What are the best stocks to buy in 2025?

As 2025 unfolds in a rapidly changing economic climate, marked by the continuation of the monetary tightening cycle, signs of recovery in certain key areas, and major technological upheavals, stock markets are being reshaped. In this volatile context, one question preoccupies investors: which stocks should be favoured this year to capture growth while managing risks?

Between the tech giants making a comeback, industrial stocks boosted by reindustrialization and the rise of clean energy, and players in artificial intelligence and precision health, 2025 could well be the year of structuring choices for savvy portfolios. The question remains where to look – and, above all, why.

Discover here the shares to follow, the best dividend shares as well as the growth shares for a long-term investment, in Ireland and internationally.

Top 10 best shares of this year

1. CRH – Global construction materials powerhouse

CRH is one of the largest building materials companies in the world, with a strong footprint in North America and Europe. The firm is benefiting from infrastructure stimulus spending and a strategic US listing.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €76.25
(vs ~€61.00 currently)

📉 Its scale and operational leverage make it a long-term value play, particularly in times of industrial expansion.

2. Flutter Entertainment – Sports betting leader on a global scale

Flutter owns key global betting platforms including Paddy Power, Betfair, and FanDuel. With US market share rising and strong revenue growth, it’s a standout in digital entertainment.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €177.50
(vs ~€142.00 currently)

📉 Regulatory pressures remain, but Flutter’s US exposure provides substantial upside potential.

3. Kerry Group – Innovation in food and nutrition

Kerry provides food ingredients and solutions to major FMCG companies worldwide. Its focus on health, sustainability, and emerging markets underpins future growth.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €108.75
(vs ~€87.00 currently)

📉 While consumer staples are defensive, Kerry also offers upside via innovation and global scale.

4. Ryanair – Europe’s low-cost aviation leader

Ryanair continues to dominate European low-cost travel, with a strong balance sheet, modern fleet, and aggressive growth strategy amid ongoing travel recovery.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €24.15
(vs ~€19.30 currently)

📉 Exposure to oil prices and geopolitical risks exist, but volume and efficiency remain key strengths.

5. Kingspan – High-performance insulation and building tech

Kingspan is a global leader in energy-efficient building materials. Its products align with green construction trends and global energy efficiency targets.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €91.25
(vs ~€73.00 currently)

📉 Green building demand and sustainability regulations offer tailwinds for long-term appreciation.

6. Greencoat Renewables – Reliable clean energy income

Greencoat invests in European wind and solar infrastructure, offering income-oriented exposure to renewable energy with long-term government contracts.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €1.25
(vs ~€1.00 currently)

📉 A solid pick for ESG-focused investors seeking yield and sustainability.

7. Glenveagh Properties – Residential real estate growth

Glenveagh builds affordable and mid-market housing in Ireland. Government housing support and high demand make this a growth opportunity in the real estate space.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €1.55
(vs ~€1.25 currently)

📉 While exposed to interest rates, housing supply constraints support long-term demand.

8. Apple – Innovation leader in personal tech

Apple maintains its dominance through ecosystem strength, service growth, and premium hardware. The company is also investing in AI and spatial computing.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €215.00
(vs ~€172.00 currently)

📉 A global blue-chip core holding with strong brand and cash flows.

9. NVIDIA – AI’s most important chipmaker

NVIDIA powers the AI revolution through its dominance in GPUs. The demand for generative AI and data centre computing continues to drive massive growth.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €117.00
(vs ~€93.74 currently)

📉 Highly valued but supported by explosive sector tailwinds.

10. Visa – Backbone of global payments

Visa enables trillions in global electronic payments annually. Its network is resilient, scalable, and well-positioned for fintech and mobile payment growth.

🎯 Target price end-2025: €367.00
(vs ~€293.65 currently)

📉 Strong moat and consistent cash flows make Visa a core long-term holding.

What are the best dividend stocks?

Here is a summary table of the best Irish dividend stocks for 2025, selected for their high yield and financial strength. 

