2025, making analysts (and sleep enthusiasts) optimistic about TPX’s future. This is on top of decent fundamentals for TPX.

Yet those product launches can vary, which is why in addition to recommending this as a potential buy, you should put this on your watchlist as well. Having this information (as well as further financial information) quickly available in the future might let you rest easier at night.

Zen Score: 36

Average 1-year forecast: $55.50 (+9.38%)

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

9.  Equifax Inc (NYSE: EFX)

The famed credit reporting agency, Equifax Inc (NYSE: EFX) may look just average according to the fundamentals, with its Zen Score of 35 matching the industry average. However, there are a few things analysts (who generally rate EFX as a “strong buy” consistently point out:

• Mortgage volumes look like they will be normalized soon, at the latest 2025.
• Equifax has increasing customer penetration for a necessary service.
• Equifax is well-suited to rebound in the mortgage sector, and its other revenue streams look stable or well-suited for even double-digit growth.
• Immediately, it looks like it is going to outperform expectations.
• Longer-term, things look fine. Consider the last year:

In short, while the weather on the ground right now is average, if strong, Equifax has a great forecast for the next couple of years, making now the best time to buy into EFX. To learn more about Equifax and its potential strong future, look more at the data and analysis available on WallStreetZen.

Zen Score: 35 

Average 1-year forecast: (+6.56%)

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

10. Take Two Software Interactive Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO)

Among all the software and video game companies on the market, why Take Two Software Interactive (NASDAQ: TTWO)? It’s better than it looks at a quick glance:

This is scary to some. However, it’s probably going to be ok. Consider the following:

• It is considered a strong buy by analysts, despite having a Zen score that might be a little questionable. 
• Part of the above drop is due to game delays, which are common in the industry.
• The future release schedule for the company looks strong.

However, note that gaming can be more unstable than other industries and might require some knowledge of the space to feel confident investing in it. A single major release can make or break a quarter (or even a year) or otherwise shake investor confidence. Without prior knowledge, you might be at a disadvantage. That’s why you might want to put this one on your watchlist and get updates with WallStreetZen Premium.

Zen Score: 26

Average 1-year forecast: $179.19 (+15.07%)

Analyst consensus: Strong Buy

Best Stocks to Buy Now: The Final Word

There are literally thousands of stocks out there. What are the best stocks to buy now?

The truth is that there are no guarantees in the stock market. The market is constantly changing, as are the factors that play into stock prices.

That said, this list includes a ton of great watches we discovered on WallStreetZenPremium. Each of these picks has something (or several things) going for them in the near to long-term, so consider keeping them on watch. But remember — you alone are responsible for your investment decisions. So be sure to do your own research before you buy any stock.

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