For 2026 ITZ is going with 10 stock picks, buy and hold for the year. This is just for fun and to get some of you maybe to do some homework if you like the PIX.
For 2025 stock picks, with a few more days remaining, will recap in a week, it was a mixed year. The clunker was SG Sweetgreen down 80% ytd.. The portfolio is up in par to the RSP S&P500 Equal weight etf around 10%.
Onto 2026 picks starting on the open Jan 2, 2026, 10% in each stock.
NVDA NVIDIA
For fiscal year 2026 (ending January 2026), financial stock analysts project Nvidia's revenue will be approximately $212 billion and its earnings per share (EPS) are expected to be around $4.64. For fiscal year 2027, analysts project continued strong growth, with revenue estimated at approximately $301 billion and EPS at around $7.10.
Analyst Consensus and Projections
Analyst sentiment toward Nvidia remains overwhelmingly positive, with a strong "Buy" or "Strong Buy" consensus from most firms. The core of the bullish outlook is the continued, robust demand for Nvidia's high-performance data center GPUs, which are essential for AI workloads.
Revenue: Wall Street consensus for fiscal year 2026 (ending January 2026) revenue is around $211.44 billion, which represents over 62% year-over-year growth. For fiscal year 2027, the average estimate suggests revenue will grow to approximately $300.69 billion, a 42% increase.
Earnings Per Share (EPS): The consensus EPS estimate for fiscal year 2026 is approximately $4.64. For fiscal year 2027, this is projected to increase significantly to around $7.10 per share.
Stock Price Targets: Price targets for the end of calendar year 2026 vary, with average predictions around $207.13 and bullish predictions reaching as high as $350 or more, implying substantial upside from current levels. These targets are based on the expectation that strong earnings growth will support the stock's valuation, even with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio that is considered reasonable given the growth rate.
Key Growth Drivers: The launch of new chip architectures like "Rubin" in 2026 is expected to drive significant demand, as demand continues to outstrip supply. Analysts believe the risk of underbuilding AI data centers is currently seen as far greater by tech giants than the risk of overbuilding, ensuring continued high capital expenditures that benefit Nvidia.
Meta Platforms (META) in 2026, forecasting significant price appreciation, double-digit revenue and earnings growth, and strong performance driven by the company's AI initiatives.
Analysts project a potential upside for Meta's stock price, with some estimates ranging up to $1,000 or more by the end of 2026.
Average Analyst Price Target: The average one-year price target is approximately $852.71, which suggests an upside potential of over 32% from the current price of $644.23 as of December 12, 2025.
Bullish Case: Some analysts, such as those at Rosenblatt and Bank of America, have price targets as high as $900 to $1,086, citing a return to strong advertising growth and the potential for AI investments to accelerate growth.
Valuation Factors: The stock currently trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of around 19.5 times, which is considered low compared to its historical range (up to 28x) and the S&P 500 average. Analysts believe that if the market re-rates the company to a higher multiple, closer to 30x, the stock price could reach $1,000 per share.
Financial Growth Estimates for 2026
Analysts expect robust financial performance from Meta in 2026, with strong growth in key metrics:
Revenue Growth: Projected to grow by approximately 18.1% in 2026.
Earnings Growth: Expected to increase by around 15.9% in 2026.
Earnings Per Share (EPS): The average EPS estimate for 2026 is approximately $30.17, with a range between $26.23 and $34.85.
Key Growth Drivers and Risks
The positive outlook is primarily driven by:
AI Integration: Advancements in Meta's AI recommendation engine are improving ad conversions and user engagement across its platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).
New Revenue Streams: The "Meta Business AI" messaging segment is projected to start generating significant revenue by 2026 or 2027.
Strategic Focus: A recent shift away from the underperforming Metaverse (Reality Labs) investments toward AI initiatives is viewed as a positive sign of spending discipline by Wall Street.
