4 Stocks to Buy in October 2026

Most stocks are likely to remain rangebound between now and the end of 2026. But here are 4 stocks where growth is accelerating right now.

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One has already doubled this year, yet insiders continue to buy shares, indicating the party may not be over. Another has already been gaining momentum, and it just turned profitable. And the last could be a key beneficiary of the next phase of the AI boom, yet relatively few investors have discovered it.

Astronics (ATRO)

The first growth stock on this list is Astronics, an aerospace and defense supplier. Given that defense budgets are climbing and airlines keep refreshing their fleets, there's a clear reason to keep this one on watch from a macro standpoint. But the stock itself has its own story worth getting specific about.

As of this writing, it's down 25% from all-time highs, which could be a good thing. Despite the ongoing pullback, the stock is still up more than 100% over the past year. It clearly has momentum, and its recent history and forward-looking signals suggest this dip could be temporary. Earnings rose 35% year over year last quarter, while revenue growth outpaced the broader industry. Looking forward, profits are forecast to grow by more than 40% over the next 12 months.

Wall Street coverage is limited but potent. Gautam Khanna at TD Cowen, the lone analyst covering the stock, ranks in the top 15% of analysts tracked and has a Strong Buy recommendation, expecting the stock to surge 50% from current levels.

Astronics earns an overall A rating, a Strong Buy recommendation, and honestly earns more like an A+, landing in the top 1% of the roughly 4,600 stocks we track. It's also the top-rated stock in its industry. It ranks in the top 20% for Safety, meaning it's steadier than most growth names, the top 6% for Financials, a sign of a healthy balance sheet, and the top 1% for Growth.

Aerospace companies can be lumpy quarter to quarter, which could explain the ongoing drawdown. But a quality growth stock trading at a discount could reward long-term investors.

The next pick isn't a quiet compounder. It's up over 100% this year, but it just did something it had never done before.

Oscar Health (OSCR)

Oscar Health is a disruptor. That phrase might make you wary, but this may be the real deal. It's a health-tech company that offers health plans to individuals, families, employees, and small group markets.

After years of losses, it recently turned profitable while growing at an attractive pace. Revenue grew 40% over the past year. In the most recent quarter, it reported net income of $362 million, compared to a loss of $228 million in the year-ago quarter. Basically, it's a growth machine that is making money.

Oscar runs on its own technology platform instead of the clunky legacy systems the big insurers are stuck with, and that edge is finally showing up in the numbers.

Wall Street remains cautious on Oscar Health, which is common with disruptors. But our quant rating system offers a bit more insight into how it stacks up against its peers. It earns an overall A rating, a Strong Buy recommendation, and sits in the top 1% of every stock we track. It's also the #1-rated name in its industry, ranking in the top 23% for Financials and the top 11% for Value, indicating it looks cheap for a company growing this fast. It also ranks in the top 5% for Momentum and Sentiment, indicating smart money is leaning in. And the standout: it's in the top 1% of the entire market for Growth.

Here's the honest tradeoff: Safety grades in the bottom third. Health insurance is a regulated, claims-heavy business, and Oscar's profit margins are quite low. But a top 1% growth engine that just proved it can turn revenue into steady earnings is a disruptor the market is starting to respect.

The next name has done something even more dramatic. It has doubled in the past year, and the people who run it are still buying.

YPF (YPF)

YPF has doubled in the past year, and here's why it can keep rallying: it sits right on top of Vaca Muerta, one of the biggest shale formations on the planet, at the precise moment Argentina is throwing the doors open to develop it.

When an entire country pivots toward energy development, a domestic heavyweight is best positioned to benefit. Production growth for YPF could play out over years as the company is focused on expansion. Earnings are forecast to swing from a loss to a profit of around $1.50 per share.

Company insiders have been net buyers of the stock over the past year. When management buys its own shares, it suggests the stock may be trading at a discount to its intrinsic value.

Analyst coverage is still thin, so the case shouldn't hang on price targets. The real story is how the quant system ranks this growth stock. YPF earns an overall A rating, a Strong Buy, sits in the top 1% of every stock we track, and is the number-one rated stock in its entire industry.

It's the cluster of grades that really stands out. It's in the top 20% for Value and top 10% for Financials, operating a healthier balance sheet than you'd expect from an emerging-market energy name. And the two that matter most for a stock breaking out are tied right at the top: top 1% of the market for both Momentum and Growth. A powerful trend paired with a top-tier growth outlook is the profile you want when a name is on the move.

The risk here is real. YPF is part of a cyclical sector in an emerging market, so expect a bumpy ride if energy prices move lower. But a stock doubling on reform, with insiders buying and top percentile ratings for both Momentum and Growth, is a bold, high-conviction way to play energy heading into next year.

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Now the best for last. Our top pick may be the single most important company in the entire AI boom. It's up more than tenfold in a year, but as unbelievable as it might sound, both fundamental and technical indicators suggest the move is far from over.

SanDisk (SNDK)

Everyone obsesses over the chips that power AI. Almost nobody talks about what feeds them: memory. SanDisk is one of the biggest American names in memory manufacturing. The numbers here are almost hard to believe.

Earnings in the latest quarter nearly doubled from the quarter before. Profit margins are running above 55%. Both earnings and revenue are forecast to grow more than 40% a year. You almost never see growth like that at this size.

The stock has been on a tear, up more than tenfold in the past year. So why is it possible that it isn't too late? For one, it still appears undervalued. It trades at a PEG ratio of about 0.5. The average PEG right now is 1.5, and anything under 1 is considered undervalued, so SanDisk is well under that threshold. It strongly suggests you're still paying a reasonable price for all that growth. And the stock has pulled back nearly 20% in the past 3 months, so you're not even buying at the top.

Demand for AI memory is booming, and SanDisk sits right in the middle of it. Wall Street remains bullish. Out of 15 analysts, the consensus is a Strong Buy. Harlan Sur at JP Morgan, a top 1% ranked analyst, sees roughly 40% upside from here. Mehdi Hosseini at Susquehanna, also top 1%, thinks the stock could nearly double. When the best-ranked voices on the Street are this bullish, that's worth listening to.

Our system agrees across the board. SanDisk earns an overall A rating, a Strong Buy, sits in the top 1% of every stock we track, and it's the number-one name in its industry. It's in the top 10% for Sentiment, so the smart money is firmly on board. It's in the top 7% for both Value and Momentum, so it is cheap and trending at the same time. It's also in the top 5% for Growth. And the crown jewel: top 1% of the entire market for Financials, an elite, cash-rich balance sheet.

The one place worth leveling with you is Safety, which grades near the bottom, because memory has always been cyclical and can turn on a dime. But a top 1% balance sheet, a top 5% growth engine, and a front-row seat to the biggest technology wave of our lifetime is a setup that doesn't last long. SanDisk is the backbone of the AI boom, and it's the favorite name on this list.

Conclusion

So there you have it, 4 stocks built for serious growth heading into November. The defense grower that went on sale. The disruptor that just turned profitable. The energy giant that doubled with insiders still buying. And the memory maker sitting right at the heart of the AI boom. Each one earns an A, a Strong Buy, from our Zen Ratings system.

You can pull a free Zen Rating on more than 4,600 stocks yourself by typing in the ticker symbol at wallstreetzen.com, and the ratings are updated every day. Bookmark the site and check the freshest grade before you make any buy or sell decision.

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