We recently published a list of 16 Trending AI Stocks on Latest Analyst Ratings and News. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) stands against the other trending AI stocks.
In recent months, the AI industry has been presenting explosive opportunities in the development and deployment of AI infrastructure. Companies that provide AI chips, cloud services, and data storage solutions are poised to benefit from the growing demand for AI capabilities. For example, NVIDIA, a leading provider of AI chips, has seen the shares rally by 160% in 2024, driven by the increasing need for powerful processing capabilities in AI applications. Similarly, cloud service providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure are seeing a surge in demand for their AI and machine learning services, making them attractive options for investors.
Read more about these developments by accessing 33 Most Important AI Companies You Should Pay Attention To and 20 Industrial Stocks Already Riding the AI Wave.
However, in this buzz around the new tech, investors should also stop and consider some of the risks and challenges associated with AI. Regulatory scrutiny on AI firms is intensifying, particularly around issues of data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the ethical use of AI. Governments worldwide are beginning to implement regulations that could impact how AI technologies are developed and deployed. For instance, the European Union has proposed an AI Act that seeks to create a regulatory framework that addresses the risks associated with AI while promoting innovation. This regulatory environment could lead to increased compliance costs and slower adoption rates in certain sectors, posing a potential risk for investors.
Another critical consideration for investors is the talent shortage in the AI industry. The demand for skilled AI professionals far outstrips supply, leading to fierce competition among companies for top talent. This talent gap could slow down the development and deployment of AI technologies, particularly in smaller companies that may not have the resources to compete with tech giants like Google and Microsoft for talent. Despite these challenges, the overall outlook for the AI industry remains highly positive. The continuous advancements in AI technologies, coupled with their increasing integration into various sectors, provide a strong foundation for future growth.
Read more about these developments by accessing Billionaire Stan Druckenmiller Is Betting On AI Infrastructure, Tobacco and Industrial Stocks and 10 Tech Stocks to Monitor Amid Market Volatility According to Bernstein Analyst.
Our Methodology
For this article, we selected AI stocks based on the latest news and analyst ratings. These stocks are also popular among hedge funds. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Photo by Timothy Hales Bennett on Unsplash
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 219
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) engages in the development of products that enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality headsets, and wearables worldwide. Unlike other tech giants who are spending big on AI and have little monetization to show for their investments, Meta has been able to deliver on important metrics like ad impressions and price per ad, both of which have grown 10% year-on-year in the second quarter compared to the previous year, following the deployment of AI tools. This translates into earnings as well. The consensus EPS estimate for 2025 and 2026 forecasts EPS growth of close to 15% for Meta Platforms.
This AI monetization by Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) has been appreciated by analysts on Wall Street. Tigress Financial recently raised the price target on the stock to $645 from $575 and kept a Strong Buy rating, noting that the increasing cash flow of the firm was enabling ongoing investments in artificial intelligence initiatives that drive increasing user engagement, better content, and a more effective advertising experience.
Overall, META ranks 4th on our list of trending AI stocks on latest analyst ratings and news. While we acknowledge the potential of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.
