Alumis Inc.

Nurix Therapeutics, Inc.

DigitalOcean Holdings, Inc.

Oppenheimer has listed 30 small- or mid-cap stocks that it rates as "outperform" and could be set up for strong rallies, as reported by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/01/buy-these-small-caps-set-for-big-gains-in-the-spring-says-oppenheimer.html">CNBC</a>. The list includes biotechs Alumis and Nurix Therapeutics, as well as cloud computing company DigitalOcean.

Oppenheimer names 'best of the best' smid-cap stocks

Biogen Inc.

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The market capitalization of Apellis Pharmaceuticals, a small-cap maker of therapies for rare kidney diseases, more than <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/APLS/">doubled</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday after it <a href="https://investors.apellis.com/news-releases/news-release-details/biogen-acquire-apellis-enhancing-companys-growth-portfolio">said</a>&nbsp;it would be acquired at a substantial premium by pharmaceutical company Biogen.

Small-cap biotech Apellis skyrockets 135% on news of acquisition by Biogen

Ekso Bionics Holdings, Inc.

MDA Space Ltd

MDA Space Ltd.

Exail Technologies

The robotics market is expanding at an accelerated pace and has the potential for multiple-fold growth in the coming decades, Morgan Stanley noted in its "Robot Almanac" report published at the end of 2025. The bank’s strategists estimate that the industry’s total addressable market could reach $500 billion by 2030. By 2040, it could amount to about $9 trillion, and by 2050 to $25 trillion, and that covers only the segment of robotics device sales.

10 robotics stocks with big returns so far in 2026

Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc.

Shares of Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc, founded by Richard Branson for space tourism, jumped nearly 9% in early trading on Tuesday after the company <a href="https://investors.virgingalactic.com/news/news-details/2026/Virgin-Galactic-Announces-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2025-Financial-Results-and-Provides-Business-Update/default.aspx">announced</a>&nbsp;the resumption of ticket sales for spaceflight expeditions following a two-year hiatus, with a limited number of seats priced at $750,000.

Virgin Galactic shares rising as sales of commercial space flights resumed

Energy Transfer LP

Ares Capital Corporation

Motley Fool contributor Matt DiLallo has <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/03/29/is-it-time-to-load-up-on-these-3-ultra-high-yieldi/">spotlighted</a>&nbsp;three stocks with ultra-high-yielding dividends. They vary in size and operate across different sectors, but share a long track record of stable or growing payouts.

Motley Fool spotlights three ultra-high-yield dividend plays

M-tron Industries, Inc.

Shares of Mtron Industries, a U.S. small-cap manufacturer of high-precision electronic components, now offer upside of more than 17%, as laid out in a&nbsp;Freedom Broker upgrade note. The company's participation in U.S. defense programs could expand amid rising budgets for defense, the analysts write.

Freedom raises TP, maintains 'buy' on  Mtron amid rising defense spending

Olaplex Holdings, Inc.

Shares of Olaplex, a small-cap premium hair care brand, surged more than 50% on Thursday. The company said it is set to be acquired at a premium by German conglomerate Henkel. The deal is a “welcome relief” for Olaplex investors, <a href="https://www.fool.com/coverage/stock-market-today/2026/03/26/stock-market-today-march-26-olaplex-shares-surge-after-henkel-agrees-to-usd1-4-billion-buyout/">reckons</a>&nbsp;Motley Fool contributor Josh Kohn-Lindquist. Since its IPO in 2021, the company’s shares have lost almost all their value, having fallen more than 90%, while its financial performance has largely stagnated.

'Welcome relief': Hair-care company Olaplex jumps after Henkel agrees to acquire it

Hims & Hers Health, Inc.

Novo Nordisk A/S

Eli Lilly and Company

LifeMD, Inc.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” points out Ilya Zubkov, Freedom Broker senior equity analyst, describing the situation that has unfolded this year between Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk and telehealth platform and online pharmacy operator Hims &amp; Hers Health. The “enemies” are Novo Nordisk and its U.S. rival Eli Lilly, which have been competing for leadership in the obesity drug market for several years. Their rivalry has spilled over beyond the pharmaceutical sector, now affecting companies like Hims &amp; Hers Health. Overall, the weight-loss drug market is beginning to shift. Which small caps should investors watch?

The obesity therapy market is changing. What smid-cap investors should know.

