Investor's Business Daily (IBD) : a major revision to IBD 50 list of top growth stocks

Investor's Business Daily (IBD) completed a major revision to its IBD 50 list of top growth stocks, effective Wednesday, October 22, 2026. 

The changes are designed to give investors a screening tool with the potential for sharply improved performance in growth stocks. The primary shift emphasizes two core IBD metrics more heavily: the Composite Rating and the Relative Strength (RS) Rating. These were previously part of a broader set of criteria; the list now focuses more tightly on them.

Key Context on the Ratings

• Composite Rating: Combines multiple fundamental and technical factors into a single overall score (0–99 scale).
• Relative Strength Rating: Measures a stock’s price performance relative to the broader market (also 0–99).

IBD describes these as staples of its proprietary rating system, which underpins the CAN SLIM investing methodology developed by founder William O’Neil.

Background and Related Updates

This is part of ongoing refinements to IBD’s systems in 2026, including earlier updates to stock ratings (for more accurate comparisons within appropriate universes of stocks) and a reorganization of industry groups. The IBD 50 remains a curated list of 50 leading growth stocks, regularly refreshed, and is tracked by the Innovator IBD 50 ETF (FFTY).