Growth stocks have stopped moving as one group. CrowdStrike trades near a 52-week high after completing a four-for-one stock split on July 2. Intuitive Surgical trades within a few percent of its 52-week low, down more than 25% on the year, with quarterly results due after the close on July 16. Both still grow revenue faster than 20%. The market simply stopped paying the same premium for every fast grower, and that spread is where patient buyers go to work.
The best growth stocks to buy right now include Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Eli Lilly, Palantir, CrowdStrike, Intuitive Surgical, Shopify, and Axon Enterprise. Each one grew revenue more than 20% in its most recent quarter, holds a real lead in its market, and is large enough to fund its own expansion without leaning on outside cash.
We screened large and mid-cap US companies for fast, durable growth and narrowed the field to eight names you can actually build a position in.
How We Picked These Stocks
Hundreds of US-listed companies call themselves growth stocks. We filtered for four things. Revenue growth above 20% year over year in the most recent quarter. A market cap above $10 billion, big enough to be liquid and past the riskiest startup phase. A clear competitive moat, meaning a product or position that rivals cannot easily copy. And positive or fast-improving margins, so the growth is paying for itself rather than burning cash with no end in sight.
We left out pre-revenue story stocks and slower compounders growing in the single digits. The eight that made the cut span four different sectors, which means a stumble in any one industry does not sink the whole list.
The List
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA)
Why it made the list: Nvidia makes the chips that train and run nearly every major AI model, and demand still outstrips supply. Revenue in the most recent quarter hit $81.6 billion, up 85% from a year earlier, with data center sales alone at $75.2 billion. No company this large is growing this fast.
The bull case: The largest cloud companies are spending hundreds of billions of dollars a year building AI data centers, and Nvidia collects the biggest checks. Management guided to roughly $91 billion in revenue for the current quarter, and that figure excludes any China data center sales. Each new chip generation widens its lead, and its software tools lock customers in.
The risk: The stock trades on the assumption that AI spending keeps climbing. Any sign that cloud buyers are slowing orders can knock the shares down fast, and we saw a preview of that when Wall Street stopped paying for the AI buildout.
Key number: $81.6 billion in revenue in a single quarter, up 85% year over year.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META)
Why it made the list: Meta Platforms runs Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, which together reach more than three billion people a day. That audience turns into one of the most profitable advertising machines ever built, and AI targeting keeps making each ad worth more.
The bull case: Revenue grew about 33% in the latest quarter while the core ad business threw off nearly $23 billion in operating profit. That cash funds heavy AI spending without putting the dividend or buybacks at risk. We covered how Meta's AI reset changed the story for the stock.
The risk: Meta is pouring tens of billions into AI and its Reality Labs division, which still loses money. Investors will eventually want proof those bets pay off.
Key number: Nearly $23 billion in quarterly operating income from the ad business alone.
Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY)
Why it made the list: Eli Lilly sells the weight-loss and diabetes drugs that have become the fastest-selling medicines in history. Revenue jumped about 56% year over year in the most recent quarter, a rare pace for a company its size. Mounjaro alone brought in $8.66 billion, more than double the prior year. Its newer pill version won broad pharmacy coverage, opening the door to millions more patients (see our coverage of Lilly's CVS deal).
The bull case: The obesity drug market could reach well over $100 billion a year, and Lilly and one rival control almost all of it. Medicare coverage for obesity drugs began July 1, which widens the pool of patients who can afford them. New oral versions are cheaper to make and easier to ship, and the shares just set a fresh 52-week high as that story builds.
The risk: Competition is coming, and any safety scare or pricing pushback on these drugs could cool the growth fast.
Key number: Revenue grew about 56% year over year in the most recent quarter.
Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR)
Why it made the list: Palantir builds software that helps governments and large companies turn scattered data into fast decisions. Its US commercial business is the fastest-growing piece, and total revenue rose about 85% in the latest quarter to $1.63 billion. We broke down exactly how Palantir makes money and why its commercial side now matters as much as its government roots.
The bull case: Palantir lands large multi-year contracts and expands them over time, including a $10 billion agreement with the US Army. As more firms rush to deploy AI, its platform becomes the system that ties the tools to real workflows.
The risk: The stock is one of the most expensive in the market on every standard measure, so even strong results can disappoint a crowd expecting perfection. Shares sit well below their 52-week high despite the growth.
Key number: Revenue about 85% higher than a year earlier.
CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD)
Why it made the list: CrowdStrike protects laptops, servers, and cloud systems from hackers, and most of its money comes from subscriptions that renew year after year. Revenue grew about 26% in the latest quarter, and customers keep buying more modules over time. The company completed a four-for-one stock split on July 2, and shares have since pushed to a 52-week high. It also ranks among our best cybersecurity stocks.
The bull case: Cybersecurity is a budget line companies cut last. CrowdStrike sells a single platform that replaces a stack of older tools, and each added module lifts profit margins.
The risk: A 2024 software update once crashed millions of computers worldwide, a reminder that one bad release can dent trust and slow new sales. The stock also rallied hard into its split, which raises the bar for the next report.
Key number: About 26% revenue growth year over year, almost all of it recurring subscriptions.
Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG)
Why it made the list: Intuitive Surgical makes the da Vinci robots that surgeons use for minimally invasive operations, and it holds roughly 80% of that market. Revenue rose about 23% in the latest quarter, the slowest grower on this list but still comfortably through the screen. It anchors our guide to the best robotics stocks.
The bull case: Once a hospital buys a robot, it keeps paying Intuitive for the tools and service on every surgery. That razor-and-blade model produces steady, repeating revenue that grows as procedure volume climbs.
