Top 10 AI Stocks To Buy Now (Even Over Palantir)

Añadido: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]The AI market's on track to grow 20x this decade and most investors are still pining to the same few household names like Palantir. That's leaving a massive opportunity on the table for other investors. Because to truly capitalize on the AI revolution, you need to be aware of both the big players and some of the under the radar stocks. Today I'm handing you uh 10 stocks that represent the best of both worlds. And to be clear, I'm not here to bash Palantir, right? I actually own the stock. It's a great company. But great company and the best opportunity to get into right now are two very different things. You'll certainly recognize a few of the stocks I'm talking about today, but most of the stocks on this list are flying under the radar while everyone's fighting over all the obvious plays. Here's my approach.

[00:00:41]I'm not trying to crown the winner of the AI race. Nobody can do that reliably, you know, foreseeing into the future. What I can do is cover the entire AI stack, chips, infrastructure, software. So no matter which companies end up on top, you're positioned to win.

[00:00:55]Some of these picks are household names, many are not, but they're all smart picks in their own way. By the way, I'm Steve Reitmeister. I've spent over 40 years in the markets. I'm the former editor-in-chief at Zacks.com and now I'm a partner at WallStreetZen.com. We built a quantitative rating system with a proven record of beating the market and these 10 stocks earned their spot on the list today. If that's the kind of edge you're looking for, then hit that like button. It tells me to keep bringing you more research like this in the future.

[00:01:22]One last bit of housekeeping before I roll into those top 10 AI stock picks.

[00:01:27]Investing carries inherent risk and you're the one who has to live with the consequences, uh good or bad. So be sure to do your own due diligence before executing any trades. Okay, on to the good stuff. Be sure to stay till the end because you don't want to miss any of these uh 10 potential winners. Stock number one is Micron and this is definitely fits in the camp of stocks we all know and yet there's still tremendous upside potential. Micron makes memory. Specifically, they produce high bandwidth memory HBM which sits directly on top of GPUs for uh intelligence. In AI, memory is everything. Every advanced AI chip needs it. And here's the key point. There are only three companies in the world that can produce this stuff at scale. And yeah, Micron is one of them. As AI models scale, memory demand doesn't just grow, it explodes higher. And Micron Technology is right there at the center of that surge in demand. As I said, the company produces high bandwidth uh memory and advanced DRAM, which sit next to AI chips and feed them data at ultra-high speeds. A critical bottleneck in training and running models. Now, with this AI-focused memory now largely sold out and commanding premium pricing, Micron isn't just benefiting from the trend, it's directly powering the growth in the company. Wall Street is very optimistic about the stock's potential.

[00:02:37]Now, remember, analyst recommendations are just educated opinions, they're not fact, but the consensus is pretty compelling here with 24 of 25 analysts rating it a buy or strong buy. Their average price target implies nearly 20% upside from the current level. Even better is some of the newest targets suggesting a 65% gain could be in the cards this coming year. Now, I'm personally very bullish on this stock and added it to my Zen Investor uh stock picking portfolio back in December. And by the way, I'll be featuring another Zen Investor portfolio pick later on the video, so be sure to stick around. Okay, I digress. Back to Micron. Micron's overall Zen rating ranks among the top 10 stocks out of the 4,600 we track.

[00:03:15]It's also the number one stock in the highly competitive semiconductor industry. This is supported by exceptional component grades. All right, we're talking about growth earning an A grade as revenue and earnings are surging on this AI demand cycle.

