The 20 Best Performing Large Cap Stocks Of 2025 So Far

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 4, 2025, 1:56 AM

the 20 best performing large cap stocks of 2025 so far

In a market that’s been defined by volatility and a notable correction this year, you’d think the best-performing large-cap stocks would be lucky to have eked out single- or barely double-digit gains. After all, the S&P 500, Nasdaq and Dow are all down slightly for the year, even after Monday’s major rally on news of yet another tariff development (this time, a 90-day reduction of tariffs... But the fact of the matter is, over half of the large-cap leaders in 2025 are up more than 50%, the best of the bunch has more than doubled, and the balance of this... Here they are, in descending order of their year-to-date (YTD) returns. Hims & Hers (HIMS) is the clear winner from this list, as it’s the only stock to have doubled already in 2025 and it’s outperforming the next best-performing stock by more than 50 percentage... As we prepare for the fourth quarter of 2025, I find it very useful to look at the strongest stocks in 2025.

I sort stocks on a year-to-date percent change basis. This exercise helps me easily spot “leading” stocks and it helps remove emotions from the decision making process. Also, it helps me find leading stocks and wait for proper buy points because many times, leading stocks tend to be in strong uptrends that can last several years. Of course, there’s a chance any and all of these stocks fall. It’s just a good exercise to see what the strongest stocks are in the market at any given time. Here are the ten strongest mega-cap stocks (so far) in 2025:

1. Palantir (PLTR)Palantir is the strongest performing mega cap stock in the market (as of this writing 9/30/25) on a year-to-date percent change basis. Palantir is a leading tech/AI stock that is growing rapidly. The company continued converting a large pipeline of government and commercial contracts into sustainable recurring revenue in 2025. Its platform-based approach is unique because it integrates data, analytics, and operational workflows. All that makes it sticky among large customers who increasingly treat Palantir as a mission-critical software partner.

Expansion into vertical solutions and success in platform monetization (subscription plus consumption-based fees) contributed to stronger revenue visibility and improving operating leverage. As profitability metrics advanced, market skepticism diminished and the multiple expanded. 2. AppLovin (APP)AppLovin is another monster stock in 2025. The company developed a mobile app ecosystem to help developers monetize their work. The company is ad-tech and mobile-software player that combines effective user-acquisition tools, a growing independent game publishing arm, and targeted monetization services to grow earnings by triple digits in each of the past 4...

In 2025, the company benefited from robust mobile-ad demand, improvements in measurement and privacy-safe targeting, and a higher-margin mix of platform services. Strategic investments in creative optimization, in-app commerce, and cross-promotion improved ROI for advertisers and developers, boosting revenue per active user and driving solid margin improvements. 3. General Electric (GE)General Electric’s (yes the giant industrial company) stock has soared this year. GE’s turnaround gained traction recently thanks in part to Trump’s made in America policies. GE is a leader in aviation, renewable-energy equipment, grid technologies, and many other important industries in our economy.

The company has been able to focus on higher-value services and long-term service agreements which increased recurring revenue and smoothed cyclicality. Capital redeployment toward high-return businesses, debt reduction, and portfolio simplification enhanced investor confidence. Renewable and electrification tailwinds — particularly in gas turbines and wind-turbine services — supported a favorable outlook for orders and backlog conversion. All this has helped GE become one of the strongest performing mega cap stocks in 2025. As we head into the final quarter of 2025, the stock market has seen robust activity, with several S&P 500 components delivering impressive year-to-date returns. Investors are focusing on sectors like technology, energy, and consumer goods amid ongoing economic recovery, AI advancements, and commodity price surges.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 20 best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 based on YTD returns as of early September, along with key factors fueling their rise. These gains highlight themes like AI infrastructure, commodity rallies, and consumer resilience. However, investors should monitor risks such as inflation, tariffs, and sector-specific challenges. Data sourced from S&P 500 performance trackers and company reports. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The stock market as a whole hasn’t had a great start to the year, but there have been some outliers. Focusing on these outliers might pay off in the long run and the statistics behind it — especially this month — are very important. The S&P 500’s calendar year performance has matched the direction of January returns approximately 77% of the time. This means when January shows positive returns, the market finishes higher in 84% of these years with an average annual return of 15.5% for the whole year. Even if January is negative, the market ends higher some 63% of the time, but with a return of around 2.2%.