The risk: This is the one name here the market has turned on. Shares trade within a few percent of their 52-week low and are down more than 25% on the year, as analysts question whether procedure growth is decelerating and whether tighter hospital budgets will slow new system sales. Procedure volume grew 17% last quarter, a step down from prior years, and results due after the close on July 16 give the next read.
Key number: Revenue up about 23% year over year on 17% procedure growth.
Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP)
Why it made the list: Shopify powers the online stores of millions of merchants, from one-person shops to large brands. Revenue grew 34% in the latest quarter to $3.17 billion, its fastest pace in more than four years, and merchants cleared over $100 billion in sales through its platform in a single quarter.
The bull case: Shopify takes a small cut of everything its merchants sell, so its revenue rises with the whole shift of retail online. Operating income nearly doubled to $382 million, and new payment, lending, and AI tools give it more ways to earn from each store.
The risk: Shopify rises and falls with consumer spending. A weak retail stretch slows the merchants it depends on, and the stock is priced for growth to continue.
Key number: Revenue grew 34% year over year, with operating income nearly doubling.
Axon Enterprise (NASDAQ: AXON)
Why it made the list: Axon Enterprise makes Tasers and body cameras and runs the cloud software that police departments use to store and manage the footage. Revenue grew about 34% in the latest quarter, and its software business carries the highest margins in the company.
The bull case: Axon signs long contracts and sells agencies more software over time, building a large backlog of future revenue. Few rivals can match its bundle of hardware, cloud storage, and now AI tools that write reports.
The risk: Most customers are government agencies with slow budget cycles, and the stock trades at a premium that leaves little room for a miss. Shares have given back a large chunk of their gains from their 52-week high.
Key number: Revenue grew about 34% year over year, led by high-margin software.
Sector Overview
Growth investing means buying companies that are expanding revenue and earnings far faster than the broad market, and accepting a higher price tag in exchange for that speed. The fastest growth has clustered around artificial intelligence, but the names on this list show it reaches well beyond chips. Weight-loss drugs, surgical robots, cybersecurity, and online commerce are all compounding at rates most of the economy cannot touch.
The common thread is a moat. Nvidia owns the AI chip standard, Lilly owns the obesity drug pipeline, and Intuitive owns the surgical robot installed base. A wide moat lets a company keep prices and margins high while it grows, which is what separates a durable grower from a fad. For a closer look at the AI side of this theme, see our guide to the best AI stocks to buy right now, our broader list of best tech stocks, and our breakdown of the toolmakers behind every AI chip.
The catch is valuation, and this year has shown it cuts both ways. CrowdStrike trades near a 52-week high while Intuitive Surgical trades near a 52-week low, and both cleared the same 20% growth bar. Fast growers trade at high multiples of earnings, so the market re-rates them hard in either direction on any change in the story. That volatility is the price of admission, and it is why position size and a long time horizon matter more here than in any other corner of the market.
What to watch:
- Earnings dates: Intuitive Surgical reports after the close on July 16, the first read on whether procedure growth keeps slowing. Meta follows July 29, Palantir and Axon on August 3, Lilly and Shopify on August 5, Nvidia on August 26, and CrowdStrike on September 1.
- Nvidia's $91 billion guide: Management pointed to roughly $91 billion in revenue for the current quarter without counting China data center sales. Hitting or missing that number moves the whole AI complex.
- Interest rates: High-multiple growth stocks are the most sensitive to rate moves, so the next inflation reading and Fed decision will swing them more than most.
- Obesity drug coverage: Medicare coverage for weight-loss drugs began July 1. How fast prescriptions ramp sets the pace for Lilly's next few quarters.
Bottom Line
This list is for investors who want above-market growth and can stomach above-market swings to get it. The eight names span four sectors, each one a leader compounding revenue north of 20% a year. The distance between the names trading near their highs and the ones trading near their lows is a reminder that spreading a position across several of them, rather than chasing a single hot name, is the steadier way to own the theme.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best growth stocks to buy right now?
Strong growth stocks right now include Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Eli Lilly, Palantir, CrowdStrike, Intuitive Surgical, Shopify, and Axon Enterprise. Each grew revenue more than 20% in its most recent quarter, leads its market, and is large enough to fund its own expansion. They span chips, software, healthcare, and commerce, which spreads the risk across different industries.
What is the difference between a growth stock and a value stock?
A growth stock is a company expanding revenue and earnings much faster than the market, and it usually trades at a high price relative to its profits because investors expect that fast growth to continue. A value stock trades cheaply relative to its earnings or assets, often because growth is slow or the business is out of favor. Growth stocks offer bigger potential gains with bigger swings, while value stocks tend to be steadier. If the cheaper side of the market appeals to you, our list of the best value stocks runs the same screen in reverse.
Are growth stocks a good buy during a market selloff?
A selloff can be a good time to buy quality growth stocks because their prices fall faster than the broad market, often without any change in the underlying business. The key is to focus on companies still posting strong revenue growth and real profits, not story stocks with no earnings. Buying in pieces over time, rather than all at once, lowers the risk of catching a falling knife.
Why are growth stocks more volatile than other stocks?
Growth stocks trade at high multiples of their current earnings because so much of their value rests on profits expected years in the future. When interest rates rise or the mood sours, investors discount those future profits more heavily, and the prices fall sharply. That same force works in reverse during good times, which is why these stocks move more than the market in both directions.
How much of my portfolio should be in growth stocks?
There is no single right answer, and it depends on your age, goals, and tolerance for swings. Younger investors with a long time horizon often hold more growth, while those near retirement usually keep less because of the volatility. Many investors treat high-growth names as one slice of a diversified portfolio rather than the whole thing, which limits the damage if any single bet stumbles.
