Sectors & IndustriesHealthcare

Best Healthcare Stocks to Buy Now (2026)

Top healthcare stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Due Diligence Score. See the best healthcare stocks to buy now, according to analyst forecasts for the healthcare sector.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best healthcare stocks to buy right now are:

Bioventus (NASDAQ:BVS) is the #1 top healthcare stock out of 1061 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +28.5% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Bioventus (NASDAQ:BVS) is: Value: B, Growth: A, Momentum: B, Sentiment: B, Safety: B, Financials: B, and AI: C.

Bioventus (NASDAQ:BVS) has a Due Diligence Score of 44, which is 18 points higher than the healthcare sector average of 26. It passed 14 out of 33 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Bioventus has seen its stock return 113.13% over the past year, overperforming other healthcare stocks by 208 percentage points.

Bioventus has an average 1 year price target of $15.00, an upside of 11.36% from Bioventus's current stock price of $13.47.

Bioventus stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 3 analysts covering Bioventus, 33.33% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 66.67% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a Hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Bristol Myers Squibb Co (NYSE:BMY) is the #2 top healthcare stock out of 1061 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +28.5% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Bristol Myers Squibb Co (NYSE:BMY) is: Value: A, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: B, Safety: B, Financials: A, and AI: B.

Bristol Myers Squibb Co (NYSE:BMY) has a Due Diligence Score of 54, which is 28 points higher than the healthcare sector average of 26. It passed 19 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Bristol Myers Squibb Co has seen its stock return 44.21% over the past year, overperforming other healthcare stocks by 139 percentage points.

Bristol Myers Squibb Co has an average 1 year price target of $68.09, an upside of 4% from Bristol Myers Squibb Co's current stock price of $65.47.

Bristol Myers Squibb Co stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 11 analysts covering Bristol Myers Squibb Co, 54.55% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 45.45% have issued a Hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Electromed (NYSEMKT:ELMD) is the #3 top healthcare stock out of 1061 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +28.5% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Electromed (NYSEMKT:ELMD) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: B, Sentiment: A, Safety: B, Financials: A, and AI: C.

Electromed (NYSEMKT:ELMD) has a Due Diligence Score of 49, which is 23 points higher than the healthcare sector average of 26. It passed 17 out of 33 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Electromed has seen its stock return 123.31% over the past year, overperforming other healthcare stocks by 219 percentage points.

Electromed has an average 1 year price target of $38.00, a downside of -8.61% from Electromed's current stock price of $41.58.

Electromed stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 2 analysts covering Electromed, 100% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a Hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Out of 79 healthcare stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 healthcare stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Yarrow Bioscience (NASDAQ:YARW) has an annual dividend yield of 59.84%, which is 56 percentage points higher than the healthcare sector average of 3.66%.

Yarrow Bioscience's dividend payout ratio of 0% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Dominari Holdings (NASDAQ:DOMH) has an annual dividend yield of 37.79%, which is 34 percentage points higher than the healthcare sector average of 3.66%.

Dominari Holdings's dividend payout ratio of -19.1% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CPIX) has an annual dividend yield of 20.89%, which is 17 percentage points higher than the healthcare sector average of 3.66%.

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals's dividend payout ratio of 0% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Healthcare stocks were up 0.53% in the last day, and up 0.56% over the last week. Autolus Therapeutics was the among the top gainers in the healthcare sector, gaining 22.15% yesterday.

Autolus Therapeutics shares are trading higher after the company reported preliminary Q2 AUCATZYL sales results. Also, the company raised its FY26 sales guidance.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued healthcare stocks right now are:

Embecta (NASDAQ:EMBC) is the most undervalued healthcare stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Embecta has a valuation score of 43, which is 29 points higher than the healthcare sector average of 14. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Embecta's stock has dropped -62% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the healthcare sector by 33 percentage points.

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:IRWD) is the second most undervalued healthcare stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals has a valuation score of 86, which is 72 points higher than the healthcare sector average of 14. It passed 6 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals's stock has gained 489.33% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the healthcare sector by 585 percentage points.

Collegium Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:COLL) is the third most undervalued healthcare stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Collegium Pharmaceutical has a valuation score of 43, which is 29 points higher than the healthcare sector average of 14. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Collegium Pharmaceutical's stock has gained 14.44% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the healthcare sector by 110 percentage points.

63.79% of healthcare stocks rated by analysts are a strong buy right now. On average, analysts expect healthcare stocks to rise by 30.63% over the next year.

5.22% of healthcare stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 11.43% of healthcare stocks are rated B (Buy), 46.46% are rated C (Hold), 29.69% are rated D (Sell), and 7.2% are rated F (Strong Sell).