Financial stock analysts have a wide range of projections for Tesla (TSLA) stock in 2026, largely dependent on the success of its upcoming AI, robotaxi, and robotics initiatives. The average price targets vary significantly, reflecting a mixed sentiment across Wall Street, from cautious to highly bullish.
Analyst Price Targets and Predictions for 2026
Average Analyst Target: A Benzinga composite average suggests a target of approximately $268.92 for 2026, which is lower than recent trading prices. A different average of more recent calls (Mizuho, Piper Sandler, Baird) averages around $499.33, implying potential upside. Another source provides an average of $383.
Dan Ives (Wedbush): Believes Tesla could reach a $2 trillion market cap by the end of 2026 and has a price target of $600 per share, provided its AI and robotaxi initiatives succeed.
ARK Invest: In a 2022 model, ARK projected an expected value of $4,600 per share by 2026, with a bullish scenario of $5,800 per share. This highly speculative model relies heavily on the success of the robotaxi business.
Cantor Fitzgerald: Holds an "Overweight" rating with a target of $510, optimistic about long-term potential.
JPMorgan: Maintains an "Underweight" rating with a price target of $150, citing concerns over high operating expenses and competitive pressure in the EV market.
GLJ Research: Has an extreme bear case of $19 per share.
General Concerns: Skeptics point to the stock's sky-high valuation, current declining EV sales trends, and the need for Tesla to deliver on its ambitious, but largely unproven, AI and robotics promises to justify the premium.
The divergence in analyst opinions stems primarily from whether one views Tesla as a traditional electric vehicle manufacturer or a high-growth artificial intelligence and robotics company.
Robotaxis/Cybercabs: The success and large-scale deployment of a fully autonomous ride-hailing network is a key potential growth driver, with mass production of the dedicated Cybercab expected to start in April 2026.
Optimus Robot: Mass production of the Optimus humanoid robot is expected to begin in late 2026, a venture Musk predicts could be a massive long-term revenue stream.
Energy Business: The energy generation and storage segment has become a high-margin business for Tesla and is growing rapidly, providing a solid foundation outside of automotive sales.
Valuation: Tesla's current P/E ratio of over 300 means the stock is priced for exceptional growth, leaving little room for operational missteps.
Competition & EV Demand: Intense competition from both legacy automakers and new EV brands, coupled with softening global EV demand, could pressure sales and margins.
Execution Risk: Delays or setbacks in the commercialization and scaling of the Cybercab and Optimus projects would likely result in a significant stock correction. In summary, projections for Tesla stock in 2026 are highly speculative, ranging from significant potential downside to massive multi-fold growth, largely depending on the successful execution of its ambitious AI and robotics business lines.
*Disclosure- ITZ trades NVDA
IONQ Inc (IONQ)
Financial stock analysts project a wide range of outcomes for IonQ (IONQ) stock in 2026, from potential triple-digit gains to a significant crash, with an average target price of approximately $77.50, implying an upside from the current price of around $50.35. The outlook is highly speculative, largely depending on the commercial success of its quantum computing technology and progress on its product roadmap.
Analyst Price Targets and Consensus
The consensus among analysts is a Moderate Buy, but opinions vary drastically, reflecting the early-stage nature of the quantum computing industry.
Average Target: The average price target from a range of analysts is approximately $77.50, which suggests a potential upside of around 47.48% from the current level.
B. Riley Securities: Analyst Craig Ellis has a street-high price target of $100, seeing potential for a 113% gain based on the stock's price on December 2, 2025, and citing increased government research in quantum computing.
Needham & Company LLC and Benchmark: Both firms also share the $100 price target, maintaining a positive outlook.
Mizuho Securities: Initiated coverage with a "Buy" rating and a price target of $90, pointing to IonQ's low error rates and longer coherence times as a competitive advantage.
Morgan Stanley: Has a "Hold" rating with a low price target of $30, indicating significant potential downside.
Skeptics (e.g., Nasdaq Opinion Piece): Some market watchers predict the stock could plummet in 2026, potentially losing around 70% of its value, similar to the dot-com bubble collapse, as the company has little profit and a high valuation.
