Investors Already Pick Their 5 Favorite S&P 500 Stocks This Year

• Sandisk leads all S&P 500 stocks with a 16.0% gain and a perfect 99 RS Rating, with analysts projecting 325% earnings growth in 2026 and 69% in 2027
• AI memory and storage suppliers Micron Technology (+10.4%) and Western Digital (+8.8%) are capitalizing on massive demand from AI model makers requiring large computing capacity
• Four of the top five performing stocks are in information technology, with only Comfort Systems USA (Industrials, +7.5%) breaking the tech dominance among early 2026 winners

Market Summary: Early 2026 S&P 500 Leaders Dominated by AI-Linked Tech Stocks

Just one trading day into 2026, investors have shown clear preferences, with four of the top five S&P 500 performers concentrated in information technology, particularly companies supporting AI infrastructure.

Top Performers (as of January 2, 2026):

Sandisk (SNDK) leads with a 16.0% gain, sporting a perfect 99 Relative Strength Rating. Analysts project 325% earnings growth in 2026 and 69% in 2027. The memory chip manufacturer benefits from surging demand for AI model training capacity.

Micron Technology (MU) gained 10.4%, with a 98 RS Rating. The company produces random access memory critical for AI applications, with similar bullish analyst forecasts to Sandisk.

Western Digital (WDC) rose 8.8% with a 99 RS Rating. The hard disk drive and storage maker expects 56% earnings growth in 2026 and 23% in 2027, driven by AI-related demand. The company was among 2025's top performers.

Teradyne (TER), involved in semiconductor manufacturing, gained 7.2%.

Comfort Systems USA (FIX), the sole non-tech entry, rose 7.5% from the industrials sector.

Market Implications:

The concentrated gains in AI memory and storage companies signal strong investor conviction that AI infrastructure remains a primary profit driver. Bespoke Investment Group warns to "buckle up" for a volatile 2026. While only one day old, the early pattern suggests continued investor appetite for companies enabling AI development, particularly those providing essential memory and storage components for model training. The exceptional RS Ratings and triple-digit earnings growth projections underscore robust fundamental support for these early leaders.