We recently compiled a list of the AI News Investors Should Not Miss. In this article, we are going to take a look at where ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) stands against the other AI stocks.
Companies are investing heavily in AI infrastructure to meet the growing demands of machine learning, data processing, and AI-driven applications. This spending is largely concentrated on building data centers, acquiring specialized hardware, and optimizing cloud infrastructure. According to a report by McKinsey, global AI infrastructure spending could reach up to $500 billion by 2027, highlighting the critical role it plays in the future of AI development. A large part of this investment is focused on AI-specific hardware like Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), which are crucial for training and deploying AI models. NVIDIA, a dominant player in AI chips, has seen demand for its GPUs soar, largely due to their centrality in deep learning tasks. Jensen Huang, the CEO of the firm, has remarked that the AI boom is underpinned by massive infrastructure needs, and the market is just at the beginning of this growth curve.
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.
Data centers are another focal point for AI infrastructure spending. AI workloads are highly demanding, requiring specialized facilities that can support high-density computing environments. Blackstone’s $16 billion acquisition of AirTrunk, a leader in AI-driven data centers, underscores the increasing importance of such infrastructure. The deal will add 800 MW of data center capacity, with projections to grow beyond 1 GW, a testament to the rising demand for infrastructure to support AI-driven applications. Cloud infrastructure is also a major area where companies are pouring resources. Cloud giants are increasing their investments in AI infrastructure. These companies are developing new AI-optimized cloud services to cater to businesses adopting AI. Gartner predicts that by 2026, cloud AI infrastructure spending will surpass $200 billion, as enterprises increasingly shift from on-premise AI deployments to scalable cloud-based solutions.
Thomas Kurian, the CEO of Google Cloud, recently remarked that AI is unlocking entirely new revenue streams for enterprises, and cloud infrastructure is the backbone enabling this transformation. Beyond just hardware, organizations are also investing in data management platforms and storage solutions to handle the massive amounts of data AI systems require. In fact, estimates suggest that the global AI data infrastructure market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 18%, driven by increased data volumes and the need for real-time data processing capabilities. Companies are significantly ramping up their investments in AI infrastructure, focusing on hardware, data centers, and cloud computing. With projections showing continued growth in AI workloads, this spending will only increase in the coming years.
Read more about these developments by accessing 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock and Beyond the Tech Giants: 35 Non-Tech AI Opportunities.
Our Methodology
For this article, we selected AI stocks by combing through news articles, stock analyses, and press releases. 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).
A technician in a clean room working on a semiconductor device, illuminated by the machines.
ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 81
ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) makes and sells advanced semiconductor equipment systems. Morgan Stanley analyst Lee Simpson recently downgraded ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML) stock to Equal Weight from Overweight with a price target of EUR 800, down from EUR 925.
The analyst, in an investor note, saw a balanced risk/reward for the shares given late cycle share price dynamics. The note further added that ASML’s risks included weak Intel capacity adds, a slowing DRAM cycle in 2025 and ongoing uncertainties surrounding China demand. The company has come under pressure in recent months after a tightening of export controls by the US and Dutch governments aimed at curbing Chinese access to AI chips.
Overall ASML ranks 17th on our list of the AI stocks investors should not miss. While we acknowledge the potential of ASML 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 ASML 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.
