U.S. stocks wrapped up Friday on a high note, with the Nasdaq Composite surging roughly 300 points as AI enthusiasm continued and traders positioned themselves ahead of December's triple witching session.
The Dow Jones climbed about 183 points to close at 48,134.89. The S&P 500 added 0.88% to finish at 6,834.50, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.31% to 23,307.62.
Here's the thing about Wall Street analysts: they're constantly issuing stock recommendations, but not all of them are worth following. Track records vary wildly, and you'll often find completely contradictory opinions on the same stock. So which voices should you actually listen to?
That's where analyst accuracy ratings become useful. By tracking how well analysts' predictions actually pan out, you can separate the signal from the noise. MarketDash maintains a database of analyst ratings that ranks these professionals by their historical accuracy, giving investors a clearer picture of whose recommendations deserve attention.
What the Best Analysts Are Recommending
We've compiled the most recent stock picks from five of Wall Street's most accurate analysts based on their track records. Here's what they're recommending right now.
Analyst: Ruben Roy
- Analyst Firm: Stifel
- Ratings Accuracy: 87%
- Latest Rating: Maintained a Buy rating on Viavi Solutions Inc (VIAV) and increased the price target from $18 to $20 on Dec. 17. This analyst sees around 9% upside in the stock.
- Recent News: On Dec. 16, VIAVI announced a share exchange for $103.463 million aggregate principal amount of its 1.625% convertible senior notes due 2026.
Analyst: William Stein
- Analyst Firm: Truist Securities
- Ratings Accuracy: 85%
- Latest Rating: Maintained a Hold rating on Analog Devices Inc (ADI) and boosted the price target from $258 to $291 on Dec. 19. This analyst sees around 5% upside in the stock.
- Recent News: On Nov. 25, Analog Devices reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results.
Analyst: Matt Bryson
- Analyst Firm: Wedbush
- Ratings Accuracy: 84%
- Latest Rating: Maintained an Outperform rating on Micron Technology Inc (MU) and increased the price target from $300 to $320 on Dec. 18. This analyst expects around 17% surge in the stock.
- Recent News: On Dec. 17, Micron reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 and issued a strong outlook for the second quarter.
Analyst: Justin Post
- Analyst Firm: B of A Securities
- Ratings Accuracy: 84%
- Latest Rating: Maintained a Buy rating on Expedia Group Inc (EXPE) and raised the price target from $285 to $326 on Dec. 19. This analyst expects around 13% gain in the stock.
- Recent News: On Nov. 6, Expedia posted upbeat third-quarter earnings and raised FY25 guidance.
Analyst: Aaron Rakers
- Analyst Firm: Wells Fargo
- Ratings Accuracy: 84%
- Latest Rating: Maintained an Overweight rating on Micron Technology Inc (MU) and increased the price target from $300 to $335 on Dec. 18. This analyst expects around 22% jump in the stock.
- Recent News: On Dec. 17, Micron reported upbeat earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 and issued a strong forecast for the second quarter.
Worth noting: Micron Technology caught the attention of two highly accurate analysts in the same week, both raising their price targets after the company delivered strong first-quarter results and optimistic guidance. When multiple top-rated analysts independently arrive at similar bullish conclusions, that's typically a signal worth paying attention to.