Roundhill CEO Dave Mazza may follow the Magnificent Seven stocks more than the average investor thanks to the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (BATS:MAGS), which launched in 2023.
When it comes to looking at the Magnificent Seven stocks in 2026, Mazza shares with Benzinga his top picks based on setups.
• Alphabet stock is showing upward bias. What’s ahead for GOOGL stock?
Top Magnificent Seven Stocks For 2026
Mazza recently told Benzinga that he wasn't concerned about the underperformance of the Magnificent Seven stocks compared to the S&P 500 in 2025, with only three of the seven beating the market index.
The Roundhill CEO says some of the top-performing stocks in the Magnificent Seven also have the best setups for 2026.
"Alphabet stands out. It came into 2026, in a clear uptrend, is making new highs, and is already outperforming," Mazza said of Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL).
Alphabet was the top-performing Magnificent Seven stock in 2025 with a gain of 65.2%.
"More importantly, investors are getting comfortable with how AI monetization fits alongside its core businesses. That combination tends to attract incremental capital."
As for other stocks from the index that could perform well in 2026, Mazza highlights two stocks that didn't beat the S&P 500 in 2025.
"The two most interesting setups are Apple and Microsoft. Both have been under pressure and are sitting near important support levels. If they're going to respond, this is where it is mostly likely to happen. Neither company has lost strategic relevance, so the risk-reward is starting to look better."
Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares were up 11.5% in 2025, while Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) shares were up 15.5%, both underperforming the 16.6% gain of the S&P 500.
Top 2025 Performers Under Pressure
Mazza was asked which Magnificent Seven stocks are under the most pressure from investors. Perhaps a surprise, Mazza picked top performers and not the underperformers.
"The most pressure is actually on the strongest names. Alphabet fits that bill because it's become a consensus AI favorite. Nvidia does too. When expectations are that high, execution needs to stay near perfect," Mazza said.
NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) ranked second behind Alphabet in 2025 among the Magnificent Seven stocks with a gain of 34.8%.
Mazza also said Apple was worth an honorable mention for facing pressure after a gain of 11.5% in 2025.
"It spent a stretch trading as an anti-AI name, but that narrative has shifted with deeper AI integration, including reports around pairing Siri with Gemini. That removes a real overhang."
Predicting Top 2026 Index: SPY, QQQ or DIA
When it comes to tracking the major stock market indexes of the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Industrial Average, Mazz doesn't see much difference for 2026.
"I don't expect big dispersion between the major indexes," Mazza said. "If growth holds up, investors should be rewarded simply by staying invested."
Asked to pick between the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY), Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) and SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:DIA), which track the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones, respectively, Mazza picked one having a slight edge.
"If I had to pick one, it would be the S&P 500. Its balance across growth, cyclicals and defensives makes it the cleanest expression of a market where leadership rotates rather than concentrates."
Mazza said that small-cap stocks could be an area to watch in 2026, after struggling to outperform large caps since March 2021.
"Small caps are trading at all-time highs and outperforming their large-cap counterparts. Given how difficult this corner of the market has been for so long, we believe investors may be slow to embrace the breakout, creating a compelling opportunity."
The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:IWM), which tracks the Russell 2000, hit new all-time highs on Thursday, after Mazza completed his interview with Benzinga. The ETF is up 15.6% over the last year, outpacing the 13.1% return of the SPY.
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