LANXESS Aktiengesellschaft

JPMorgan has upgraded shares of German chemicals group Lanxess AG by two notches and now <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-25/lanxess-soars-as-jpmorgan-s-double-upgrade-provides-rare-boost">recommends</a>&nbsp;overweighting them. The company is set to gain a competitive advantage due to supply chain disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East, which should boost earnings, analysts said.

German chemical company Lanxess gets double upgraded by JPMorgan; shares soar

Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc.

Pharmaceutical giant Merck, known outside of the U.S. and Canada as MSD, <a href="https://ir.ternspharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/merck-acquire-terns-pharmaceuticals-inc-expanding-its-hematology">has agreed to acquire</a> mid-cap drug developer Terns Pharmaceuticals, which focuses on treatments for cancer and obesity. Following the news, shares of the mid cap <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/TERN/">rose</a>&nbsp;less than 6% on Wednesday. The price tag is low “considering the startlingly good data Terns put out for its chronic myeloid leukemia treatment,” William Blair analyst Andy Hsieh <a href="https://www.investors.com/news/technology/merck-terns-pharmaceuticals-takeover/?src=A00220">says</a>.

Merck to buy mid-cap biotech Terns, but William Blair thinks the price tag is low

Red Cat Holdings, Inc.

Ondas Inc.

Parrot S.A.

At the end of last year, at the NATO summit in The Hague, members set a <a href="https://www.nato.int/en/what-we-do/introduction-to-nato/defence-expenditures-and-natos-5-commitment#:~:text=At%2520the%25202025%2520NATO%2520Summit%2520in%2520The%2520Hague%252C%2520Allies%2520made%2520a%2520commitment%2520to%2520investing%25205%2525%2520of%2520Gross%2520Domestic%2520Product%2520(GDP)%2520annually%2520on%2520core%2520defence%2520requirements%2520and%2520defence%252D%2520and%2520security%252Drelated%2520spending%2520by%25202035">new benchmark</a>: defense spending at 5% of GDP by 2035. Of that, at least 3.5% is to be allocated to core military needs, and up to 1.5% to resilience, innovation, and the development of the defense industrial base. In the U.S., this has translated into consistent regulatory policy: following a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/unleashing-american-drone-dominance/#:~:text=The%2520United%2520States%2520must%2520accelerate%2520the%2520safe%2520commercialization%2520of%2520drone%2520technologies%2520and%2520fully%2520integrate%2520UAS%2520into%2520the%2520National%2520Airspace%2520System.">White House executive order</a> in June 2025, the Pentagon in July <a href="https://media.defense.gov/2025/Jul/10/2003752117/-1/-1/1/UNLEASHING-U.S.-MILITARY-DRONE-DOMINANCE.PDF">moved</a> to accelerate procurement and deployment of small drones for the military. In January, the new National Defense Strategy <a href="https://media.defense.gov/2026/Jan/23/2003864773/-1/-1/0/2026-NATIONAL-DEFENSE-STRATEGY.PDF">established</a>&nbsp;countering drones as a priority. For the UAV industry, this marks a structural shift: demand is moving from one-off rush orders to formalized, long-term procurement programs. According to <a href="https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/drone-services-market-102682#:~:text=Global%20Drone%20Services%20Market%20Key%20Takeaways&amp;text=2025%20Market%20Size:%20USD%2032.08,:%2025.52%25%20from%202026%E2%80%932034">forecasts</a>, the global UAV market will grow from $42.4 billion in 2026 to $261.3 billion by 2034, implying a CAGR of 25.5%.

Oninvest military drone index outperforming small caps and broad market

Shares of <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ONDS/">Ondas Holdings Inc.</a>, a mid-cap developer of autonomous drones and a partner of software maker Palantir Technologies, gained more than 5% in premarket trading on Wednesday. The move comes after investment bank Needham raised its target price for the stock by roughly a third. Less than a year ago, Ondas shares were trading below $1 and faced potential delisting; since then, the stock has surged following a shift in the company’s strategy. Over the last 12 months, Ondas shares have jumped 1,215%. The stock has attracted investor attention amid the conflict in the Middle East, Barron’s <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/trump-iran-stock-market-treasuries-things-to-know-today-1fd45954?mod=mw_quote_news&amp;adobe_mc=MCMID%3D83065470832406916711435245832042088155%7CMCORGID%3DCB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1774434576">writes</a>.

Small caps