The 3 Best Nasdaq-100 Stocks to Buy Right Now: Potential 50–60% Upside Plus Chewy and AST SpaceMobile Surge

The stock market is full of noise, but every so often, a handful of companies emerge with the kind of fundamental strength and growth trajectory that justifies serious investor attention. Right now, several Nasdaq-100 names are flashing compelling buy signals — with analysts projecting potential upside of 50% to 60% over the next 12–18 months. Add to that the recent rallies in Chewy (CHWY) and AST SpaceMobile (ASTS), and there’s plenty of opportunity for well-positioned investors.

Why the Nasdaq-100 Remains the Investor’s Playground

The Nasdaq-100 index — home to the world’s most innovative technology and growth companies — has historically delivered superior long-term returns compared to broader market indices. While volatility is higher, so is the reward for investors who do their homework and hold quality names through market cycles.

As of early 2026, several macroeconomic tailwinds are converging to favor growth stocks: easing interest rate pressure, accelerating AI adoption across industries, and a consumer economy that — despite headwinds — continues to generate revenue for dominant platforms.

The 3 Best Nasdaq-100 Stocks to Buy Now

1. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) — The AI Infrastructure King

It’s hard to discuss Nasdaq-100 opportunities without leading with NVIDIA. As the dominant provider of AI training chips, NVIDIA sits at the center of the most significant technological shift since the internet. Its H100 and Blackwell GPU architectures are in desperate demand from hyperscalers, enterprise AI developers, and sovereign nations building national AI infrastructure.

Key fundamentals:

  • Revenue growth exceeding 120% year-over-year in recent quarters
  • Data center segment now accounting for over 80% of total revenue
  • Gross margins above 70%, indicating exceptional pricing power
  • A growing software moat through CUDA, which locks in developers

Analyst consensus targets suggest 40–55% upside from current levels as the next generation of AI model training and inference infrastructure deployment accelerates.

2. Meta Platforms (META) — The Monetization Machine

Meta has reinvented itself from a social media company into a diversified digital advertising and AI powerhouse. After a painful 2022 restructuring, the company has emerged leaner, more profitable, and more strategically positioned than ever before.

What’s driving the bull case:

  • AI-powered ad targeting delivering measurably superior ROI for advertisers
  • Threads growth accelerating as a legitimate Twitter/X alternative
  • WhatsApp monetization still in early innings, representing a massive untapped revenue stream
  • Reality Labs investment beginning to show commercial traction with Meta Quest

With a forward P/E ratio that remains reasonable relative to growth, Meta offers a compelling risk/reward setup with analysts projecting 50–60% upside potential.

3. Palantir Technologies (PLTR) — The Government AI Play

Palantir has spent years building data integration and AI analytics platforms for the U.S. government and large enterprises. That investment is now paying off spectacularly. The company’s AIP (Artificial Intelligence Platform) is being rapidly adopted by Fortune 500 companies, and its U.S. commercial business is growing at a torrid pace.

The bull thesis:

  • Rule of 40 score consistently above 60%, indicating elite operational efficiency
  • U.S. commercial revenue growing 55%+ year-over-year
  • Recent S&P 500 inclusion bringing institutional buying pressure
  • Defense spending tailwinds supporting government segment growth

Chewy Stock Rallied — Here’s Why It Matters

Chewy (CHWY) staged an impressive rally, reminding markets that the pet e-commerce leader is far from finished. The catalyst? A combination of better-than-expected earnings guidance and the market’s growing recognition of Chewy’s evolving business model.

Chewy is no longer just a pet food delivery company. The company has been aggressively building out Chewy Health — its veterinary telehealth and pet pharmacy platform — which carries significantly higher margins than its core retail business. With over 20 million active customers and one of the most loyal customer bases in e-commerce, Chewy’s path to profitability expansion is becoming clearer.

For value-conscious investors, CHWY represents a turnaround story with a strong brand moat and a differentiated healthcare angle that most retail investors are still underpricing.

AST SpaceMobile Popped — The Space-to-Cell Revolution

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) is one of the most speculative but potentially transformational names in the market. The company is building a broadband network directly accessible by standard mobile phones — using satellites instead of cell towers.

The recent pop was driven by news of continued commercial deployment milestones and growing carrier partnership momentum. AT&T and Verizon have both signed agreements with AST, validating the technology and the business model. If AST can deliver on its constellation deployment roadmap, the total addressable market — billions of people without reliable mobile coverage globally — is essentially unlimited.

Risk note: ASTS remains a high-risk, high-reward play. Position sizing and risk management are critical.

How to Approach These Opportunities

The best investment decisions are informed ones. Before entering any position, consider:

  • Your investment horizon (these are best held 12–36 months minimum)
  • Your risk tolerance and portfolio concentration limits
  • Dollar-cost averaging into volatile names like ASTS rather than all-in entries
  • Setting stop-loss levels to protect capital in high-volatility scenarios

For deeper analysis, fundamental breakdowns, and real-time market insights, visit The Investing King — your resource for actionable investment research that separates signal from noise.

Final Thoughts

The Nasdaq-100 continues to reward investors who identify quality growth companies early and hold with conviction. Whether you’re drawn to the AI infrastructure dominance of NVIDIA, the monetization flywheel of Meta, the government AI positioning of Palantir, or the turnaround story of Chewy — there’s no shortage of compelling opportunities in 2026.

Do your due diligence, size positions appropriately, and remember: the best investors aren’t those who pick every winner — they’re those who let their winners run and cut their losers quickly.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.