Investors with modest capital can still access compelling growth opportunities on the NASDAQ. Despite soaring valuations for many large technology names, there remain quality stocks trading under $40 that analysts view favorably either because of fundamental strength, growth catalysts, or potential upside as markets evolve. While price per share isn’t a measure of value on its own, stocks under $40 can appeal particularly to newer investors, those building positions over time, or traders looking for growth at a lower price point.
1. Confluent, Inc. (CFLT)
Price: $30.58
Forward P/E Ratio: Not typically profitable (growth phase)
6-Month Performance: strong performance over the past six months, with stock price appreciation reported between 77% and 87% as of early February 2026.
Fund Holders: Broad institutional interest due to growth positioning
Analyst Ratings: Majority “Buy” / strong momentum indicators
Confluent is a real-time data streaming platform built on Apache Kafka, used by enterprises to manage real-time data flows and analytics. The demand for real-time infrastructure has been growing alongside AI, cloud adoption, and streaming analytics, and Confluent’s solutions sit at the center of that shift. According to recent coverage, Wall Street has a moderate to strong buy bias on Confluent stock, with several analysts issuing buy ratings and price targets that suggest potential upside from current levels. Its growth profile has driven outsized gains relative to broader indices this year.
Why It’s Worth Watching:
Confluent’s position in enterprise data streaming, a backbone technology for analytics and AI workloads positions it for continued secular demand growth. That makes it attractive for growth-oriented investors looking under $40 exposure.
2. SoFi Technologies (SOFI)
Price: $21.35
Forward P/E Ratio: Not universally reported (growth & reinvestment phase)
6-Month Performance: exceptional 6-month performance, with shares surging between 118% and 163% as of late 2025 and early 2026, significantly outperforming the broader financial industry.
Fund Holders: Increasing institutional participation
Analyst Ratings: Strong interest, bullish sentiment
SoFi has transformed from a student-loan refinance platform into a digital financial services ecosystem that now includes banking, lending, investment, and potentially crypto trading services. As its revenue base expands and membership growth accelerates, analysts have highlighted SoFi’s improved profitability and broad appeal to younger consumer segments as key growth drivers. The stock remains one of the most watched sub-$40 financial tech names on NASDAQ.
Why It’s Worth Watching:
For long-term investors, SoFi’s multi-product financial ecosystem and strong user growth help it stand out compared with traditional banks and fintech peers.
3. Viking Therapeutics (VKTX)
Price: $29.30
Forward P/E Ratio: N/A (clinical stage)
6-Month Performance: experienced a challenging 6-month period, with shares declining approximately 22.67% as of early February 2026, significantly underperforming the broader market and industry. Despite this, the stock has maintained a strong long-term performance (+222% over 5 years) and retains a “Strong Buy” analyst consensus due to its promising weight-loss drug pipeline.
Fund Holders: Smaller biotech hedge fund interest
Analyst Ratings: Mixed but includes Buy calls among biotech analysts
Viking Therapeutics trades under $40 and operates in the biotechnology sector, especially focused on metabolic and endocrine therapeutics. While still in clinical stages with no commercial products yet, its mid-stage trial results particularly in the weight-loss therapeutic segment have drawn attention from growth-oriented investors. Clinical biotech plays like Viking are inherently riskier, but successful drug progression can translate into outsized stock performance if pipelines deliver strong data.
Why It’s Worth Watching:
Potential clinical milestones and regulatory progress could act as catalysts, making it a candidate for growth-oriented portfolios willing to bear higher risk.
4. Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL)
Price: $43.95 (recent under $40 movement)
Forward P/E Ratio: Reasonable relative to biotech peers
6-Month Performance: has risen approximately 16.5% to 18.2% over the last six months. And outperformed major indices, such as the S&P 500 (SPY), which returned roughly 10.6% over the same timeframe. underlying revenue support
Fund Holders: Institutional biotech funds engaged
Analyst Ratings: Buy/hold mix with upside potential
Exelixis is an oncology-focused biotech that has carved a niche with its cancer therapies. Its flagship drug has been a reliable revenue driver, and with key patent protections securing market position through parts of the decade, its earnings and cash flows have put it in a position to be affordable and fundamentally supported. While some analysts assign conservative ratings, other investors see real value in a biotech with an established product and pipeline extensions.
Why It’s Worth Watching:
Stability in revenue from existing products, coupled with ongoing clinical work, offers a middle ground between deep biotech risk and growth potential.
5. Corsair Gaming, Inc. (CRSR)
Price: $5.16
Forward P/E Ratio: Not meaningfully consistent (hardware cycle)
6-Month Performance: has experienced significant downward pressure, with shares declining approximately 41% to 44%. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $4.59 to $13.02, recently hovering near the lower end. Despite the stock’s poor performance, analyst sentiment has remained cautiously optimistic with a “Buy” consensus.
