3 Stocks to Buy Today Under $100: Why Wall Street Sees Major 2026 Upside

Finding quality stocks to buy today at accessible price points remains a challenge in today’s market. However, several compelling opportunities exist for investors willing to dig deeper. Among my coverage universe of approximately 70 technology-focused equities, three stand out as particularly attractive buys, all priced below $100 per share: Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL), The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX). Market analysts broadly anticipate meaningful gains across all three holdings over the coming year, presenting what could be opportune entry points for investors seeking exposure to high-growth sectors.

The investment thesis for each company rests on distinct competitive advantages and market tailwinds. Analyst consensus, drawn from 27 to 46 coverage perspectives depending on the stock, points to potential returns ranging from 37% to 62% based on current median target prices. What makes these stocks to buy today especially noteworthy is the combination of reasonable current valuations and strong forward-looking fundamentals.

Circle Internet Group (CRCL): The Regulatory-Compliant Stablecoin Play

Circle stands as a fintech innovator focused on digital asset infrastructure, most notably through its issuance of USDC—a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar. Beyond stablecoin minting, the company provides developer tools enabling businesses to seamlessly integrate digital asset storage and payment functionality into their applications.

What differentiates Circle in the competitive stablecoin landscape is its unwavering commitment to regulatory compliance. While USDC ranks as the second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization, it holds the distinction of being the most heavily regulated option in both U.S. and European markets. This positioning matters considerably as stablecoins reshape global financial infrastructure, with projected revenue growth accelerating at 54% annually through 2030. JPMorgan Chase analysts specifically note that financial institutions increasingly prefer USDC precisely because of Circle’s compliance-first approach.

Currently, Circle generates most revenue through interest earned on reserve collateral—fiat currency held to maintain stablecoin parity. However, a significant strategic expansion occurred earlier this year with the launch of the Circle Payments Network (CPN), designed to disrupt traditional payment systems across payroll, supplier settlements, and e-commerce transactions. This diversification could unlock substantial new revenue streams.

From a valuation perspective, CRCL trades at approximately 8.1 times sales—an appealing multiple for a company forecasted to grow revenue at 32% annually through 2027. The stock’s current pricing reflects an approximately 67% decline from its post-IPO highs, creating what many view as an attractive entry opportunity for long-term investors.

The Trade Desk (TTD): Independent Ad Tech Leadership

The Trade Desk operates the largest independent demand-side platform (DSP) powering digital advertising campaigns across the open internet. The DSP software enables clients to strategize, measure, and optimize campaigns spanning retail media, connective TV (CTV), and traditional digital channels.

The company’s competitive moat stems directly from its independence. Unlike larger competitors such as Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, and Amazon—all of which benefit financially from steering advertisers toward their proprietary inventory—The Trade Desk maintains strict neutrality. This independent business model creates several measurable advantages. Publishers willingly share more granular data with The Trade Desk precisely because there’s no conflict of interest influencing campaign recommendations. Retailers particularly leverage this advantage, providing data unavailable on competing platforms. Similarly, media buyers receive enhanced transparency when purchasing CTV advertising, knowing that recommendations reflect genuine performance optimization rather than platform self-interest.

Recent market validation came from Frost & Sullivan’s independent ranking, which designated The Trade Desk as the leading DSP based on growth trajectory, technological innovation, and strategic positioning. The analysts specifically highlighted advanced omnichannel capabilities, sophisticated artificial intelligence applications, and proprietary identity solutions as core competitive strengths.

Market concerns about Amazon’s recent CTV expansion have pressured TTD stock down approximately 71% from record highs, but this creates opportunity. Wall Street estimates suggest The Trade Desk’s adjusted earnings will expand at roughly 15% annually over the next two years, placing the current 21 times earnings valuation in attractive territory for a growth-rate-adjusted perspective.

Netflix (NFLX): Streaming Dominance and Content Advantage

Netflix maintains its position as the streaming service with the highest subscriber base, a status reinforced by first-mover advantages, continuous innovation cycles, and aggressive original content investment. The numbers tell a compelling story: Nielsen data shows Netflix produced six of the ten highest-viewership streaming programs currently, matching its performance from the prior year.

This content dominance creates a virtuous cycle. As the streaming platform with the largest active subscriber base, Netflix generates an unmatched data advantage that directly informs future content development decisions. The combination of brand authority, an unparalleled original programming library, and this data-driven approach makes competitive displacement increasingly unlikely.

Netflix also benefits from a structural advantage its linear television-focused competitors cannot match. Companies like Walt Disney, Paramount, and Comcast must allocate capital to legacy television assets that gradually lose value as viewership migrates to streaming. Netflix, by contrast, dedicates substantially every dollar toward streaming platform growth and content—an operational efficiency unavailable to most rivals.

Recent stock weakness of approximately 30% from record highs reflects market concerns surrounding potential merger discussions with Warner Bros. Discovery. This pullback has created valuation opportunity. Analyst estimates project Netflix earnings growth at approximately 24% annually over the next three years, rendering the current 39 times earnings multiple reasonable when adjusted for growth rates.

Evaluating Stocks to Buy Today: Key Considerations

Before committing capital to any investment, several factors merit consideration. First, these stocks to buy today reflect analyst consensus as of early 2026—market conditions and fundamentals shift, requiring ongoing portfolio review. Second, each company operates in dynamic, rapidly evolving industries where competitive positioning can change. Third, individual risk tolerance and investment time horizon should inform position sizing and entry strategies.

The historical precedent matters here: investors who identified Netflix during its Stock Advisor recommendation in December 2004 and deployed $1,000 would have accumulated $509,039 in value—a return that illustrates the wealth-building potential of identifying quality growth companies at reasonable valuations. Similarly, early Amazon and Alphabet investments have generated multiples of original capital.

Diversification across these three fundamentally different growth vectors—fintech infrastructure, advertising technology, and consumer streaming—offers exposure to distinct secular trends reshaping their respective industries. Whether these stocks to buy today ultimately deliver the anticipated returns depends on execution by management teams, broader macroeconomic conditions, and competitive dynamics. What’s clear is that the current risk-reward framework presents attractive opportunities for patient, thoughtfully-positioned investors.