These 3 stocks are recommended for long-term growth by top Wall Street analysts.

Concerns about inflation and the timing of the Federal Reserve's rate cuts have caused market instability, but there are attractive investment opportunities if you know where to look.

Analysts on Wall Street are concentrating on selecting stocks with robust fundamentals and significant long-term growth prospects, disregarding short-term fluctuations.

According to TipRanks, which ranks analysts based on their past performance, the Street's top analysts favor these three stocks.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Despite ongoing macro pressures, customer traffic at CMG's restaurants maintained momentum, resulting in better-than-expected fourth-quarter results.

David Tarantino, a Baird analyst, maintained a buy rating on CMG stock and increased the price target from $2,650 to $2,850. He attributed the company's strong transaction momentum in the fourth quarter to factors such as improved unit-level execution, effective menu promotion, and successful marketing efforts.

The analyst predicts that these factors will continue to drive healthy sales for CMG in the future, with management aiming to increase average unit volumes to over $4 million in the long term, from $3 million in 2023.

Tarantino stated that CMG plans to increase its unit growth rate to approximately 10% annually by 2025. He believes that this growth pace, combined with mid-single-digit comps, will enable the company to maintain its scarce top-line growth traits for an extended period.

Among more than 8,700 analysts tracked by TipRanks, Tarantino ranks No. 321. His ratings have been profitable 65% of the time, with each delivering an average return of 10.8%. (See CMG Financial Statements on TipRanks)

Meta Platforms

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Meta's earnings per share more than tripled, boosting investor sentiment for the stock. Additionally, the company announced its first-ever dividend, supported by its impressive performance and robust cash flows.

Monness analyst Brian White, after being impressed by Meta's results, reaffirmed a buy rating on the stock and raised the price target to $540 from $370. The analyst emphasized the company's rapid revenue growth, robust operating margin, dividend payment, and $50 billion stock buyback plan.

Despite ongoing regulatory challenges, White remains optimistic about Meta's prospects, as he sees the company as well-positioned to capitalize on the digital ad market, innovate with AI, and maintain a lean cost structure.

While the analyst observed that the company has become more efficient with its leaner cost structure and efficiency measures, White stated that the company is dedicated to investing in innovative products and services and enhancing its platform with generative artificial intelligence capabilities.

Despite the possibility of macroeconomic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions affecting ad spending in the near future, the analyst believes that Meta should maintain a premium valuation in the long term due to its strong sales growth and high operating margins.

Among more than 8,700 analysts tracked by TipRanks, White holds the 28th position. His ratings have been profitable 68% of the time, with each delivering an average return of 21.5%. (See Meta Hedge Fund Trading Activity on TipRanks)

Costco Wholesale

This week, the third pick is Costco, a membership warehouse chain. The company recently announced a 4.5% increase in sales for the January retail month, which ended on February 4th. The total comparable sales growth was 2.7%, with e-commerce comps rising by 21%.

Nearly 6.7% growth in calendar-adjusted core comps in January was an improvement from December's 5.1%, despite steep multi-year comparisons. This was due to a rise in transactions, which accelerated comps across all regions and merchandise categories.

Benedict believes that Costco's premium valuation is justified due to its sticky membership model and strong balance sheet, as well as the acceleration in e-commerce sales and impressive traffic trends, which were also highlighted by the analyst.

He maintained a buy rating on Costco stock and raised the price target to $775 from $700, stating that although the valuation is high, the accelerating comp momentum, easing compares, and potential membership fee increase provide an upward bias to estimates in the upcoming quarters.

Benedict is ranked No.71 among over 8,700 analysts on TipRanks, with a profitable track record of 70% and an average return of 14.6% per rating. (Check out the COST Stock Analysis on TipRanks)