Key Points
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Alphabet combines strong AI momentum with reasonable valuation, making it the top “Magnificent Seven” pick.
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Nvidia and Microsoft offer compelling long-term AI opportunities after meaningful valuation resets this year.
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Heavy AI spending remains the biggest risk that could reshape rankings across all seven companies.
- 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet ›
The “Magnificent Seven” companies have led the market for years, but 2026 has humbled them. Most have pulled back, and as a group, they now trade at their cheapest valuation relative to the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) in more than a decade.
That makes this a good moment to ask a simple question: Of these seven giants, which are the best buys right now? Here is my ranking, counting down from least to most compelling.
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7. Tesla
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) lands last, not because it lacks ambition but because its price demands the most faith. Auto sales have been soft, and the stock leans heavily on a robotaxi future that keeps slipping. It is the most speculative name here, and the valuation leaves little room for error.
6. Apple
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is a magnificent business trading near record highs, which is part of the problem. Growth is modest, it is widely seen as behind in artificial intelligence (AI), and it faces a CEO transition as Tim Cook hands off to John Ternus this fall. It’s a wonderful company, but not the most compelling buy today.
5. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) has a booming advertising engine and a bold pivot toward becoming a compute provider. The hesitation is its spending: Its capital budget has ballooned to $145 billion, and investors want proof that outlays pay off before rewarding the stock further.
4. Amazon
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) offers a strong setup after a roughly 10% monthly pullback. Its AWS cloud unit grew 28% last quarter, its fastest in years, and advertising and custom chips are humming. The catch is the same as Meta’s: a massive, increasingly debt-funded capital spending plan that has spooked investors in the near term.
3. Microsoft
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is the contrarian pick. It has been the worst-performing member this year, trading down around 20%, yet its Azure cloud is still growing around 39%, and it owns a large stake in OpenAI. Trading at roughly 20 times forward earnings, it is one of the cheaper names here, and a drawdown that steep in a business this durable looks like an opportunity.
2. Nvidia
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) may surprise people for coming in this high, but the math is compelling. Despite being the engine of the entire AI boom, it now trades at one of the lowest forward earnings multiples in the group after its 2026 cooling-off period, with demand visibility stretching into the trillions. You are getting the clear AI leader at a price that no longer looks extreme.
1. Alphabet
Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) tops my list because it is a rare stock offering value and momentum at once. It is the only Magnificent Seven member beating the market in 2026; its Google Cloud business grew a stunning 82% last quarter; and its Gemini AI models are gaining ground as well. Even Berkshire Hathaway has built a large stake.
The one wrinkle is that Alphabet, like its peers, is ramping up capital spending, which rattled investors on its latestearnings call so the AI arms race is a cost to watch.
Where I’d put new money — with one caveat
If I am putting new money to work, my order runs Alphabet, Nvidia, and Microsoft at the top, each combining real AI strength with a valuation that has come back to Earth. Amazon and Meta are close behind, held back only by spending concerns that could just as easily turn into buying opportunities. Apple and Tesla round out the bottom, great companies whose current prices or growth profiles make them harder to love today.
The overarching point is encouraging: After years of paying steep premiums for these giants, investors can finally buy several of them at reasonable prices. A ranking like this is also a snapshot, not a permanent order, because a single strong earnings report or a spending surprise can reshuffle the list quickly.
Just remember that the entire group is now pouring staggering sums into AI, so watch that spending closely, because it is the swing factor for all seven.
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Micah Zimmerman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
