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Top AI Stocks to Watch: March 2026

Top AI Stocks to Watch: March 2026

March 05, 2026

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The AI Investing Pulse

March 5th, 2026

In this Week’s Edition:

Analysis - Top AI Stocks to Watch: March 2026
Stock Ideas - HSBC Backs Broadcom as the AI Chip Dip Worth Buying
News - Energy Stocks Catch a Dual Tailwind from AI and Iran
Startups - UK AI Megarounds Surge as VC Billions Flow In
Trends - Microsoft Beats D-Wave as the Smarter Quantum-AI Bet
Other News - What Happens When AI Agents Run Their Own Social Network
Video - Fundstrat: “This Is What a Market Bottom Looks Like”

Top AI Stocks to Watch: March 2026

This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or a personal recommendation. AI Investing Pulse is not authorised by the FCA, registered with the SEC, or registered with CIRO or any provincial securities commission. See the full disclaimer below before reading further.

Every month, we review the latest research from institutional analysts and reputable financial sources, including Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Wedbush Securities, Morningstar, and Zacks, to identify which AI stocks are attracting the strongest coverage. This is your monthly starting point for AI stock research: a structured look at where serious analyst attention is converging right now.

Part 1: AI Infrastructure Is Still the Backbone

Across institutional research, chipmakers and infrastructure providers remain the absolute foundation of most AI portfolios. Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya argues the AI buildout is still in its "mid-cycle" phase, whilst Morgan Stanley and Wedbush continue to place infrastructure names at the centre of their AI coverage.

Micron Technology, Inc. $MU ( ▲ 5.56% )

Sector: Technology / Semiconductors
AI Stack: Hardware & Infrastructure (Memory and Storage for AI)
Ranking Status: Watchlist

Infrastructure Thesis
Micron is a leading semiconductor company providing advanced memory and storage hardware for AI, data centres, and high-performance computing. Its position in the AI memory supply chain makes it a direct beneficiary of every additional GPU cluster deployed globally.
JPMorgan analyst Harlan Sur identifies Micron as a direct beneficiary of the AI memory shortage, noting that both DRAM and NAND bit shipments are expected to grow 20% in 2026. Zacks this week names Micron one of its top three profitable AI picks for March, citing an expected earnings growth rate of 307.6% for the current year.

MU: Performance: 1 Week: -3.6% | YTD: 40.4%

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. $AMD ( ▲ 5.82% )

Sector: Technology / Semiconductors
AI Stack: Hardware & Infrastructure (CPUs, GPUs)
Ranking Status: Watchlist

Infrastructure Thesis
AMD is a leading semiconductor company producing the advanced CPUs and GPUs that power data-centre execution and AI model training. As hyperscalers actively diversify away from single-vendor GPU dependency, AMD's competitive position continues to strengthen.
Bank of America includes AMD in its seven top AI semiconductor picks for 2026, alongside Nvidia, pointing to its role as the credible alternative for hyperscalers diversifying away from single-vendor GPU dependency. Morningstar rates the stock as undervalued, citing sustained underlying fundamental strength even as short-term price action consolidates.

AMD: Performance: 1 Week: -0.8% | YTD: -5.6%

NVIDIA Corporation $NVDA ( ▲ 1.66% )

Sector: Technology / Semiconductors
AI Stack: Hardware & Infrastructure, AI Development & Training, Power & Cooling
Ranking Status: Watchlist

Infrastructure Thesis
The undisputed titan of AI hardware, providing GPUs, AI-specific accelerators, and the foundational CUDA software platforms. Nvidia's moat is not merely silicon — it is the ecosystem lock-in that comes from years of developer adoption and proprietary tooling.
Nvidia remains the consensus anchor across institutional desks. Wedbush maintained its Outperform rating on 3rd March 2026 and raised its price target to $300, citing continued strength in AI demand. Bank of America calls Nvidia "best-positioned" in its AI semiconductor coverage, whilst Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore maintains an Overweight rating, noting demand continues to exceed supply.

NVDA: Performance: 1 Week: -1.0% | YTD: -1.9%

Part 2: Cloud & Platform Giants as Lower-Volatility Compounders

Multiple institutional sources present the mega-cap platforms as diversified plays. Morningstar rates Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet as undervalued in its latest February 2026 update, whilst JPMorgan names Alphabet as a top idea for 2026. RBC Capital analyst Brad Erickson includes Microsoft and Amazon among his top picks, citing best-in-class AI infrastructure positioning.

Alphabet Inc. $GOOGL ( ▼ 0.15% )

Sector: Communication Services / Internet Content & Information
AI Stack: Hardware & Infrastructure, AI Dev & Training, Application & Edge, Power & Cooling, Quantum Computing
Ranking Status: Watchlist

Platform Thesis
Alphabet operates across virtually the entire AI stack, monetising AI through Gemini models, Search and Ads, YouTube, and its massive cloud compute renting business. Few companies have the capital, talent, and distribution to compete meaningfully across every layer simultaneously.
JPMorgan names Alphabet its top AI idea amongst mega-cap platforms, noting its AI leadership across Search, YouTube, Waymo, and cloud could drive multiple expansion. Morningstar rates the stock as undervalued in its February 2026 AI index update, flagging Gemini's rapid adoption across enterprise as a key driver.

