How to Identify Great Long Term Investments: Best US Stocks to Buy in 2026

The Best Long Term Investments in 2026: Finding the Best Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Long Haul

Investing in a business is no small decision, especially if you’re chasing long-term potential as opposed to quick returns. Besides, in today’s financial world, it means more than simply being a shareholder in a public company and receiving dividends. For a lot of investors, owning shares is akin to wealth creation and positioning yourself for the future. However, as simple as it all sounds, the big question on the lips of many remains, “what stocks or assets can I buy now for a big boom in the next couple of decades?”

Across many respects, the stock market is like the sports betting industry in countries like the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and the EU. Take Australia for example, the stock market there is known for the financial concentration of high dividend yields in a few companies across the financial services and resource extraction sectors. Similar to the stock market, the sports betting industry is also heavily dominated by horse racing, the Australian Football League and rugby. But most importantly, in both industries, there are no 100% guarantees that your predictions will always turn a profit. 

On the bright side, though, with sports betting, you can get help with your picks through internationally reputed tipster platforms like MightyTips. Not only that, but you can also access a verified list of online betting sites in Australia that offer a range of prediction markets and outstanding bonuses. Since its launch, MightyTips has built a brand as the world’s leading team of sports betting experts, offering players in Australia and across the world useful bookmaker reviews and independent analysis of sporting events.

If you need similar help with deciding which stocks to invest in, then this article is for you. Proficient betting professional, Aigar Shilvan, with four-year background in the sports betting industry brings his skills to the investing world and rolls out his list of the best stocks to buy this year. 

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Investor Guide: Key Criteria for Adding Long-Term Stocks to Your Portfolio

It was legendary investor and former CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett who said, 

“The basic ideas of investing are to look at stocks as business, use the market’s fluctuations to your advantage, and seek a margin of safety. That’s what Ben Graham taught us. A hundred years from now they will still be the cornerstones of investing.”

If the words of one of the world’s richest men is anything to go by, then it means the rules of investments will remain the same in the coming years. That said, finding the best long term stocks involves identifying companies with strong fundamentals, low debt and durable competitive advantage, or what Warren Buffett calls “economic moat”.

Below are six criteria to consider when choosing high-quality stocks that will stand the test of time. 

• Economic mota or competitive advantage such as brand recognition or intellectual property that protects them from competitors.
• Solid financial health and business fundamentals, especially demonstrated by strong cash flow and low debt-to-equity ratios. 
• Consistent revenue growth over five to ten years and a history of paying dividends. 
• A management team that has a track record of capital allocation and consists of individuals holding personal stake in the company.
• Presence in an industry with potential for future growth such as aerospace, artificial intelligence, fintech and renewable energy.

Remember, use tools like Morningstar and Yahoo Finance to filter high quality stocks and diversify your equity holdings.

A List of the 10 Best Stocks to Buy in 2026

Next up, we highlight the great company stocks to purchase in 2026, all of which are trading on stock exchanges in the United States.

Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL)

One of America’s foremost multinational technology conglomerate holding companies, Alphabet Inc. is the brain behind the famous Google Workspace. Its equity is anchored on its search and digital advertising system as well as a fast-rising AI-framework that supports a rising fair value estimate. 

Amazon (AMZN)

In between the ecommerce industry and AWS, its high-margin cloud business, Amazon is one of the 10 best companies to invest in the US. Not only is the logistics part of the business scaling to deliver cost advantages, but the company is also building a wide moat across the intersection of commerce and technology.

American Express (AXP)

American Express is constantly shaping the world’s financial services sector in no small way. Unlike Visa or Mastercard, AmEx controls both the issuing and acquiring sides of the banking and card sectors. Although this business model is facing new competitors, the closed-loop framework and strong free cash flow makes it a lucrative buy in 2026. 

Apple Inc. (AAPL)

Since the Steve Jobs era, Apple has always been a trustworthy stock. Its ecosystem of mobile devices and high-margin services such as Apple TV+ and Apple Music allows it to monetize its loyal user base for efficient scale. In addition to a compounding balance sheet, Apple has an enduring pricing power, which will continue to grow with incremental innovation across all its product categories. 

The Coca-Cola Company (KO)

Coca-Cola is a household name that has driven beverage consumer spending in the US and across the world in the last few decades. It has one of the strongest brand portfolios globally, with franchises in over 200 countries. Although its growth is modest compared to tech stocks, Coca-Cola’s intangible assets are reliable especially with recent diversification into low-sugar and functional beverages. 

Meta Platforms (META)

The company that kicked off as a startup in a college dorm has grown significantly, boasting over 3.5 billion daily users. Meta Platforms is driven not just by its social network but by its advertising ecosystems spanning Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Interestingly, the company is also heavily investing in future platforms through AI and its niche metaverse VR systems.

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)

Founded by Bill Gates as far back as 1975, Microsoft is arguably the most balanced mega-corporation out there. Combining enterprise software with cloud computing and AI, Microsoft operates within a highly profitable and diversified business model. Even better, with its recent partnership with Open AI, Microsoft reinforces its moats through switching costs and a broad product ecosystem. 

Netflix (NFLX)

Known as one of the pioneers of movie streaming in the modern era, Netflix has transitioned from its growth-at-all-costs model to a more cash-generating business structure. Despite backing down from a deal to acquire Warner Bros, the streaming platform still has a global subscribed base and content library that gives it a strong competitive position. 

NVIDIA (NVDA)

Ranked first on the S&P 500 index, Nvidia sits at the centre of the global AI revolution, supplying the GPUs that power companies like Tesla, Meta, Super Micro Computers and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. While NVIDIA’s valuation is somewhat high, the company has solid fundamentals and a growth trend that justifies its premium stock pricing. 

Tesla (TSLA)

Tesla is a leader of the EV market in the US and Europe, but it’s more than just an automobile company. The company is vertically integrated, thanks to its combination of lithium and renewable energy that powers EVs on one hand and AI that helps create autonomous driving systems. Since Elon Musk emerged CEO, the company has enjoyed a network effect with other entities like SpaceX and xAI which has helped drive its high margins.

Final Thoughts: How Artificial Intelligence is Disrupting Company Economic Moat and Making it Easier to Find the Best Stocks

“Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas,” said Paul Samuelson, leading economic analyst and Nobel Prize Winner. 

There is a long-standing awareness about how investment should not be treated the same as gambling where players expect their small buck to become thousands of dollars in an instant. While that is truly not how investing works, the rise of AI is changing how people approach the markets. With artificial intelligence, smaller companies are making up for the economic moat that used to be exclusive to big data companies, meaning startups can now compete more favorably. 

For the investor, AI also means you can discover the best stocks in an instant, including new brands that have the potential to deliver a massive boom in a short period. From going through huge amounts of information in an instant, comparing company performances, analyzing trends and highlighting strong opportunities faster than humans, AI could change the stock market and investments forever.