These are the top 3 best-performing S&P 500 stocks of 2026

While the benchmark S&P 500 index is overall almost 8% in the green in 2026 and close to its all-time highs (ATH), there has been significant divergence between the performance of the various stocks contained within.

For example, one of America’s largest companies, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), remains deeply in the red even after the April rally, and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) – a top performer ever since the artificial intelligence (AI) boom started with the original public release of ChatGPT – has been underperforming its own sector.

Microsoft and Nvidia stock price YTD charts. Source: Finbold

Indeed, the difference in the performance is also evident across industries, with, for example, all semiconductor companies and all oil giants trading in the green year-to-date (YTD), and none of the major medical devices firms or advertising companies evading a fall.

Additionally, the extremes seen when comparing the various elements of the S&P 500 have translated to multiple extreme rallies in 2026, and Finbold examined the benchmark to reveal the absolute biggest winners YTD.

Seagate Technology Holdings (NASDAQ: STX)

With multiple surveys hinting that there are few, if any, benefits to adopting AI as a company and most data center projects getting either delayed or cancelled, storage availability has become the driving narrative of the bull market in 2026.

Under the circumstances, Seagate (NASDAQ: STX) – an American company focused on data storage – has become one of the strongest stocks in the benchmark S&P 500 despite being relatively underdiscussed compared to its peers.

Indeed, STX shares rallied 183.53% in 2026 and are, at press time on May 8, changing hands at $780.83.

Seagate stock price YTD chart. Source: Finbold

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC)

Thanks to internal reorganization, backing from President Donald Trump and the federal government, and the continued importance of semiconductor makers for the development of AI, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) has reversed its fortunes and become the second-best S&P 500 stock of 2026.

Indeed, after falling nearly 70% between 2021 and mid-2025, INTC stock took an upward trajectory and, having risen 209.20% YTD to $114.09, not only reclaimed its ATH set during the Dot-com bubble, but significantly surpassed it.

Intel stock price YTD chart. Source: Finbold

SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK)

Though its current tenure in the stock market has been relatively short – SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) was split from Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC) in early 2025 – SNDK has quickly risen to become one of the most impressive major American stocks.

Specifically, as part of the AI memory demand frenzy, the equity soared 498.64% to $1,427.10 in 2026.

SanDisk stock price one-year chart with 2026 performance highlighted. Source: Google

Upon zooming out, SanDisk stock’s rally turns even more impressive – albeit, while also highlighting the questions surrounding the sustainability of the rise. Indeed, in the last 12 months, SNDK shares are up 3,792.80%.

Featured image via Shutterstock

Source: https://finbold.com/these-are-the-top-3-best-performing-sp500-stock-of-2026/