GOOGL: Performance: 1 Week: -1.4% | YTD: -3.2%

Microsoft Corporation $MSFT ( ▲ 0.31% )

Sector: Technology / Software – Infrastructure
AI Stack: Hardware & Infrastructure (Cloud), Application & Edge, AI Dev & Training
Ranking Status: Fundamental

Platform Thesis
Microsoft integrates AI fundamentally across its software suite via Copilot and operates the massive Azure cloud infrastructure, serving as a primary AI hyperscaler. The business model is structurally sound — AI spend flows through Azure regardless of which model or application wins in any given quarter.
Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss names Microsoft his top pick in large-cap software, reiterating a buy rating with a $650 price target and citing conviction in durable mid-teens top-line growth. RBC Capital also includes MSFT among its 2026 top picks.

MSFT: Performance: 1 Week: 0.9% | YTD: -16.0%

Part 3: Targeted Pure-Play and Niche AI Exposure

To complement the big platforms, institutional research points to specialised AI names with differentiated exposure. This month, two fresh names have drawn notable analyst attention in the last 48–72 hours: Wedbush has reinstated ServiceNow to its closely-watched IVES AI 30 Index, whilst Zacks has named Vertiv Holdings a top profitable AI pick for March. Palantir continues to attract strong institutional coverage across both fundamental and momentum criteria.

Palantir Technologies Inc. $PLTR ( ▲ 4.06% )

Sector: Technology / Software – Infrastructure
AI Stack: Data & Integration, Application & Edge
Ranking Status: Watchlist

Pure-Play Thesis
Palantir provides big data analytics and AI-powered decision-making platforms heavily utilised by enterprise, defence, and government sectors. In an environment where AI hype is giving way to AI deployment, Palantir's ability to operationalise AI inside complex organisations is a genuine competitive differentiator.
Morningstar analyst Mark Giarelli points to Palantir's execution and product positioning as key strengths, noting the company has no clear competitor in its space and continues to see deeper penetration in commercial sectors.

PLTR: Performance: 1 Week: 12.7% | YTD: -13.8%

ServiceNow, Inc. $NOW ( ▲ 0.59% )

Sector: Technology / Software – Infrastructure
AI Stack: Application & Edge (AI in Enterprise Workflow Automation)
Ranking Status: Fundamental

Pure-Play Thesis
ServiceNow provides the AI-powered workflow platform underpinning digital transformation across enterprise, government, and financial services. As organisations move beyond experimenting with AI toward deploying it operationally, ServiceNow's deep integration into existing enterprise infrastructure makes it a natural beneficiary, its platform holds trillions of data points that are difficult and costly for enterprises to migrate away from.
In a fresh move this week, Wedbush reinstated ServiceNow to its IVES AI 30 Index, the research universe underlying the Dan Ives Wedbush AI Revolution ETF, stating they "strongly disagree" with the view that ServiceNow is a structural loser of the AI buildout. With the stock down roughly 50% from its all-time high and trading near a 52-week low, Wedbush's analysts argue the valuation disconnect is significant. A consensus of 31 analysts currently rates the stock a Strong Buy with an average price target of $202.70, a substantial implied gap from current levels.

NOW: Performance: 1 Week: 4.2% | YTD: -25.7%

Vertiv Holdings Co. $VRT ( ▲ 2.8% )

Sector: Technology / Electronic Equipment & Instruments
AI Stack: Hardware & Infrastructure (Power & Cooling for AI Data Centres)
Ranking Status: Watchlist

Pure-Play Thesis
Vertiv designs and manufactures the critical power management, thermal cooling, and digital infrastructure systems that every AI data centre depends on. As AI compute density increases — with GPU clusters generating significantly more heat than traditional server racks — Vertiv's liquid cooling and power distribution solutions move from a nice-to-have to a fundamental requirement for anyone building at scale.
Zacks names Vertiv one of its top three profitable AI stocks for March 2026, pointing to a net profit margin of 13% and an expected earnings growth rate of 46.4% for the current year. The business itself is backing up the narrative: Vertiv posted a Q4 2025 book-to-bill ratio of 2.9x, revenue grew 23% year-over-year, and the company carries a backlog of approximately $15 billion, providing strong forward revenue visibility. The stock hit an all-time high of $264.86 on 25th February 2026.

VRT: Performance: 1 Week: -3.1% | YTD: 55.1%

Final Take

March 2026 continues to demonstrate that AI investment is not a single theme, it spans infrastructure, cloud platforms, enterprise software, and specialised hardware, each at a different stage of the cycle. From Nvidia and Micron anchoring the semiconductor layer, to Microsoft and Alphabet driving cloud adoption, to Palantir, ServiceNow, and Vertiv carving out differentiated positions across data, workflow automation, and power infrastructure, institutional attention remains broad and active.

