Top Financial Stocks Of 2025 Forbes Advisor

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 5, 2025, 4:06 PM

top financial stocks of 2025 forbes advisor

You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. When you buy financial stocks, you’re investing in the world’s leading providers of banking services, insurance, credit cards and a wide range of other financial services. Because the financial sector forms the core of the global economy, investors should strongly consider making financial stocks an important part of their portfolios. To help with your research into the best financial stocks, Forbes Advisor has compiled profiles of the 10 largest financial stocks by market capitalization. Our editors are committed to bringing you independent ratings and information.

Advertisers do not and cannot influence our ratings. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the investing methodology for the ratings below. U.S. voters have picked their next president, which may have prompted you to rethink your portfolio. Learn what factors are in play for stocks in 2025 and meet seven picks that look promising for the new year and beyond.

Looking at the factors most likely to influence the financial markets next year, two themes emerge: economic policies implemented by the incoming Trump administration and the evolution and adoption of innovative technologies. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has promised tariffs and tax cuts to strengthen the U.S. economy. He has suggested tariffs of 10% or more on all imports, with higher duties on Chinese products. Trump may also reduce the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15%.

Any tax cuts will support higher earnings, which is good for shareholders. Tariffs, however, will raise costs for businesses that rely on imported goods. Mark Malek, CIO at financial services firm Siebert, predicts rising costs across several industries, including automotive, consumer electronics, machinery, agriculture, construction, infrastructure and retail. Higher costs usually get passed along to consumers as higher prices, which can dampen consumer spending. David Bianco, Americas CIO at asset manager DWS Group, sees a different outcome. Bianco believes the benefits of the tax cuts may simply be offset by the cost impact of tariffs.

You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. Growth stocks refer to shares of companies that are expected to grow at rates significantly above the average for the stock market as a whole. Over the next five years, analysts predict a median EPS growth rate of 8.5% per year for S&P 500 stocks—the best growth stocks are outpacing this benchmark by a multiple of two to three... Forbes Advisor has identified 10 of the best growth stocks based on recent and expected earnings growth. Companies that grow earnings and sales are generally rewarded with higher share prices.

Our editors are committed to bringing you independent ratings and information. Advertisers do not and cannot influence our ratings. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the investing methodology for the ratings below. Vita Coco had its initial public offering in 2021. The company sells coconut water, coconut oil and other coconut-related products around the world.

COCO has been seeing exceptional growth. Analysts project that will continue, with earnings per share, or EPS, expected to increase an average of 15.8% in its next fiscal year. You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. No matter what the markets are doing, stock investors want the same thing: a stock rises in value and helps build wealth.To help you find the right stocks for your portfolio, we screened thousands... equities to create the best stocks to buy now.

Our methodology includes a stock-rating system based on forensic analysis of company earnings as well as specific screeners for earnings growth and analyst ratings. Our editors are committed to bringing you independent ratings and information. Advertisers do not and cannot influence our ratings. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the investing methodology for the ratings below. Get a 1% IRA Match on contributions & rollovers.

Terms apply.* Get a 1% IRA Match on contributions & rollovers. Terms apply.* As we move through 2025, the stock market continues to reward companies positioned at the intersection of technological innovation and essential infrastructure. While headline-grabbing names like NVIDIA and Microsoft have delivered solid returns, some lesser-known players have crushed the market with triple-digit gains. This analysis focuses on the standout performers among S&P 500 companies with market capitalizations exceeding $10 billion.

These aren't speculative penny stocks or volatile small-caps – they're substantial businesses that have managed to capture investor imagination while delivering real operational results. From artificial intelligence enablers to energy infrastructure plays, the top performers tell a fascinating story about where smart money is flowing in the evolving market landscape of 2025. The methodology for identifying these market leaders is straightforward but selective. I screened all S&P 500 constituents with market capitalizations above $10 billion as of July 2025, then ranked them by year-to-date percentage returns. This market capitalization threshold ensures that we're examining established companies with meaningful institutional ownership and trading liquidity, rather than smaller, speculative plays. The $10 billion cutoff eliminates the volatility often associated with smaller companies while focusing on businesses large enough to impact portfolios and broader market indices meaningfully.

