The Best Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right Now
Key Points
Alphabet is seeing significant benefits from AI across its search and cloud computing businesses.
Amazon is a leader in e-commerce and cloud computing.
- 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet ›
If you're looking for some of the best stocks to buy with $1,000 right now, you don't have to look too far. In fact, some of the best stocks to invest in right now could be companies whose products and services you use nearly every day. Let's look at two to own right now.
Alphabet
Outside of China, most people in the world use Google search, either directly or as the default search engine through their smartphone. As the gateway to the internet, Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) holds a powerful position, and artificial intelligence (AI) features are helping drive its search growth.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
At the same time, the company is reporting huge growth from its cloud computing business, where revenue skyrocketed 48% last quarter. Meanwhile, its custom AI chips, called tensor processing units (TPUs), give it a cost advantage over other competitors, which rely on Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) to power their AI workloads. Alphabet is betting big on AI, planning to spend between $175 billion and $185 billion on capital expenditures (capex) this year. But perhaps an underrated part of the story is that its TPUs cost considerably less than GPUs, so Alphabet's getting a lot more bang for its buck and a better return on its investment.
Between search, AI, and cloud computing, Alphabet is a stock you want to own.
Image source: Getty Images.
Amazon
Another company whose services people use frequently is Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN). Amazon is the dominant e-commerce platform, and the key to its success has been its logistics network. The ability to get items to people's doorsteps within a day or two helps drive growth. Meanwhile, through the use of AI and robotics, Amazon continues to improve delivery times and increase operational efficiency. This was clear last quarter, as its North American e-commerce business saw its operating income increase 24% on a 10% rise in sales.
At the same time, like Alphabet, Amazon is also a cloud computing leader. In fact, it created the industry and still holds the market share lead today. Amazon is beginning to see its cloud computing revenue accelerate, with Amazon Web Services (AWS) revenue growing 24% last quarter, its fastest growth in more than three years. With demand for its infrastructure and AI services strong, it has committed to spending $200 billion in capex this year. And while not as far along as Alphabet's TPUs, Amazon also has its own custom AI chips that are starting to gain traction.
Between its cloud computing growth and the strong operating leverage it is seeing in its e-commerce operation, Amazon is another stock worth holding.
Should you buy stock in Alphabet right now?
Before you buy stock in Alphabet, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Alphabet wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $429,385!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,165,045!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 913% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of February 12, 2026.
Geoffrey Seiler has positions in Alphabet and Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Recommended Articles