[00:03:28]Financials also receives an A as margins are improving as HBM commands premium pricing these days. Value is the biggest surprise also in the A camp. That's because despite the stock's sharp rise for the last 12 months, it still appears cheap relative to its impressive growth prospects. The risks. This is a a highly cyclical business with a high volatility. Also, if AI spending slows, then Micron uh gets hit pretty fast, and competition from Samsung and SK Hynix is not going away. However, Micron appears to be one of the clearest ways to invest in the AI boom. This confirmed by Wall Street analysts and the Zen ratings quant model. Okay, remember the Zen ratings are updated daily. So, if you want to see how any of your stocks stack up right now, then be sure to go to wallstreetzen.com to see the latest ratings for your stocks. All right, moving on to stock number two, another fan favorite, Nvidia. And you know the symbol. It's an obvious pick for an obvious reason. Nvidia is the backbone of AI. Over 90% market share in data center GPUs, but let's talk about why it's still relevant despite the already massive gains on the shares. Nvidia is not just selling chips, they're selling an ecosystem. It's called CUDA, and it's the monopoly software ecosystem that powers almost every AI model. That creates massive switching costs. Once you're in, it's very hard to leave. But what makes the stock especially exciting right now is that the demand is still outpacing supply with hyperscalers racing to build AI infrastructure and committing tens of billions, if not hundreds of billions, in CapEx. That's driving explosive revenue growth, expanding margins, and giving Nvidia rare visibility into the future growth possibilities. This has helped transform it to from just a chip company into the core platform of the entire AI economy.

[00:05:15]On the Wall Street analyst side, all 31 analysts on our platform rate it as a buy or strong buy. That is truly rare bullish consensus. Plus, the average target price indicates over 60% potential upside in the year ahead. Our Zen ratings gives Nvidia a B rating overall, but it's more like B+. That's because the stock is in the top 6% of all the stocks we track, yet only the top 5% are A-rated, so it's right on that border. Gladly, our model shows ample outperformance for B-rated stocks as well. Now, Nvidia's financials component grade is one of the best in our entire universe. It sits in the top 1% of all stocks earning that elite A grade. This is not a surprise as they have best-in-class margins and return metrics that are constantly beating the industry peers. Sentiment earns a solid B thanks to all the support from Wall Street analysts and the our exclusive AI factor is also strong with a B rating which typically points to more timely stocks. But here's the reality in terms of risk. Value is a middle-of-the-road C, not a surprise given the current gains to date. But more importantly, safety gets a lowly D rating. Remember, it's a cyclical industry where significant volatility can happen and the risk of losing market share is real.

[00:06:25]Nvidia's hyperscaler clients like a Google and Amazon are building their own chips. That won't kill Nvidia, but it will likely matter down the road as they chip away at their market share lead.

[00:06:36]Right? So still, this is a an unmatched ecosystem and execution. Nvidia still looks firmly in control of the AI stack.

[00:06:44]Certainly, the is an rating system highlights these strengths as does the slew of Wall Street analysts still pounding the table with their buy and strong buy recommendations. Now, we're moving on up to stock number three in Broadcom with a symbol AVGO. Broadcom is in a unique position where it wins no matter how AI infrastructure evolves. As hyperscalers shift towards custom silicon, Broadcom is the one designing those chips turning potential threat to GPUs into a massive opportunity. With demand accelerating and deep relationships with the largest tech players already in hand, it's becoming a core enabler of the next wave of AI hardware. Yet Broadcom is the company most investors misunderstand. They're not competing with Nvidia. They're benefiting from the same trend just in a slightly different way. They dominate network chips representing about 70% market share in Ethernet switching. Wall Street has a positive view on the company as 21 of the 23 analysts have either a strong buy or buy recommendation on the stock. Now, currently the average target price analysts point to nearly 50% upside in the year ahead. Note, the street high forecast suggests it could rise as much as 90% in the coming year. Just like Nvidia, Broadcom receives an overall B rating from the Zen rating system.

[00:07:53]That's because they score in the top 9% of all stocks based on the full review of 115 different fundamental metrics.

[00:08:00]The company boasts strong financials. It ranks in the top 6% among the stocks we track in this key area. Sentiment is also solid with the smart money crowd continuing to favor the stock. Now, the profile is other stocks in the industry.