What are the best growth stocks in 2025?

Here is a summary table of the best growth stocks for 2025, selected for their potential for stock appreciation, their sales momentum and their long-term prospects. The selection focuses on solid Irish and European companies, complemented by a few key international stocks.

Geographic Focus: Where to Invest in 2025?

🇮🇪 Ireland: Still the heart of innovation, but at what cost?

In 2025, the United States retains its status as the engine of global markets, driven by tech, AI, and services. Giants like Apple, Microsoft, or Nvidia continue to capture the majority of flows, with impressive growth. However, the valuation requirement remains high: investing in the USA means betting on innovation... but also accepting to pay dearly for this premium of excellence. Rigorous selection is essential.

🇮🇪 Ireland: Selection of defensive and industrial opportunities

Across Ireland, the focus is on stabilisation. While growth remains moderate, the environment favours solid industrial stocks and certain well-managed financial players. Ireland also offers an attractive playing field for cautious profiles seeking yield and diversification. Political risk, although present, is more integrated into prices.

🇮🇪 Ireland & Emerging Markets: Rebound or Trap?

After a period of 2021-2023 marked by instability and regulatory restrictions, China is showing signs of recovery. Players like Alibaba are benefiting from a gradual re-rating. However, the geopolitical environment and lack of transparency still weigh heavily. In 2025, these markets represent more of a tactical option than a fundamental conviction, to be handled with caution.

🇮🇪 / 🇪🇸 Other Specialised Markets: Spotlight on Commodities and Energy

Canada and Australia retain their appeal as niche markets focused on natural resources, renewable energy, or critical metals. Bombardier (Canada) or solar energy producers like SunPower (US/CA) are benefiting from renewed interest related to infrastructure needs and the energy transition. Markets to watch for those who want to capture targeted opportunities that are less correlated with global indices.

What stocks should you invest in based on your investor profile?

The choice of stocks in the stock market depends largely on your investor profile. Whether you are cautious, balanced or dynamic, some stocks are better suited to your performance objectives, your risk tolerance and your investment horizon. Here is a selection of stocks adapted to each type of profile to start or adjust your portfolio in 2025:

How to Buy the Best Stocks?

Now that you know what the best stocks are to buy right now according to analyst consensus, let's see how to proceed to acquire them simply in a few steps:

• First, you need to choose the financial intermediary or broker with whom you will place your stock market orders.
• Once chosen, open an online account such as a cash account or a margin account.
• Deposit your investment capital into this account.
• Search for the share(s) you are interested in and place a buy order to add them to your portfolio.

Example

Here, you have the option to build your own portfolio of securities or bet on a basket of securities or a specific sector by using, for example, ETFs or Exchange Traded Funds to invest.

4 investment tips for this year

• Adapt your strategy to your profile: Before investing, it is essential to know yourself well. Whether you are cautious, balanced or dynamic, choose shares consistent with your risk tolerance and your goals. For example, cautious investors may prefer stable stocks such as McDonald's or Visa, while balanced profiles will turn to a mix of growth technologies (Apple, Microsoft), defensive stocks (utilities), and cyclical stocks (mining, airlines). The most dynamic will look for high-potential opportunities with more volatile stocks such as Tesla, Roblox or SunPower, while actively managing risks.
• Diversify to cushion shocks: Do not concentrate your investments in a single sector or geographic area. In 2025, volatility can resurface at any time. A well-thought-out diversification between different sectors (technology, energy, finance) and geographic areas (United States, Ireland, emerging markets) is a key strategy to smooth performance and limit losses.
• Identify performance catalysts: Beyond the quality of a company, it is often specific triggers that drive its price up. It may be the launch of a new product, a macroeconomic turnaround, an improvement in margins or entry into a major stock index. These events can offer strategic entry points.
• Keep a cool head: In an environment that is still uncertain (geopolitical conflicts, interest rates, economic risks), discipline is paramount. Avoid decisions dictated by emotion and adopt a long-term vision based on solid convictions and a rigorous strategy.

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.