We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
5 Non-Tech Thriving Nasdaq Stocks Enabling Its Northward Move in 2026
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
Sterling Infrastructure benefits from booming AI data center demand and strong earnings estimate revisions.
BrightSpring Health sees margin growth from specialty services, automation and operational efficiency.
Casey's General Stores gains from resilient inside sales, fuel strength and the Fikes/CEFCO acquisition.
Wall Street has been witnessing an astonishing rally since the beginning of 2023, barring some minor fluctuations. The rally has been primarily driven by the global artificial intelligence (AI) technology boom. Generative and agentic AI have transformed the entire landscape of the information technology sector worldwide.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite jumped 43.4%, 28.6% and 20.4%, respectively, in 2023, 2024 and 2025. This trend has continued this year, too. The AI momentum is rock-solid and has been expanding periphery, scale and magnitude day by day. As a result, the tech-heavy index is up 13.2% year to date.
Despite the fact that the Nasdaq Composite is a tech-laden index, several non-tech Nasdaq-listed stocks have skyrocketed this year, aside from large technology behemoths. Investment in these stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank should be fruitful in 2026.
The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks year to date.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AAON Inc.
Zacks Rank #1 AAON is a manufacturer of air-conditioning and heating equipment consisting of rooftop units, chillers, air-handling units, condensing units and coils. AAON’s products serve the new construction and replacement markets.
AAON has successfully gained market share through its semi-custom product lines, which offer the customer value, quality, function, serviceability and efficiency. AAON operates through three segments: AAON Oklahoma, AAON Coil Products, and BASX.
AAON has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 42.8% and 65.2%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 11.5% over the last 30 days.
Sterling Infrastructure Inc.
Zacks Rank #1 Sterling Infrastructure operates in E-Infrastructure, Building and Transportation Solutions principally in the United States, across the South, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and the Rocky Mountain States, California and Hawaii.
STRL specializes in constructing complex data centers, e-commerce distribution facilities, and manufacturing sites. The company is a major provider of high-density, AI-Powered data centers. STRL is a notable beneficiary of the massive AI data center boom.
E-Infrastructure Solutions projects develop advanced, large-scale site development systems and services for data centers, e-commerce distribution centers, warehousing, transportation, energy and more.
Building Solutions projects include residential and commercial concrete foundations for single-family and multi-family homes, parking structures, elevated slabs and other concrete work. Transportation Solutions includes infrastructure and rehabilitation projects for highways, roads, bridges, airports, ports, light rail, water, wastewater and storm drainage systems.
Sterling Infrastructure has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 47.4% and 63.3%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 29% over the last 30 days.
BrightSpring Health Services Inc.
Zacks Rank #1 BrightSpring Health Services operates an integrated platform across specialty, infusion, home pharmacy, and provider services to capture care migration to the home. BTSG executed well in 2025 and expects sequential improvement to continue as the mix, efficiency and a midyear generic launch should drive margin expansion, with adjusted EBITDA growing faster than revenue.
The Specialty and Infusion segments of BTSG are primary growth engines via limited-distribution access. BTSG’s Provider Services segment should accelerate as integration proceeds. Automation, pricing, cross-sell, and scale support BTSG’s durable growth and rising profitability.
BrightSpring Health Services has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 16.6% and 64%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 9.3% over the last 30 days.
Casey's General Stores Inc.
Zacks Rank #2 Casey's General Stores shows strong growth momentum, supported by resilient inside sales, driven by prepared foods, beverages and high-margin grocery categories. Effective pricing, product innovation and a favorable product mix continue to enhance CASY’s margins and customer traffic.
We anticipate the inside gross margin to expand 60 basis points year over year in fiscal 2026. CASY’s fuel segment is outperforming industry trends, strengthening market share and profitability despite price fluctuations.
The Fikes/CEFCO acquisition is boosting scale, operational efficiency and long-term growth potential, supported by integration synergies. CASY’s strong cash flow generation and stable financial position provide flexibility for investments, expansion, and shareholder returns, reinforcing confidence in its sustained growth trajectory and overall business strength.
Casey's General Stores has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 8.5% and 12.3%, respectively, for the current year (ending April 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 2% over the last 30 days.
APA Corp.
Zacks Rank #1 APA boasts a large, geographically diversified reserve base with multi-year replacement trends and a high-quality drilling inventory capable of driving competitive per-share growth. Strategic acquisitions enhance shareholder value.
APA’s Suriname GranMorgu project, on track for first oil in 2028, offers meaningful long-term production and free cash flow growth. APA’s cost-reduction initiatives, including $450 million in run-rate savings by 2026, strengthen profitability and margin resilience.
APA’s Permian Basin assets provide operational visibility, while the gas trading business adds $1.1 billion in 2026 pretax cash flow, offsetting commodity volatility. Production growth is rising without higher capital spending.
APA has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of -2.6% and 28.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.2% over the last seven days.
