After a bruising selloff in tech stocks earlier this year, earnings season brought a rare bright spot: analysts now see real momentum behind companies tied to AI infrastructure. The surge isn’t just hype. Orders for AI chips are up sharply, data centers are expanding, and cloud providers are locking in long-term contracts. Three stocks keep coming up in conversations with analysts at firms like Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and J.P. Morgan. They’re betting these companies will ride the wave of AI spending for years to come.

Nvidia still dominates, but these 3 stocks stand out

Nvidia’s dominance in AI chips is no secret. But analysts say three other stocks offer compelling alternatives for investors who want exposure to AI’s growing infrastructure without banking everything on one company. The picks span chipmakers, data center specialists, and cloud infrastructure providers—each with unique strengths in the AI supply chain. The common thread? All three are seeing accelerating revenue growth and have raised their outlooks for the year ahead.

First up is Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). The chipmaker’s AI revenue nearly tripled last quarter, driven by strong demand for its Instinct MI300 series accelerators. Analysts at Wedbush now call AMD’s AI business a ‘core growth engine’ and expect it to keep gaining share from Nvidia in data centers. The stock’s up 22% this year, but analysts say it’s still undervalued compared to its growth potential. ‘AMD’s making real inroads in AI,’ said one analyst. ‘The numbers don’t lie.’

Next is Super Micro Computer. This lesser-known player builds the servers and racks that house AI chips, and it’s riding a wave of demand from cloud providers and enterprises. Super Micro’s revenue jumped 120% in its last quarter, and the company now expects annual sales to grow 50% in 2024. Analysts at Piper Sandler call it ‘the unsung hero of AI infrastructure.’ The stock’s up 55% this year, but they argue it still has room to run as data center buildouts accelerate.

Then there’s Arista Networks, a networking gear maker that supplies the high-speed switches powering AI data centers. Arista’s revenue grew 46% last quarter, and it’s winning contracts with hyperscalers like Amazon Web Services. Analysts at Barclays say Arista’s market share in AI networking is expanding faster than expected. ‘They’re the backbone of these massive AI clusters,’ said one analyst. ‘Without them, the whole system slows down.’

Why these stocks? It’s all about the infrastructure

The common thread here isn’t just AI—it’s the infrastructure that makes AI possible. AI models don’t run on magic. They need powerful chips, custom servers, and high-speed networks to function. That’s where these three stocks come in. AMD provides the brains, Super Micro builds the body, and Arista supplies the nervous system. Together, they cover the three critical layers of AI infrastructure.

Analysts point to a few key trends driving demand. First, hyperscalers like Microsoft and Google are racing to expand their AI data centers. Second, enterprises are starting to deploy AI tools in-house, creating new demand for on-premise infrastructure. Third, the U.S. and Europe are pouring billions into semiconductor and data center investments to reduce reliance on Asian suppliers. ‘We’re in the early innings of a multi-year infrastructure buildout,’ said an analyst at UBS. ‘These stocks are positioned to benefit regardless of short-term market noise.’

Risks and what to watch

Of course, no investment comes without risks. AMD faces stiff competition from Nvidia and Intel in AI chips. Super Micro’s rapid growth has drawn scrutiny over its supply chain and customer concentration. Arista’s high-speed switches are critical, but the company’s margins are under pressure as competitors enter the market. Analysts say investors should watch a few things: quarterly earnings from these companies, updates on AI chip orders, and any shifts in hyperscaler spending patterns.

Another risk is valuation. All three stocks have run up significantly this year, and some analysts warn they’re not cheap. ‘You’re paying up for growth,’ said one analyst. ‘But if the AI infrastructure story holds, it could be worth it.’ They recommend dollar-cost averaging into these positions rather than betting the farm all at once.

For now, the trend is clear: AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore. It’s a real, growing market with real, growing infrastructure needs. These three stocks give investors a way to play that trend without overconcentrating in Nvidia. Whether the broader market keeps climbing or hits another rough patch, analysts say these companies are built to last. The question isn’t if AI will keep growing—it’s how fast, and who will capture the most value along the way.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: CNBC
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 11:43 UTC
  • Category: Business
  • Topics: #cnbc · #finance · #economy · #business · #earnings · #stocks

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

A inteligência artificial não é mais uma promessa futurista, mas uma realidade que já movimenta bilhões — e o Brasil, mesmo com seu mercado de capitais ainda em desenvolvimento, não ficará de fora dessa revolução. Três gigantes do setor tecnológico, indicadas por analistas de Wall Street como apostas certeiras para os próximos anos, prometem impulsionar não só a inovação global, mas também a carteira de investidores brasileiros que buscam exposição a esse setor em expansão.

O otimismo dos analistas após a temporada de balanços recentes reflete uma tendência clara: a demanda por infraestrutura de IA está em alta, e as empresas que dominam esse segmento — seja fornecendo chips, servidores ou soluções em nuvem — devem colher frutos significativos. Para o Brasil, que já tem nomes como a Petrobras e a Vale explorando IA em suas operações, a escolha dessas ações pode representar uma ponte entre o crescimento local e as oportunidades globais, além de potencializar ganhos em um cenário de juros mais baixos e retomada da confiança dos mercados. A relevância dessas empresas transcende fronteiras, mas é no bolso do investidor brasileiro que a decisão de apostar nelas pode fazer a diferença entre uma carteira estagnada e uma performance robusta a longo prazo.

A próxima etapa cabe aos investidores: será que o momento é de comprar agora ou esperar por uma correção? O que é certo é que, em um mundo cada vez mais movido por dados e automação, ignorar a IA pode significar perder uma das maiores ondas de valorização dos próximos anos.

🇪🇸 Resumen en Español

Los principales analistas de Wall Street han identificado tres valores con un potencial excepcional para los inversores que buscan aprovechar el crecimiento a largo plazo de la infraestructura de inteligencia artificial.

Tras la temporada de resultados, el entusiasmo por el sector tecnológico se ha disparado gracias a la robusta demanda de soluciones de IA y al significativo aumento del gasto en esta área. Las firmas seleccionadas no solo reflejan la confianza del mercado en la tecnología, sino que también ofrecen una oportunidad atractiva para carteras diversificadas, especialmente para los inversores hispanohablantes que buscan exposición a sectores innovadores con proyección global.