2026 has rewritten the leaderboard. The stocks that powered the market from 2023 to 2025, the “Magnificent Seven,” are mostly lagging, while memory makers, server builders, cybersecurity firms and oil refiners have doubled or tripled. Moderna is up nearly sevenfold. This report ranks the 25 best-performing large U.S. companies year to date, checks how investor favorites have fared, and shows what $200 invested on Jan. 1 would be worth today, plus a reality check for anyone investing from Latin America.
The 25 best large-cap performers average +160% this year; $200 split equally across them would be about $520 today. Four themes dominate: AI memory and storage, AI servers and chips, cybersecurity, and refining. Meanwhile, the most popular retail names trail: Apple +27.5%, Nvidia +14.8%, Microsoft +9.7%, Tesla −11%, Netflix −33.6%.
The 25 best-performing large U.S. stocks of 2026
| # | Company | Ticker | Sector | 2026 YTD | $200 today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moderna | MRNA | Healthcare | +597.2% | $1,394 |
| 2 | Sandisk | SNDK | Storage | +434.0% | $1,068 |
| 3 | Dell | DELL | AI servers | +290.9% | $782 |
| 4 | Micron | MU | Memory | +214.7% | $629 |
| 5 | Marvell | MRVL | Semiconductors | +180.8% | $562 |
| 6 | Marathon Petroleum | MPC | Refining | +167.7% | $535 |
| 7 | AMD | AMD | Semiconductors | +155.9% | $512 |
| 8 | HPE | HPE | Servers | +150.6% | $501 |
| 9 | Intel | INTC | Semiconductors | +148.2% | $496 |
| 10 | Bloom Energy | BE | Energy | +141.3% | $483 |
| 11 | Valero | VLO | Refining | +137.3% | $475 |
| 12 | Seagate | STX | Storage | +136.8% | $474 |
| 13 | Fortinet | FTNT | Cybersecurity | +131.3% | $463 |
| 14 | Lumentum | LITE | Optical networking | +128.3% | $457 |
| 15 | CrowdStrike | CRWD | Cybersecurity | +126.2% | $452 |
| 16 | Palo Alto Networks | PANW | Cybersecurity | +117.4% | $435 |
| 17 | Western Digital | WDC | Storage | +114.9% | $430 |
| 18 | Phillips 66 | PSX | Refining | +108.2% | $416 |
| 19 | Datadog | DDOG | Software | +104.6% | $409 |
| 20 | Natera | NTRA | Healthcare | +79.4% | $359 |
| 21 | Texas Instruments | TXN | Semiconductors | +76.6% | $353 |
| 22 | Cloudflare | NET | Cloud | +64.8% | $330 |
| 23 | Targa Resources | TRGP | Midstream gas | +64.6% | $329 |
| 24 | Nucor | NUE | Steel | +63.9% | $328 |
| 25 | Keysight | KEYS | Electronics | +63.7% | $327 |
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Open TradingView → · Affiliate linkWhat $200 on Jan. 1 would be worth
$200 in Moderna would be about $1,394; in Sandisk, $1,068; in Dell, $782; in Micron, $629. The S&P 500 ETF: $224. An equal-weight basket of all 25 ($8 each) would be roughly $520. The catch is hindsight bias: no one knew the list in January.
The four themes behind the gains
- AI memory and storage: Sandisk (+434%), Micron (+215%), Seagate (+137%), Western Digital (+115%). AI data centers consume memory and storage faster than supply can grow, restoring pricing power to a historically cyclical industry.
- AI servers and chips: Dell (+291%), Marvell (+181%), AMD (+156%), HPE (+151%), Intel (+148%). Hyperscaler capex flowed to suppliers beyond Nvidia, broadening the AI trade.
- Cybersecurity: Fortinet (+131%), CrowdStrike (+126%), Palo Alto Networks (+117%). More AI means a bigger attack surface and bigger security budgets.
- Refining: Marathon Petroleum (+168%), Valero (+137%), Phillips 66 (+108%) on exceptional margins with Brent near $115.