Key Catalysts and Risks for 2026
Analysts note that the stock is highly sensitive to news regarding technological breakthroughs and commercial adoption. The company is currently operating at a net loss.
Roadmap Progress: IonQ plans to deploy systems that support up to 256 physical qubits in 2026, a crucial step toward its goal of building a 2-million-qubit computer by 2030.
Revenue Growth: Analysts project a substantial 87% sales growth for IonQ in 2026, a sign of increasing, albeit early-stage, commercialization.
Strategic Partnerships & Government Contracts: Collaborations with major tech players like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NVIDIA, and contracts with entities like the U.S. Air Force, are seen as positive indicators of future adoption.
High Valuation/Speculation: The stock is currently highly speculative, and its market cap of $17.84 billion is based more on future potential than current revenue or profits. The P/E ratio is not applicable as the company has negative earnings per share (EPS) of -$5.35.
Competition: IonQ faces intense competition from tech giants like IBM and Google, who are also investing heavily in quantum computing.
Unproven Commercial Applications: The industry is still in its infancy, and a lack of proven, large-scale commercial applications remains a significant risk. Funding and Losses: The company relies on funding through stock issuances and acquisitions, as it is not yet profitable.
GE VERNOVA (GEV)
Financial stock analysts have a largely bullish outlook for GE Vernova (GEV) stock in
2026, driven by strong demand for power generation and grid infrastructure fueled by the AI boom and global electrification trends. Price targets range significantly, with some reaching as high as $1,000, implying substantial potential upside from its latest price of $671.76 as of December 12, 2025 Analyst Price Targets and Ratings
The general consensus is a "Moderate Buy" rating, with analysts noting the company is a "top pick" for 2026 due to its strategic position in the energy transition.
Average Target: The consensus 12-month price target is approximately $654.54, which suggests a slight downside from its current high valuation, indicating analysts are still adjusting to the stock's recent surge. However, some longer-term and more recent price targets paint a much more optimistic picture.
J.P. Morgan: Analyst Mark Strouse recently set a Street-high price target of $1,000, citing stronger-than-expected power orders and pricing power.
Oppenheimer: Upgraded the stock to "Outperform" with an $855 target, highlighting the potential for GEV to be a primary technology partner for AI hyperscalers.
Key Operational Metrics for 2026:
Revenue: Management projects $41 billion to $42 billion in revenue, which is in line with current analyst expectations.
Free Cash Flow (FCF): Expected to be in the range of $4.5 billion to $5 billion.
Adjusted EBITDA Margin: Expected to rise to 11%-13%.
Earnings Growth: Long-term earnings growth rate is pegged at a solid 18%.
Analysts point to several drivers and risks that will impact GEV's performance in 2026:
AI & Data Center Demand: The massive build-out of AI data centers requires significant baseload power and grid expansion, creating overwhelming demand for GEV's gas turbines and grid solutions.
Electrification Trend: GEV is a leader in core power technologies needed for global electrification, which is expected to drive high growth in its Power and Electrification segments.
Acquisition of Prolec: The acquisition (expected to close by mid-2026) will add approximately $3 billion in revenue and strengthen its North American transformer manufacturing capacity.
High Valuation: GEV's forward P/E ratio of over 47x is a premium to its peers, suggesting investors are paying a high price for its expected growth.
Offshore Wind Market: The offshore wind segment continues to face challenges, including supply chain issues and project cancellations, which could pressure margins.
Execution Risk: The bullish forecasts depend on the company's ability to execute on its large backlog and expand margins as planned.
Financial stock analysts are largely bullish on the IWM ETF (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) for 2026, projecting a potential return of 20% or more and anticipating that small-cap stocks will be major beneficiaries of expected lower interest rates and broadening earnings growth.
Analyst Projections and Rationale
The consensus among analysts is that 2026 will see a significant inflection point for the small-cap segment, which the IWM tracks.
