Bank of America cited a series of stocks best positioned to generate profits. The Wall Street investment bank says companies like Amazon are compelling and have more room to maneuver. Other buy-rated names reviewed by CNBC Pro include: Brookdale, Corning, Vertiv and Carvana. Amazon analyst Justin Post says Amazon Web Services growth will be an important metric to watch for the e-commerce giant in the coming quarters. “We believe Amazon’s valuation reflects uncertainty over AWS’ positioning, which has the potential to improve in 2026 if AWS’s revenue growth accelerates and the company strengthens its relative AI capabilities,” he wrote. Post urged investors to stay calm and accumulate stocks. The company says Amazon is best positioned for multiple expansion as it accelerates the use of AI. “Meanwhile, the retail sector continues to realize efficiency gains and Amazon’s earnings growth is expected to outpace that of its large-cap peers,” he said. Amazon is expected to report earnings later this month and shares are up 3% this year. Brookdale Senior Living The senior housing company was recently upgraded to buy the company’s underperforming holdings. Analyst Joanna Gajuk says Brookdale is best positioned to take advantage of an aging boom over the next few years. “Improvement in low-occupancy units and operating leverage in high-occupancy units is expected to fuel over 15% annual growth in adjusted EBITDA over the next several years,” she wrote. Gajuk raised her price target on the stock from $6.75 to $13 per share and says she also likes the company’s minimal exposure to government payers. “Industry tailwinds + better portfolio = upgrade to buy,” she said. Brookdale shares are up nearly 13% this year, and the company is expected to report earnings at the end of February. Carvana The used car maker is operating at full capacity and is best positioned for growth, according to the company. In a note to clients, analyst Michael McGovern praised the company’s innovation as it undertakes new initiatives such as acquiring brick-and-mortar auto dealerships. “We expect CVNA’s new car efforts to remain a small piece of the overall pie in the near term, but remain similar to TAM (total addressable market) expansion as a catalyst for 2026,” he wrote. The company also raised its price target to $515 per share from $455 as earnings near the end of February. “The company remains in growth mode, with best-in-class e-commerce growth driven by market expansion and greater penetration in existing markets,” he continued. The stock is up 6% this year. Corning “Our Buy rating on Corning is based on the balance of glass supply and demand and moderate declines in glass prices, while the optical market benefits from a cyclical recovery in operator spending and a sustained advantage from Generation AI. Corning has a strong capital return program. » Vertiv “We consider that Vertiv benefits in the short term from margin recovery and improved FCF generation. The adoption of artificial intelligence within data centers adds additional demand for Vertiv’s thermal management products. Pricing benefits from capacity constraints for data center infrastructure products. » Brookdale Senior Living “Sector tailwind + better portfolio = upgrade to buy.” …Improvement in low-occupancy units and operating leverage in high-occupancy units is expected to fuel over 15% annual growth in adjusted EBITDA over the next few years. Amazon “We believe Amazon’s valuation reflects uncertainty over AWS’ positioning, which has the potential to improve in 2026 if AWS’s revenue growth accelerates and the company strengthens its relative AI capabilities. …Meanwhile, retail continues to realize efficiency gains and Amazon’s earnings growth is expected to outpace its mega-cap peers.” Carvana “We expect CVNA’s new car efforts to remain a small piece of the overall pie in the near term, but continue to view TAM (total addressable market) expansion as a catalyst for 2026. … The company remains in growth mode, with best-in-class e-commerce growth, driven by market expansion and greater penetration in existing markets.”
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