“Stay Invested”: Wells Fargo Picks 2 Stocks to Buy as It Stays Bullish on the Market
Wells Fargo’s Mason Mendez said investors should stay invested despite volatility, citing a constructive equity view and a 2026 year-end S&P 500 target of 7,800 to 8,000, while noting high Q2 earnings expectations and leverage risks. The article highlights two Wells Fargo stock picks: Advanced Energy Industries (AEIS) and Viridian Therapeutics (VRDN), both with Strong Buy consensus ratings and double-digit upside potential.
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
It links AEIS to semicap and data-center demand re-acceleration and links VRDN to improved Phase 3 efficacy in thyroid eye disease, both presented as catalysts that could drive relative outperformance amid volatility.
Market read
Traders may use the specific cited datapoints (AEIS 1Q26 beats, VRDN REVEAL-2 responder rates) to reassess near-term expectations and positioning into upcoming catalysts.
What to watch
For AEIS, the article does not quantify margin or backlog changes, only revenue/EPS and demand expectations. For VRDN, it highlights responder rates but does not include safety, durability, or full comparative endpoint details in the provided excerpt.
Background
The piece is a Wells Fargo strategist and analyst stock-picking article, set against a macro backdrop of higher crude on Middle East tensions and an unchanged Fed rate decision.
Ticker impact
Wells Fargo highlights AEIS as a tactical buy, citing 1Q26 revenue and non-GAAP EPS beats plus expectations for raised 2026 outlook.
Moderately positive bias if traders believe the cited demand and outlook catalysts will materialize into upcoming results.
The text provides specific recent quarter beats and a forward-looking thesis (accelerating semi-related demand, raised 2026 outlook), but it is still an analyst-driven recommendation rather than a new company disclosure.
Viridian is presented as a Wells Fargo pick, with REVEAL-2 Phase 3 proptosis responder rates reported at 50% to 54% versus 15% placebo.
Potentially positive near-term sentiment for VRDN as traders weigh the updated Phase 3 efficacy readout against prior expectations.
The body includes concrete Phase 3 efficacy numbers and a timeline (REVEAL-1 disappointment, REVEAL-2 improvement), which can move biotech sentiment, but the excerpt ends before any additional decisive regulatory or commercial milestone.
Market effects
Supports read-across into semicap power/conversion suppliers (AEIS) and AI/data-center capex sensitivity, plus biotech risk appetite around Phase 3 efficacy.
Primarily US-focused equities sentiment; no explicit regional policy or macro shock beyond Fed and oil.
Geopolitical oil and Fed stance are framed as macro volatility drivers that can affect risk assets broadly.
Counterpoint
Analyst “Strong Buy” framing may overstate near-term visibility; AEIS could remain valuation-sensitive if semicap earnings disappoint, and VRDN’s efficacy improvement may still face competitive and endpoint scrutiny.
Key entities
- institutionWells Fargo
Provides the bullish market stance and the two highlighted stock ideas.
- companyAdvanced Energy Industries
Power conversion equipment supplier highlighted as a tactical buy after underperformance.
- companyViridian Therapeutics
Clinical-stage biotech highlighted on improved REVEAL-2 Phase 3 proptosis responder rates.