[00:08:12]It's a cyclical group. Thus, it gets a D rating for safety. But zooming out, I believe the strong fundamental profile, unique position in the custom silicon segment may outweigh the industry related volatility risk. Now, we're moving along to stock number four and AMD with a symbol of, you know what. AMD is Nvidia's main competitor in AI chips, designing GPUs that power data centers and AI models. But AMD doesn't need to win outright. It just needs to capture enough of the overflow in a market where demand is outstripping supply. With its MI 300 chips gaining traction and hyperscalers actively looking for alternatives, AMD is starting to benefit. And as AI shifts towards inference, where cost efficiency matters more than just peak performance, AMD has a clear opening to take more market share. Our Zen rating system assigns AMD a solid B rating, where growth is a key area of strength, earning a B rating there as well, in the top 11% of stocks we track. The company has a track record of posting strong results. Specifically, the last financial year, AMD delivered 35% top line growth and a 165% surge in earnings. Many signs point to that growth continuing into the future. On the downside, breaking Nvidia's ecosystem lock-in is not easy, and they still need to prove consistency in AI revenue. However, the recent quarterly performance shows the company is becoming a worthy challenger. The more market share they win, the higher these shares should climb. To keep these data-heavy deep dives in your feed, make sure to subscribe and hit that notification bell so you're always ahead of the next market move. As for the next stock in my list, most investors assume AI equals chips or software, and that's exactly where they're missing out on some of the potentially big winners.

[00:09:54]Stick around because next I'm going to show you different angles of the AI cycle and how non-chip companies are quietly powering this trend. That starts with stock number five in Vertiv with a symbol VRT. This is what most investors ignored until recently. Vertiv handles power and cooling for data centers, and with AI, that's becoming a serious bottleneck. AI data centers are pushing physical limits with the amount of heat generated, and thus liquid cooling is becoming essential. Vertiv is one of the few companies that can deliver integrated solutions at scale. This essentially turns a current bottleneck into a major growth driver for the firm.

[00:10:27]Vertiv carries a Zen rating of B, but it's a darn close to A territory. It currently ranks in top 6% of all stocks we track. Remember, A-rated stocks are top 5%, so right on the border. Looking at the component grades, the investment thesis holds up quite well. That includes their financials grade in the elite A category, right? This is driven by steadily improving margins and strong operational metrics. Growth comes in a solid B with the company consistently out pacing industry peers in both revenue and earnings expansion over the past 3 years. Now, momentum and sentiment are also strong, both rated B, reflecting continued investor interest and positive market positioning.

[00:11:05]Speaking of sentiment, on the Wall Street Analyst side of things, sentiment remains overwhelmingly bullish. We're talking about all 12 analysts covering the stock giving either a strong buy or buy recommendations. Now, on the downside, it's interesting to note that the average price target from these analysts is now below the current share price, largely because the stock has rallied so aggressively in recent months, including a 50% surge in the past few months alone. The Zen rating is also sees the stretch our equation with the shares receiving a middle of the pack C grade in the value category. This might be a case of waiting for Vertiv to endure a round of profit taking before starting a new position. So, consider putting on your radar waiting any appetizing buy the dip opportunity. All right. We are just past the halfway mark with stock number six in Ciena with the symbol of CIEN. Ciena focuses on optical networking. In simple terms, moving massive amounts of data between data centers. As AI scales across locations, bandwidth demand is exploding. With its optical networking already widely deployed, Ciena is positioned to benefit directly from the surge in data traffic.

[00:12:07]On the Wall Street analyst side, sentiment remains optimistic. Nearly 70% of analysts covering Ciena rate the stock a buy or a strong buy. However, similar to Vertiv, there is a a disconnect here on value. That's because the average target price, again, sits below where the current shares sit. This reflects the stock may have run up a bit too much at this stage. We'll talk about that more in a minute, but first, let's consider that what the Zen Ratings is saying, right? The overall grade here is a B, which is in the top 8% of all stocks. Plus, it scores a truly excellent growth profile. Ciena's growth ranks in the top 1% of stocks we track given the consistency of growth over time. This is largely driven by a surging demand for interconnect solutions. The rest of their component grades are solid as well across the board supporting a well-rounded fundamental profile. The value issue is the clear risk with these shares. Our value component grade comes in at a lowly D. That's because after reviewing 21 different value metrics, it scores in the bottom 15% of all stocks. A lot of that because shares have rallied so significantly over the past 12 months.