Fund Holders: Smaller institutional interest base
Analyst Ratings: Range from Hold to Strong Buy, skewed toward buy on turnaround expectations
Corsair sits in the gaming and peripherals space, it’s a niche that can deliver strong returns when consumer demand cycles favor new PC hardware and esports growth. Analyst sentiment for Corsair includes Strong Buy ratings from a number of analysts, reflecting expectations that hardware cycles and brand strength can help drive a rebound from current values. Its lower price makes it an accessible way to play a sector that isn’t directly tied to broad tech megacaps.
Why It’s Worth Watching:
If gaming demand and PC refresh cycles regain momentum in 2026, a brand like Corsair could benefit disproportionately relative to broader markets.
6. UiPath, Inc. (PATH)
Price: $13
Forward P/E Ratio: Not applicable (profitability still emerging)
6-Month Performance: The stock has traded well below its prior highs, despite UiPath maintaining a strong balance sheet and recurring revenue base. UiPath, Inc. (PATH) has shown a complex 6-month performance characterized by a strong rebound from previous lows, with stock price appreciation of roughly 17% to over 23% in that timeframe.
Fund Holders: Solid institutional ownership, including long-term growth and technology-focused funds
UiPath operates in the robotic process automation (RPA) space, helping enterprises automate repetitive, rules-based tasks across finance, HR, customer service, and IT operations. While RPA fell out of favor during the initial wave of generative AI hype, many analysts now see UiPath as a quiet beneficiary of the next phase of enterprise AI adoption. Rather than competing directly with large language models, UiPath increasingly integrates AI into automation workflows, positioning itself as infrastructure rather than a speculative AI bet.
The company’s subscription-based model, strong enterprise relationships, and focus on efficiency-driven use cases give it resilience during tighter corporate spending cycles. Analysts who maintain Buy ratings often point to UiPath’s cash-rich balance sheet, improving operating discipline, and the likelihood that automation budgets expand as companies seek productivity gains without increasing headcount. At current price levels, the stock trades at a discount to its historical valuation and to many high-growth software peers.
Why It’s Worth Watching:
If enterprises double down on automation and cost-efficiency initiatives in 2026, UiPath could re-rate as a core productivity platform rather than a niche RPA provider, making today’s sub-$40 price point attractive for long-term growth-oriented investors.
What Makes These Picks Worth Considering Now
There are a few connective threads that make these under-$40 NASDAQ names stand out at this stage in 2026:
Growth versus valuation balance: Stocks under $40 often attract attention because of the perception of discount pricing. But the real opportunities lie where valuation meets growth such as fintech adoption, biotech clinical expansion, enterprise software demand, and peripheral tech markets.
Strong ratings and analyst interest: While “Strong Buy” ratings aren’t guarantees, when a stock has meaningful buy recommendations or upward price targets from multiple analysts, it signals conviction bias tilting toward future upside.
Diversified fundamental drivers: From financial technology adoption (SoFi) to real-time data infrastructure (Confluent), niche biotech (Viking, Exelixis), and gaming hardware demand (Corsair), investors can consider picking exposure across distinct growth themes rather than a single sector bet.
Liquidity and tradability: Many of these stocks trade actively on the NASDAQ, helping ensure liquidity, an important consideration for small and large investors alike.
Notes on Risk and Strategy
While stocks under $40 can be appealing, they also often come with higher volatility and narrower safety margins than larger, blue-chip names. Forward P/E and growth metrics should always be interpreted in the context of business maturity, earnings trajectory, and cash flow stability, particularly in sectors like biotech where earnings can be lumpy.
Long-term investors may want to combine these names with broader themes or index exposure, while traders might lean into technical setups and momentum signals where ratings and price performance align.
Making It Actionable in Your Portfolio
One practical way to use this list is not to invest in every stock at once but to:
- Set entry thresholds based on technical support zones
- Monitor catalysts such as earnings releases, regulatory updates, or industry adoption trends
- Allocate small positions and scale over time as fundamentals evolve
This balanced approach helps temper risk while capturing growth from under-$40 opportunities with strong buy interest.
We believe the information in this material is reliable, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness. The opinions, estimates, and strategies shared reflect the author’s judgment based on current market conditions and may change without notice.
The views and strategies shared in this material represent the author’s personal judgment and may differ from those of other contributors at IntriguePages. This content does not constitute official IntriguePages research and should not be interpreted as such. Before making any financial decisions, carefully consider your personal goals and circumstances. For personalized guidance, please consult a qualified financial advisor.
