That's the sort of potential our team of experts looked for in creating our list of the best stocks to buy now. And if you’re tempted to say “I’m late” again and pass it by, consider this: Analysts are giving Amazon a price target of $5,5, another 58% jump from today. Shares of Amazon trade for $3,200 today, a 50% pop from that February high. Investors who said 'I'll wait' made a big mistake. (NASDAQ: AMZN) hit their all-time high of $2,134 just as the rest of the market was breaking records too. Buying the best companies now ensures you get those gains. Owning the right stocks will beat timing the market every time. You see, the simplest strategy for amassing wealth and building a rock-solid retirement portfolio is to buy stock in excellent companies and hold them for the long haul. The beauty of buying great stocks is that they're great whether the market is red hot, like it has been this summer, or is in a bear market, like it was last spring. Investors might be tempted to wait for a bigger downturn or take a flier on a beaten down stock and hope it makes a comeback. If you're looking for stocks to buy now, you might be wondering if you're simply too late and the market already reached its peak. The Dow is down roughly 2.5% from its record highs from mid-August. After a string of record high closes, markets have stumbled this week. That's more important than ever right now. One of the biggest reasons to own the best stocks to buy - besides making money, of course - is because they are good buys no matter what the rest of the market is doing.

Stock buy and sell chart