[00:13:10]It doesn't look like a bargain right now, but it's hard to ignore a company that ranks in the top percentiles for both growth and financial stability. So, perhaps another stock to put on the watch list to potentially grab at a more attractive entry price. Now, we move to where the value is actually being realized in in AI space, that being software. But before I move to on to those last few picks, I want you to know that every Monday, I share my stock of the week with investors. This blends the power found in the Zen Ratings Quant model along with my greater than 40 years of investing experience. Get my future stocks of the week for free by clicking the link in the description or scanning this QR code. Now, we download stock number seven, Tenable, with a symbol of TENB. Uh Tenable provides cybersecurity and vulnerability management software for enterprises. It matters now because AI expands the number of systems endpoints, and attack surfaces, making continuous security monitoring more critical than ever. Wall Street analysts are confirming that compelling setup with these shares. Uh that stands out most with the average price target sitting nearly 70% above current levels. Now, the most bullish estimate points to share price potentially increasing 120% in the year ahead. Daniel Eyes from Wedbush is the best analyst covering the stock. He is well-known for his early calls on Palantir, Nvidia, and uh Tesla. All in all, he ranks in the top 2% of all analysts for his stock picking prowess, and his fair value target suggests these shares could double in the coming year.

[00:14:31]Tenable carries an overall B rating from our Zen Ratings model. But, here's something interesting. Our proprietary AI Factor component gives it an A and places in the top 5% of all stocks we track. Remember, the AI Factor score looks beyond the obvious metrics into the true markers of stocks most likely to outperform. So, you should consider this A grade for uh AI Factors as a timeliness indicator for these shares.

[00:14:55]Valuation looks reasonable after recent pullback with a B rating in the top 13% of all stocks. Growth in financials also comes in with solid B grades. Uh these are the most beneficial categories in trying to find stocks most likely to score well in future earnings reports.

[00:15:09]Now, now let's talk about risk. The price action has uh lagged recently, and the same time competition in the space is heating up, and that's something you can't ignore. However, with impressive growth, financial, and value scores like these, the fundamental story is still a standout worthy of your attention. Let's move on to stock number eight in UiPath with a symbol of PATH, right? So, the company builds software that automates repetitive business processes using digital workers, right? The company is evolving from simple automation to AI-powered workflows. With generative AI layered on top, it can now handle unstructured complex tasks. This naturally expands its addressable market. That shift is happening now, turning UiPath from a niche automation tool into a broader enterprise AI platform. Wall Street is sending mixed signals. Several analysts give it a hold rating, but the recent drop in the stock has started to shift things back in a positive way. For example, the average target price is now more than 30% above current levels. This includes Raymond James of Barclays, who's a top 4% analyst based upon his stock-picking performance. He's now forecasting more than 90% upside potential for PATH in the year ahead. The company is enjoying an overall B grade from the Zen ratings based upon its top 9% showing out of all stocks analyzed by the model. It's also interesting to notice one of the best companies in the growing software infrastructure industry. As we look at financials, that scores a B ranking the top 6% of all stocks we track. The company has solid cash position and has recently turned quite profitable.

[00:16:40]Sentiment is a B as well. It's in the top 10% of companies we track for this key component. The risk, now the share price has lost significant ground the past 3 months and is still turning down.

[00:16:49]On top of that, Microsoft is a serious competitor in the space. But at the end of the day, it's hard to bet against a company with financials this clean, top analysts pointing out the ample upside potential, and now a much more attractive entry price. Only two stocks left, bringing us to a number nine in LiveRamp with a symbol of RAMP. This is one of those under the radar picks and it may be one of the most exciting we're talking about today. That's because it ranks in the top 1% of the 4,600 stocks we track in the model. This points to sparkling fundamentals and impressive upside potential. LiveRamp helps companies connect, clean, and activate customer data across platforms. Now, LiveRamp is becoming more valuable as AI makes data quality mission critical. As companies race to build AI models, the need for clean, connected data is truly exploding. The company sits right in that layer, helping enterprises unify and activate data across systems. This makes it a quiet but powerful enabler of the AI ecosystem. Rosenblatt data is picking up on the growth unfolding at Ramp. The underlying component grades are consistently strong across the board. What really stands out is our proprietary AI factor component, not to say rated, but impressively in the top 3% of all companies we track. The AI factor looks for markers of stocks that have historically outperformed, meaning it's a great timeliness signal to consider these shares now. Importantly, the biggest risk right now for this investment isn't about the the business or the growth or the financials.