These companies have demonstrated their staying power and represent sectors that institutional investors consider to have sustainable competitive advantages in today’s rapidly evolving economic environment. Palantir's stunning 113% gain represents the single best performance among large-cap S&P 500 stocks in 2025. The data analytics and software company has successfully transitioned from a government-focused contractor to a diversified enterprise software provider, with commercial revenue growing at an explosive pace. The company's Foundry platform has gained significant traction among Fortune 500 companies seeking to harness artificial intelligence for operational efficiency. You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website.

Financial stocks are a broad category of publicly traded companies, including banks, insurance companies, financial service providers, and more. Companies in the financial sector can produce excellent long-term returns, and we think there are some that look more attractive than others. These are some mature, easy-to-understand financial sector businesses that are smart choices for beginner investors: Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A +2.66%) (BRK.B +2.46%) is not always thought of as a financial sector stock. However, it is an insurance company at heart, so it is technically a part of the sector. Led by legendary investor Warren Buffett, Berkshire is the parent company of more than 60 businesses, including GEICO, BNSF Railroad, Duracell, and many others.

Investors in the company gain exposure to its massive stock portfolio, which also happens to own large stakes in financial heavyweights Bank of America (BAC -0.04%) and American Express (AXP -0.31%). JPMorgan Chase (JPM -0.03%) is the largest U.S. bank by assets and has an excellent track record throughout a variety of economic environments. It's tough to make a case against JPMorgan Chase as an investment if you want bank stock exposure in your portfolio. The bank consistently posts some of the highest profitability metrics in the industry and has vast operations in both consumer and investment banking. Visa (V +0.92%) operates the world's largest payment network.

Along with Mastercard (MA +1.59%), Visa has half of a near-duopoly over the payment processing industry. But don't make the mistake of thinking Visa doesn't have room to grow. The company currently processes about $13 trillion in annualized payment volume per year via about 4.8 billion branded debit and credit cards. Each year, we ask an expert to pick 10 stocks that have the potential to beat the market over the next 12 months. Here are his choices for 2025. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Here’s how it works. Since 1993, I have offered an annual list of 10 stocks with the potential to beat the market in the 12 months ahead. My 2024 selections notched the highest return ever: an average of 48.9%. I beat the S&P 500 index by 10.8 percentage points, and every one of my stocks was up — six by more than 30%. The past decade has been exceptional. Just remember that reversion to the mean is a powerful force, so don’t count on either the huge returns or my winning margin to continue.

Still, there’s nothing wrong with a little celebration. Following tradition, I have chosen nine stocks for 2025 from the broader choices of experts I trust, and I include one of my own. A theme for several selections is artificial intelligence (AI), which is in its infancy but will lead to enormous gains in efficiency and innovation. (Stocks I like are in bold; prices and other data are through October 31). It's that time of year again. I'm not referring to buying gifts and preparing holiday meals -- although that may be part of your agenda too.

It's time to look back on your portfolio's performance and plan for the year ahead. It's been a solid year for many, with all three indexes heading for triple-digit gains, and with the right mix of stocks, we might make 2025 a winning one too. Most importantly, though, remember to focus on the long term, as gains over a number of years are what we're really looking for -- so don't worry if your portfolio hasn't performed as well... Need some inspiration for stocks to buy right now? Here are my top 10 buys -- in no particular order -- for 2025 and beyond. Most of these stocks have a solid earnings track record (except for the clinical-stage biotech that doesn't yet generate product revenue).

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You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. Growth stocks refer to shares of companies that are expected to grow at rates significantly above the average for the stock market as a whole. Over the next five years, analysts predict a median EPS growth rate ...