Significant Earnings Growth: The most significant driver is the projection that the Russell 2000 will see an "explosion" in earnings growth, with a forecast of approximately 41% year-over-year earnings growth in 2026. This is a major improvement that would narrow the gap with large-cap stocks.
Lower Interest Rates: Analysts widely agree that small-cap companies are more debt-reliant than their large-cap counterparts and, therefore, tend to be the greatest beneficiaries of a lower interest rate environment. With the Federal Reserve expected to continue a cycle of rate cuts into 2026, this macroeconomic tailwind is a primary reason for the bullish outlook.
Broadening Market: As the market rally extends beyond the dominant AI mega-caps, analysts expect a rotation into value and quality stocks, including small and mid-cap companies, which are currently perceived as having more reasonable valuations.
Price Targets: While a simple aggregate analyst target for IWM's current holdings sits around $268.25 (a modest gain from the latest price of $253.85), many market strategists are making more aggressive predictions for the index itself. One analyst made a "bold prediction" of a total return of 20% or more for the Russell 2000 in 2026.
Monetary Policy Easing: Continued Fed rate cuts in 2026 could lower the cost of capital for small businesses, spurring investment and M&A activity.
Economic Resilience: Projections for resilient U.S. GDP growth and consumer spending underpin a positive outlook for domestically focused small-cap companies.
Value Rotation: A shift in investor capital from highly valued large-cap tech stocks to more reasonably priced small and mid-caps is anticipated.
Economic Slowdown: The forecasts rely on continued economic stability. Any significant downturn could disproportionately affect smaller companies with fewer financial cushions.
Tariff Impacts: Ongoing trade tensions and tariffs could hinder economic growth and corporate earnings, particularly for companies with international exposure.
Valuation Concerns: While more reasonable than some tech stocks, high current valuations across the broader market could lead to a correction, impacting all indices including the IWM.
Ethereum Grayscale Trust ETHE
Financial stock analysts project a wide range for the Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE) in 2026, largely tied to forecasts for the underlying asset, Ethereum (ETH). While projections for Ethereum generally fall between $4,000 and $12,000, the ETHE trust has historically traded at a significant discount or premium to its Net Asset Value (NAV), adding another layer of complexity to its price predictions.
Analyst Outlook and Price Targets for 2026
Predictions for the ETHE trust are often more about the potential narrowing of its premium/discount to NAV than a direct price target for the trust itself.
Implied Price Range (based on ETH targets): If ETHE tracked NAV perfectly and ETH hit analysts' high-end targets, ETHE could reach significant highs. Projections for ETH generally fall between $4,000 and $12,000 in 2026.
Discount Volatility: A key factor for ETHE is its historical trading pattern. In 2025, the trust traded at a substantial discount to its NAV, which can create opportunities but also risks. The potential conversion of ETHE to a spot ETF, similar to how the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) was handled, could drastically change its valuation dynamic by allowing for redemptions and narrowing the discount.
Bullish Case (Premium to NAV): A very bullish scenario assumes high ETH price appreciation and the conversion of ETHE to an ETF, which could eliminate the discount and even lead to a premium if demand is high, resulting in substantial gains for investors.
Bearish Case (Deep Discount): In a bearish scenario, if the SEC delays ETF approval or if the crypto market enters a prolonged "crypto winter", the discount to NAV could widen considerably, even if the underlying ETH price holds relatively steady.
Analysts point to several factors that will impact ETHE's performance in 2026:
Spot Ethereum ETF Approval: The primary catalyst is the potential SEC approval of spot Ethereum ETFs, which would likely allow ETHE to convert to an ETF structure, narrowing any discount to NAV and attracting institutional capital.
Institutional Inflows: Spot ETF approvals would facilitate easier access for institutional investors, likely driving significant capital inflows into Ethereum-related products like ETHE (post-conversion).
Ethereum Network Upgrades: Technological improvements to the Ethereum network, such as increased scalability and reduced transaction costs, enhance the underlying asset's utility and long-term value.