- Moderna (+597%): the year’s outlier. Biotech rallies of this size hinge on clinical and regulatory events and can reverse just as violently.
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Try Koyfin → · Affiliate linkHow investor favorites performed
| Company | Ticker | 2026 YTD | $200 today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | AAPL | +27.5% | $255 |
| Nvidia | NVDA | +14.8% | $230 |
| Microsoft | MSFT | +9.7% | $219 |
| Amazon | AMZN | +9.4% | $219 |
| Alphabet | GOOGL | +1.2% | $202 |
| Meta | META | -6.4% | $187 |
| Tesla | TSLA | -11.0% | $178 |
| Broadcom | AVGO | -3.0% | $194 |
| Berkshire Hathaway | BRK.B | +8.4% | $217 |
| JPMorgan | JPM | +4.1% | $208 |
| Visa | V | +14.9% | $230 |
| Coca-Cola | KO | +30.5% | $261 |
| Palantir | PLTR | +9.6% | $219 |
| Netflix | NFLX | -33.6% | $133 |
| Boeing | BA | -22.9% | $154 |
| S&P 500 ETF (SPY) | SPY | +12.2% | $224 |
| Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ) | QQQ | +16.3% | $233 |
Popularity has not paid this year. Nvidia roughly matches the index. Meta, Tesla and Broadcom are negative, Netflix has lost a third of its value and Boeing is down 23% after another guidance cut. Coca-Cola, the definition of a defensive stock, is up 30.5%, beating nearly every celebrated tech name. Concentration in the megacaps, which worked for three years, has been a drag in 2026.
The currency reality check for Latin American investors
Returns in dollars are not returns at home. In Colombia, the dollar has fallen 16.6% against the peso in 2026, from about 3,774 to 3,146. A Colombian who bought the S&P 500 in January is up 12.3% in dollars but down roughly 6% in pesos. Nvidia is about −4% in pesos; Tesla about −26%.
By contrast, Colombia’s iCOLCAP ETF is up about 22% in pesos. See the 25 best Colombian stocks of 2026.
Critical take: what the leaderboard doesn’t tell you
Mean reversion is real. Last cycle’s champion, Nvidia, is merely matching the index. Stocks that triple in a year typically carry higher volatility the next, and chasing them late is one of the costliest retail habits.
The AI trade is concentrated. More than half of the top 25 depend on the same driver: hyperscaler data-center spending. If Microsoft, Alphabet or Amazon guide capex lower, these names could fall together. This week’s earnings are a direct test.
Refiners ride a temporary tailwind. Margins this high tend to normalize when crude eases.
Breadth is improving, but valuations are stretched. The rally has broadened beyond the megacaps, which is healthy, yet the S&P 500 near 7,700 prices in strong earnings growth while the 10-year Treasury yields close to 5%.
Bolsa al Día informs; we do not tell you what to buy. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best-performing large U.S. stock in 2026?
Moderna, up about 597% year to date through Oct. 27, 2026 among companies above $50 billion, followed by Sandisk (+434%) and Dell (+291%).
How much is the S&P 500 up in 2026?
About 12.3% year to date through Oct. 27, 2026, excluding dividends.
What would $200 in Nvidia on Jan. 1 be worth?
About $230, a 14.8% gain.
Which sectors lead in 2026?
AI memory and storage, AI servers and semiconductors, cybersecurity and oil refining.
How have the Magnificent Seven performed?
Mostly behind: Apple +27.5%, Nvidia +14.8%, Microsoft +9.7%, Amazon +9.4%, Alphabet +1.2%, Meta −6.4%, Tesla −11%.
Should I buy the top performers?
Bolsa al Día does not give recommendations. Historically, chasing last year’s winners carries high volatility and correction risk.
Related: How to invest in Wall Street from Colombia · Stock market today · Leer en español
Data: TradingView, Oct. 27, 2026 close. Year-to-date price return excluding dividends and fees. Universe: U.S. stocks above $50 billion market value. Peso conversions use USD/COP of 3,146 (Oct. 27) and about 3,774 at the start of the year, derived from TradingView’s YTD change. Updated Oct. 27, 2026.
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