We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Augmented Reality Stocks To Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) stands against the other augmented reality stocks.

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that enhances our perception of the real world by overlaying digital elements through devices, adding to your existing environment. There are various ways to describe AR, from spatial computing to holographic projection, but its practical applications define its true value. A notable example of an AR device is the HoloLens, a holographic computer that enables users to interact with digital content within the real world, leading to its growing adoption across various industries such as education, manufacturing, and healthcare.

AR/VR Startups

Despite its applications and prospective growth, the AR space seems to have lost favor with venture capitalists, with investments declining due to disappointing adoption rates for the gear and leading metaverse platforms. Even the launch of the Vision Pro headset earlier this year, promoted as a “spatial computing” device, didn’t significantly shift the mood. Reports suggest that demand for the $3,500 device is cooling, prompting the maker to lower its shipment forecast.

Similarly, the investment climate in the startup sector remains cold, with only about $464 million invested this year in seed through growth-stage funding for AR, VR, and metaverse-related companies. This sets 2024 on course to reach the lowest funding total in years. Most startups that raised large financings during the peak in 2021 haven’t secured new rounds since. However, despite the slowdown, some notable deals have still occurred, with the largest AR-related round this year going to Rokid, a maker of augmented reality glasses, which raised $70 million in January. Another notable investment was in Beijing-based Xreal, a mixed-reality glasses maker that  positions itself as a more affordable alternative to the Quest and Vision Pro, which raised $60 million in January at a $1 billion valuation.

Most notably, Google recently partnered with augmented reality startup Magic Leap in a strategic technology deal, hinting that the tech giant may be preparing to re-enter the AR and VR market, a space it has mostly left to rivals. Over a decade ago, the search engine giant was a trailblazer in AR. This enthusiasm peaked during a 2012 demo where skydivers used the glasses to live stream a jump onto a building in San Francisco. However, the product faced significant consumer pushback due to its awkward design and privacy concerns.

Augmented Reality Market & Outlook

The global augmented reality market, valued at $32.1 billion in 2022, is projected to grow from $42.85 billion in 2023 to $432.35 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.5% over the forecast period, according to industry data from SkyQuest.

A significant portion of the market is mobile AR, leveraging the widespread ownership of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. As of this year, it’s projected that there will be 1.7 billion devices capable of supporting mobile AR. Notably, a key advantage mobile AR enjoys is the massive existing smartphone user base. Unlike the steep challenges AR glasses face, mobile AR benefits from “zero-cost” hardware, making its path to adoption relatively smoother. Growth is expected across both enterprise and consumer segments, including digital AR experiences. A well-known example is the 2016 video game Pokémon GO, where players explore their surroundings to find virtual characters on their phones. Additionally, collaborations between key market players and 5G providers to address latency issues are expected to fuel market growth.

Our Methodology

In this article, we reviewed online rankings and ETFs to determine 20 companies operating in the AR space. We then selected the 10 stocks that were the most popular among elite hedge funds. We sourced the hedge fund data from Insider Monkey’s database of 912 hedge funds, as of Q2 2024. Our focus was on companies that produce AR-related hardware, software, or technologies used in developing augmented reality products. However, we also included companies that offer services essential to the AR industry, like semiconductor chips.

At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with 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).

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 279

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a tech giant poised to continue advancing its augmented reality offerings and integrating them with its AI technologies. Notably, the company’s HoloLens 2 has significant applications in academia and various professional industries. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s rapidly expanding cloud business also provides it with a substantial advantage in scaling the metaverse network. With the recent completion of its acquisition of video game giant Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) may also aggressively expand into the social metaverse space.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s revenue grew 15% year-over-year in the fiscal fourth quarter, while net income rose to $22.04 billion, up from $20.08 billion, or $2.69 per share, in the same quarter last year. For the fiscal first quarter, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) expects revenue between $63.8 billion and $64.8 billion, indicating a 13.8% growth at the midpoint. Notably, revenue from Azure and other cloud services increased by 29% during the quarter.

Ahead of Microsoft Corporation’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Q4 earnings report, UBS analysts had identified three key discussion points: Azure’s potential upside from AI and core demand, capital expenditure trends, and the growth trajectory of Office 365. The analysts reiterated a Buy rating and set a $520 price target for MSFT, highlighting the company’s significant involvement in AI as a major driver of future growth.

“CoreWeave’s revs and backlog growth trajectory is outstanding and with Microsoft as a major customer, we view this as a positive for AI infrastructure demand. We’re definitely in a tight IT budget backdrop, but the Azure demand signals are bullish.”

Additionally, Piper Sandler raised its price target for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) to $485 from $465, maintaining an Overweight rating. This adjustment reflects optimism about Microsoft’s cloud revenue growth prospects, with the firm’s analysis suggesting that the company’s cloud revenue could potentially double to over $200 billion by the end of fiscal year 2026.

ClearBridge Sustainability Leaders Strategy stated the following regarding Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:

“The Strategy trailed the Russell 3000 Index benchmark largely due to our diversified positioning, although we maintain a considerable portfolio allocation to large cap AI-related companies. These positions were indeed among our top contributors in the quarter, such as Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT). The company is finding more ways to deploy AI for sustainability objectives such as its ability to better measure, predict and optimize complex systems, which can help its partner communities reduce wildfire risk.”

Overall MSFT ranks 2nd on our list of the best augmented reality stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of MSFT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that 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 MSFT 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 is originally published at Insider Monkey.