In 2026, there are countless institutional analysts on the hunt for the best stocks to buy. In fact, research by AJ Bell discovered that 63% of all active stock ratings at the start of the year from these experts were Buy recommendations – signalling the most bullish sentiment seen in over a decade.
And now that the Iran war and other wider macroeconomic volatility have pushed several high-conviction names to even more attractive entry points, investors could have a long list of rare buying opportunities to capitalise on.
With that in mind, here are two of the most popular expert stock picks.
1. A deep-value recovery play
First on the list is Barratt Redrow (LSE:BTRW) – the UK’s largest residential housebuilder.
Of the 19 analysts tracking the business, 16 have rated the FTSE 100 stock as either a Buy or Outperform, with only three recommending holding. And when looking at the share price forecasts, even the most pessimistic outlook suggests the stock’s trading at a discounted valuation.
That seems to directly conflict with the government’s housebuilding mandate and incoming planning reforms – a massive tailwind for the business. And when combining this with the firm’s robust balance sheet and ongoing cost synergies already ahead of schedule, it’s no wonder the consensus is bullish.
Despite this positive sentiment, the stock’s been stuck on a downward trajectory for several years now, due to inflationary margin pressure and slow speed of interest rate cuts – both of which now look likely to persist in 2026 due to the conflict in the Middle East.
A lack of confidence in the government’s ability to deliver on its home-building targets is also understandably giving investors some pause. But while there’s no denying the short-term outlook appears murky, the long-term picture seems to support a gradual recovery. And that’s something worth investigating further.
2. Quality compounder at a massive discount
Another top pick from the experts is RELX (LSE:REL). Just like Barratt Redrow, the overwhelming consensus from analysts is bullish, with 15 Buy or Outperform recommendations and only one Hold and one Sell rating as of April.
It’s the same story with analyst share price forecasts, with even the most pessimistic projection suggesting the stock’s undervalued by double digits. So what’s going on here?
As one of the world’s largest proprietary data & analytics providers, RELX found itself caught in the crossfire of the recent AI-disruption sell-off in early February.
Yet despite these concerns, AI’s so far proven to be a tailwind, not a headwind, for this business. And consequently, with the bottom line being driven higher by its own AI tools, the company now trades at its cheapest valuation not seen in years on a price-to-earnings basis.
While the initial sell-off might have been overblown, the jury’s still out on whether RELX can remain competitive in a world of cheap alternative AI-powered data analytics solutions. And with some of the group’s largest end markets like legal research already being targeted, RELX’s margins could come under pressure.
Nevertheless, with an impressive track record of outmanoeuvring competitors, betting against this industry incumbent could prove to be a costly mistake, making it another stock to consider buying in 2026.