[00:18:13]Unfortunately, price action has been weak. This explains why the stock here is a little derating on our momentum component. Conversely, it's in the top 10% of stocks based upon the value scores, which means the market might be dead wrong on these shares. Regardless, the fundamental story is a total powerhouse, the top 1% of all companies we track. The real issue appears to be how long it will take for the market to wake up to this growth and value story, propelling shares higher. Now, let's close it out with number 10 and SanDisk with a symbol of SNDK. Let me tell you something. Nvidia and Palantir aren't the only ways to play the AI revolution.

[00:18:47]I've become quite fond of a different corner of this trade, that being the memory stocks. Because the explosion in data that AI is creating means one thing, surging demand for storage, and nobody's better positioned to capture that than SanDisk. I shared my love for Micron back at the beginning of this list, but SanDisk is just as compelling, maybe more so right now. Here's why.

[00:19:05]After the latest earnings, uh forward estimates have surged as analysts price in a sharper rebound in memory pricing and demand. We're not talking about smart revisions either. Expectations have moved meaningfully higher in surprisingly short period of time, exploded higher. Yes, this company is growing and yes, shares are way up in recent months, but amazingly, it's still undervalued. That's because shares have not rallied as much as earnings growth estimates have soared higher. That explains how the forward PE multiple for Sandisk is still surprisingly low compared to the broader market, especially if this strong demand cycle continues to play out. The value side of this investment is very appealing, but the real opportunity is riding the earnings momentum to new heights.

[00:19:47]Sandisk is truly enjoying exceptional demand leading to stronger pricing environment driven by the AI revolution.

[00:19:54]Like Micron Technology, Sandisk is also a recent addition to my Zen Investor Portfolio, which includes 20 stocks with high potential upside in the coming years. Despite already being up 75% since I added this just 2 months ago, I still rate it as a buy because I believe in the upside potential to come. To see the full Zen Investor Portfolio with my top 20 stocks for the long haul, then scan the QR code showing up on your screen. Getting back to Sandisk, the Zen Ratings agrees with my buy recommendation on these shares. Just like Micron, it is an A-rated stock in the top 1% of all stocks we track based upon that full 115 factor review. And there's no weakness hiding in the components, a top 17% for financial strength, top 8% for momentum, top 4% for sentiment, and a shockingly good top 0.2% for growth. That is rarefied air. Wall Street's sharpest minds are taking notice as well. Currently, there are two analysts rated in the top 1% based upon their stock picking performance labeling Sandisk as a strong buy. That includes the analysts from Bank of America and Citigroup. Now, don't shy away because of the recent gains. I personally think this stock can continue its upward trajectory. Here's how that would play out. Current earnings estimates alone justify a significantly higher price.

[00:21:09]And if the next few quarters bring another series of earnings beats, that would push up earnings estimates even higher, which would bolster fair value.

[00:21:17]And yes, more demand for these shares pushing them higher as well. The earnings momentum set up here feeds upon itself. One more thing, if you're the type of investor who says, I prefer a lower price stock so I can own more shares, then I say this with all the love and humility in the world, wake the hell up. Stocks move by percentages.

[00:21:36]Meaning, I'd rather you own five shares of Sandisk with given the tremendous upside potential than have a thousand shares of some questionable penny stock your cousin Tony told you about. You know that thing's going to nothing, right? There you have it. 10 exciting AI stock opportunities. Some well known and some still under the radar. Truly, the full AI stack is represented here. But I'm curious, which do you like best? And are there any AI stocks you think I'm missing? Please be sure to share that in the comments section below. Earlier I mentioned that Dan Ives is one of the top ranked analysts we tracked. I recently recorded a video featuring more of his market insights. So if you like this video, I highly recommend checking that one out next.