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report
predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
5 Non-Tech Thriving Nasdaq Stocks Enabling Its Northward Move in 2026
Key Takeaways
Wall Street has been witnessing an astonishing rally since the beginning of 2023, barring some minor fluctuations. The rally has been primarily driven by the global artificial intelligence (AI) technology boom. Generative and agentic AI have transformed the entire landscape of the information technology sector worldwide.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite jumped 43.4%, 28.6% and 20.4%, respectively, in 2023, 2024 and 2025. This trend has continued this year, too. The AI momentum is rock-solid and has been expanding periphery, scale and magnitude day by day. As a result, the tech-heavy index is up 13.2% year to date.
Despite the fact that the Nasdaq Composite is a tech-laden index, several non-tech Nasdaq-listed stocks have skyrocketed this year, aside from large technology behemoths. Investment in these stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank should be fruitful in 2026.
Five such non-tech Nasdaq Composite-listed stocks are: AAON Inc. (AAON - Free Report) , Sterling Infrastructure Inc. (STRL - Free Report) , BrightSpring Health Services Inc. (BTSG - Free Report) , Casey's General Stores Inc. (CASY - Free Report) and APA Corp. (APA - Free Report) . Each of our picks currently carries either a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks year to date.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AAON Inc.
Zacks Rank #1 AAON is a manufacturer of air-conditioning and heating equipment consisting of rooftop units, chillers, air-handling units, condensing units and coils. AAON’s products serve the new construction and replacement markets.
AAON has successfully gained market share through its semi-custom product lines, which offer the customer value, quality, function, serviceability and efficiency. AAON operates through three segments: AAON Oklahoma, AAON Coil Products, and BASX.
AAON has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 42.8% and 65.2%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 11.5% over the last 30 days.
Sterling Infrastructure Inc.
Zacks Rank #1 Sterling Infrastructure operates in E-Infrastructure, Building and Transportation Solutions principally in the United States, across the South, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and the Rocky Mountain States, California and Hawaii.
STRL specializes in constructing complex data centers, e-commerce distribution facilities, and manufacturing sites. The company is a major provider of high-density, AI-Powered data centers. STRL is a notable beneficiary of the massive AI data center boom.
E-Infrastructure Solutions projects develop advanced, large-scale site development systems and services for data centers, e-commerce distribution centers, warehousing, transportation, energy and more.
Building Solutions projects include residential and commercial concrete foundations for single-family and multi-family homes, parking structures, elevated slabs and other concrete work. Transportation Solutions includes infrastructure and rehabilitation projects for highways, roads, bridges, airports, ports, light rail, water, wastewater and storm drainage systems.
Sterling Infrastructure has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 47.4% and 63.3%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 29% over the last 30 days.
BrightSpring Health Services Inc.
Zacks Rank #1 BrightSpring Health Services operates an integrated platform across specialty, infusion, home pharmacy, and provider services to capture care migration to the home. BTSG executed well in 2025 and expects sequential improvement to continue as the mix, efficiency and a midyear generic launch should drive margin expansion, with adjusted EBITDA growing faster than revenue.
The Specialty and Infusion segments of BTSG are primary growth engines via limited-distribution access. BTSG’s Provider Services segment should accelerate as integration proceeds. Automation, pricing, cross-sell, and scale support BTSG’s durable growth and rising profitability.
BrightSpring Health Services has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 16.6% and 64%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 9.3% over the last 30 days.
Casey's General Stores Inc.
Zacks Rank #2 Casey's General Stores shows strong growth momentum, supported by resilient inside sales, driven by prepared foods, beverages and high-margin grocery categories. Effective pricing, product innovation and a favorable product mix continue to enhance CASY’s margins and customer traffic.
We anticipate the inside gross margin to expand 60 basis points year over year in fiscal 2026. CASY’s fuel segment is outperforming industry trends, strengthening market share and profitability despite price fluctuations.
The Fikes/CEFCO acquisition is boosting scale, operational efficiency and long-term growth potential, supported by integration synergies. CASY’s strong cash flow generation and stable financial position provide flexibility for investments, expansion, and shareholder returns, reinforcing confidence in its sustained growth trajectory and overall business strength.
Casey's General Stores has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 8.5% and 12.3%, respectively, for the current year (ending April 2027). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 2% over the last 30 days.
APA Corp.
Zacks Rank #1 APA boasts a large, geographically diversified reserve base with multi-year replacement trends and a high-quality drilling inventory capable of driving competitive per-share growth. Strategic acquisitions enhance shareholder value.
APA’s Suriname GranMorgu project, on track for first oil in 2028, offers meaningful long-term production and free cash flow growth. APA’s cost-reduction initiatives, including $450 million in run-rate savings by 2026, strengthen profitability and margin resilience.
APA’s Permian Basin assets provide operational visibility, while the gas trading business adds $1.1 billion in 2026 pretax cash flow, offsetting commodity volatility. Production growth is rising without higher capital spending.
APA has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of -2.6% and 28.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.2% over the last seven days.