Regulatory Uncertainty: Delays or a lack of clear regulatory frameworks from the SEC for Ethereum ETFs are a significant risk.
ETHE Discount/Premium Risk: The trust structure means its price doesn't perfectly match its underlying assets. Investors risk the discount to NAV widening, regardless of ETH price movements. Market Volatility: The cryptocurrency market is notoriously volatile, and ETHE is exposed to broad market swings and macroeconomic factors.
*Disclosure ITZ trades ETHE
Morgan Stenley (MS)
Financial stock analysts project a positive outlook for Morgan Stanley (MS) stock in 2026, with a consensus price target range suggesting a potential upside. The average analyst price target is around $150 to $170, with a broad range from a pessimistic $122 to an optimistic $186 per share. The latest closing price for MS stock was $178.42 as of December 12, 2025.
Analyst Projections and Rationale for 2026
The bullish sentiment for Morgan Stanley is part of a broader positive outlook for the U.S. financial sector, driven by expectations of a favorable macroeconomic environment and AI-driven efficiency gains.
Average Target: The composite average target price sits between $150 and $170, implying that the stock may be trading near or slightly above its current average expectations, but with room for growth.
High End: The most optimistic analyst has a price target of $186 per share.
Low End: The most pessimistic target is $122 per share.
Morgan Stanley's rate of growth is expected to accelerate, with a forecast of 5.0% annualized revenue growth to the end of 2026, a meaningful increase over its historical average growth.
Long-term earnings growth is a key driver, with the firm itself forecasting strong earnings per share (EPS) growth for the sector in 2026. The average EPS estimate for fiscal year 2026 is around $10.57.
Favorable Policy Environment: Analysts expect a market-friendly mix of fiscal and monetary policies, including Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, to benefit the financial industry.
M&A Activity: A resurgence in Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) activity is projected, with deal volume growth of 20% in 2026, which would boost Morgan Stanley's investment banking revenues.
AI-Driven Efficiency: The firm is expected to benefit from AI-driven productivity gains, which can improve margins and reduce costs across its operations.
Sector Leadership: Morgan Stanley analysts themselves have a strong preference for U.S. financial stocks in their 2026 outlook, which suggests confidence in their own business segment.
Industry Competition: Despite accelerated growth, Morgan Stanley is expected to grow slower than the industry average, which is a potential competitive risk.
Valuation: The stock's current P/E ratio of over 18 is considered a premium to some of its historical averages, which could lead to volatility if growth targets are not met. Macroeconomic Shocks: Unexpected policy surprises, geopolitical tensions, or a deeper-than-expected economic slowdown could disrupt the positive outlook.
CHEVRON (CVX)
Financial stock analysts have a mixed to positive outlook for Chevron (CVX) stock in 2026, with a consensus that the company is poised for significant free cash flow growth. The average price target is approximately $166.00 to $176.29, implying potential upside from its latest price of $149.98 as of December 12, 2025.
Analyst Price Targets and Consensus
The consensus rating for Chevron among 23 analysts is a "Hold" or "Moderate Buy", but the price targets indicate potential appreciation.
Average Target: The consensus 12-month price targets range from approximately $166.00 (MarketBeat) to $176.29 (Fintel).
Bullish Targets: The highest analyst price target is $214.20 from Fintel, while Mizuho recently raised their target to $206, citing "underappreciated value" in oil and gas stocks.
Bearish Targets: The lowest price target is $124.00, from Redburn Atlantic, reflecting concerns about commodity price sensitivity and current high valuation.
Valuation Concerns: Chevron currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of over 21x, which is a premium to its five-year average, a point of caution for some analysts.
Key Financial Projections for 2026
Analysts expect key metrics to improve significantly, driven by production growth and efficiency gains.
Free Cash Flow (FCF) Surge: Management and analysts project an additional $12.5 billion in annual FCF by 2026 (assuming Brent oil averages $70/barrel), a major catalyst.
Earnings Per Share (EPS): The average annual EPS estimate for fiscal year 2026 is around $10.04, with some estimates suggesting a 36% EPS growth over the next two years.