I’m bringing this up because I believe this correlation can also extend to certain stocks. We’ve seen many mega-cap tech stocks perform well last year after a solid January. A lot of big-cap stocks between $50 billion to $100 billion also performed well. Accordingly, the methodology for this article involves me screening the top 10 stocks traded in U.S. markets with a market capitalization between $50 billion to $100 billion and then sorted by year-to-date performance. I obviously don’t have an equal level of bullishness or bearishness for all the ten stocks I’m going to discuss, so let’s discuss each of them individually.

A close-up of a financial chart jumping as the large-capitalization value sector changes. Note: Best-performing stocks may include stocks with negative year-to-date returns (i.e., stocks that declined the least). Best-Performing Stocks of 2024 Best-Performing Stocks of 2023 Best-Performing Stocks of 2022 Best-Performing Stocks of 2021 Best-Performing Stocks of 2020 Best-Performing Stocks of 2019 Large cap stocks don’t move as fast as small caps, but they tend to offer more stability and long-term growth. If you’re building a steady portfolio or looking for safer trades with predictable performance, big names can give you that peace of mind. In 2025, some major players are worth watching, especially with sectors like AI, chips, and health tech leading the way.

Large cap—or big cap—stocks refer to companies with a market capitalization of $10 billion or more. These businesses are often household names, leaders in their industry, and typically offer more predictable returns. They’re not always exciting, but when they move, people pay attention. You don’t always get massive short-term gains, but you do get liquidity, stability, and more analyst coverage. These factors make large caps an appealing choice when the market gets shaky. They also anchor many portfolios and can work well alongside aggressive small caps for balance.

For a quick breakdown of these mega cap stocks, check out this short video covering buy zones, targets, and key sector plays for 2025. These stocks were highlighted based on price zones, sector potential, and broader market positioning. Buy zone: $370–$400 Target: $650–$700 Tesla remains one of the most watched large caps for 2025. Its ability to scale EV production and expand AI features keeps investors interested. This is a dip-buying candidate, especially near that $370–$400 zone. CSIMarket Company, Sector, Industry, Market Analysis, Stock Quotes, Earnings, Economy, News and Research.

Intraday data delayed per exchange requirements. All quotes are in local exchange time. Intraday data delayed 15 minutes for Nasdaq, and other exchanges. Fundamental and financial data for Stocks, Sector, Industry, and Economic Indicators provided by CSIMarket.com © 2025 CSIMarket.com — Proprietary financial dataset. All rights reserved.

Redistribution or automated extraction prohibited. What if the next big thing in stocks isn’t just the usual tech giants, but a new wave of large-cap stock companies quietly powering the future? From infrastructure firms fueling AI data centers to resilient megacaps and promising undervalued names, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of opportunity—with some game-changing surprises. While household names like Nvidia and Microsoft grabbed headlines, there's a rising group of large-cap players fueling the AI revolution behind the scenes: Willdan Group (WLDN): Up over 200% in 2025 thanks to data-center–related contracts and stellar earnings. If 2025 is about smarter growth, the most compelling opportunities might not be where everyone is looking.

AI infrastructure players like Willdan, CBRE, and Primoris are quietly expanding behind the scenes. Meanwhile, BATMMAAN megacaps continue to dominate with AI-driven momentum, and stocks like Eli Lilly and Salesforce deliver both value and innovation. Whether you're a growth seeker or risk-conscious investor, this evolving shortlist offers a compelling mix of resilience, undervalued upside, and future-readiness.

The 20 Best Performing Large Cap Stocks Of 2025 So Far

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