Revenue: Quarterly revenue is estimated to reach approximately $59.44 billion by the end of 2026, reflecting a 22% increase.
Capital Spending: Chevron has set a disciplined 2026 capital expenditure (CapEx) budget of $18 billion to $19 billion, focusing on high-return opportunities and allowing for increased shareholder returns.
Hess Integration & Production Growth: The successful integration of Hess Corp. and the ramp-up of major projects in the Permian Basin (targeting 1 million boe/day) and the Tengiz field in Kazakhstan are expected to drive substantial production increases.
Shareholder Returns: The company plans to repurchase $10 to $20 billion in shares annually and maintain its consistent dividend growth, making it a "magnet for capital" in a lower interest rate environment.
Lower Breakeven Costs: Chevron's efforts to reduce operating costs aim to lower its breakeven oil price to under $50 per barrel, offering resilience in volatile markets.
Commodity Price Volatility: Earnings and stock performance remain highly sensitive to global crude oil prices. A significant drop in oil prices could outweigh operational improvements.
Hess Deal Arbitration: The Hess acquisition faces potential risk from an arbitration claim by ExxonMobil and CNOOC regarding preemptive rights in the Guyana asset.
Valuation Premium: The stock's current premium valuation leaves less room for error if operational or market expectations are not met.
Financial stock analysts are overwhelmingly bullish on the GLD ETF (SPDR Gold Trust) for 2026, with many major financial institutions forecasting gold prices to reach between $4,000 and $5,300 per ounce, implying significant upside from the current price. The outlook is driven by strong central bank demand, geopolitical uncertainty, and expected U.S. dollar weakness.
Analyst Price Targets and Predictions for 2026 (Gold Price per Ounce)
The price targets below refer to the underlying price of gold, which the GLD ETF is designed to track. The latest gold price is approximately $4,328.30 per ounce.
Average Analyst Target: Most major banks and analysts expect gold to consolidate and grind higher in 2026, with baseline forecasts clustering around $4,000–$4,500 per ounce.
J.P. Morgan Private Bank: One of the most bullish, projecting gold to average around $5,055 per ounce in Q4 2026, with a potential to reach $5,200-$5,300.
Goldman Sachs: Forecasts gold prices to reach $4,900 by the end of 2026, seeing potential for further upside if private investor allocation increases.
Bank of America: Sees the yellow metal breaching $5,000 in 2026 on growing U.S. fiscal deficits and the "debasement trade".
Wells Fargo: Projects gold prices to finish the year between $4,500 and $4,700 per ounce.
Bearish Projections: A bear-case scenario suggested by State Street places the price range between $3,500-$4,000 per ounce, acknowledging potential for profit-taking or a stronger U.S. dollar, though this is considered less likely to derail the overall bullish trend.
Analysts point to several structural factors that suggest a continued bull market for gold in 2026:
Central Bank Buying: Sustained, strong accumulation of gold by central banks, especially from emerging markets like China, Poland, and Turkey, is a primary structural driver as nations diversify away from the U.S. dollar.
Federal Reserve Rate Cuts: Expected interest rate cuts by the Fed into 2026 would lower real yields and the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold, attracting more ETF and private investor inflows.
Geopolitical Uncertainty: Persistent global instability and trade tensions increase demand for gold as a safe-haven asset and a hedge against systemic risk.
U.S. Dollar Weakness: A projected weaker U.S. dollar in 2026 would make gold cheaper for holders of other currencies, boosting global demand.
Fewer Fed Rate Cuts: A risk to the bullish outlook would be the Fed cutting rates less aggressively than expected, which could support the U.S. dollar and pressure gold prices.
Profit-Taking: After a significant rally in 2025, there is a possibility of short-term profit-taking, which could lead to periods of consolidation. Stronger Global Growth: A sharp, unexpected rebound in global economic growth driven by productivity gains could reduce demand for safe-haven assets.
GOLD: SILVER RATIO favors GLD
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