As always, the stocks featured here reflect current research and data available at the time of publication. They are not recommendations. Please refer to the full disclaimer below before making any investment decisions.

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^{Not Investment Advice}^{: This content is provided by AI Investing Pulse for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice, a personal recommendation, or an invitation or inducement to engage in any investment activity.}^{Not Regulated}^{: AI Investing Pulse is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom, is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or any state securities regulator in the United States, and is not registered with the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) or any provincial securities commission in Canada.}^{Methodology Disclosure}^{: The AIIP Index scores and rankings mentioned in this article are generated by a proprietary quantitative methodology based on publicly available financial data. Our full methodology is explained in the "About AIIP" section below. These scores are objective system outputs, not recommendations or endorsements.}^{Risk Warning}^{: Investing in stocks involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance of stocks, scores, or rankings is not indicative of future results. Stock prices can decline as well as rise, and you may lose some or all of your invested capital.}^{Third-Party References}^{: References to analyst opinions, bank research, media publications, or the term "picks" refer to third-party selections, not AIIP recommendations. We aggregate this information for educational analysis only.}^{Seek Professional Advice}^{: Always consult a qualified, regulated financial professional who understands your personal circumstances before making any investment decisions. Consider your individual financial situation, risk tolerance, investment objectives, and time horizon.}

^{About AIIP -}^The^{AIIP Index}^{tracks 173 AI-focused public companies across the full AI stack, serving as our benchmark for sector performance. All scores are proprietary and calculated using data from}^{Finbox (powered by S&P Global Intelligence)}^.^{AIIP Total Score}^{(0–100) combines metrics for sales and EPS growth, financial quality, and valuation to assess overall business strength.}^{AIIP Relative Strength (RS) Score}^{measures a stock’s price performance relative to the AIIP 173 AI stocks.}^{Ranking Status}^{is based on score combinations:}^Fundamental^{: Total Score ≥ 70, RS < 80.}^Momentum^{: RS ≥ 80, Total Score < 70.}^Watchlist^{: Total Score ≥ 70 and RS ≥ 80}

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TOP AI STOCKS PERFORMANCE

COMPANY	SECTOR	WEEKLY
Dell Technologies (DELL)	Technology	21.1%
Block (XYZ)	Technology	19.6%
Wix (WIX)	Technology	17.5%

TOP AI ETFs PERFORMANCE

ETFs	SECTOR	WEEKLY
Themes (WISE)	Gen AI & Tech	-0.6%
Global X (AIQ)	AI & Tech	-0.9%
KraneShares (AGIX)	AI & Tech	-1.2%

AI Stock Ideas

BlackRock Backs Energy Infrastructure Over Big Tech for AI – The Motley Fool

BlackRock positions energy infrastructure as a more compelling AI play than megacap tech in 2026, citing a projected 30-fold surge in US data centre power consumption by 2035.

HSBC Maintains Buy on Broadcom With 41% Upside Target – Investing.com

HSBC kept its Buy rating on Broadcom with a $450 price target after a recent pullback. Its FY26 and FY27 AI networking revenue estimates sit 43% and 64% above Street consensus respectively.

15 Large-Cap AI Stocks With the Highest Analyst Upside – Insider Monkey

Insider Monkey ranked 15 large-cap AI companies by average analyst price target upside as of March 2026, drawing on hedge fund sentiment data from Q4 2025. AMD, ServiceNow, and Astera Labs feature prominently.

Two 2 AI Stocks Offer Better Value Than Chip Giants – InvestorPlace

With Nvidia's 73% revenue surge failing to lift its share price, two AI software and services firms are flagged as stronger value than infrastructure plays priced for perfection. The case draws on a parallel with Cisco's peak in March 2000.

AI Stocks & ETFs News

Energy Sector Surges 27% YTD on AI Demand and Iran Risk – Opening Bell Daily

The S&P 500 Energy sector is up over 27% year-to-date, driven by converging tailwinds: AI data centre power demand and a geopolitical risk premium following the US-Iran conflict. Markets are rotating out of high-multiple AI tech names and into physical infrastructure.

Mining Stocks Gain 48% as Goldman and UBS Rotate Into Hard Assets – The Wealth Advisor

Goldman Sachs and UBS are shifting allocations from software toward mining, power generation, and heavy machinery. The US mining sector has risen 48% over six months, with geopolitical risk now signalling supply constraints rather than demand weakness.

Cathie Wood Adds $16m CoreWeave, $12m Baidu, 34k AMD Shares – TradingView

ARK Invest increased exposure to AI infrastructure plays last week, purchasing CoreWeave, Baidu, and AMD across its ETFs. Total CoreWeave commitment has reached $181m as Wood rotates toward cloud and computing beneficiaries.

AI Startups

UK AI Raises £6bn in 2025 as Megarounds Hit Decade High – UKTN

UK AI startups raised £6bn in 2025, representing over a third of total UK venture capital investment. Rounds above £25m accounted for more than 70% of deals, the highest share of the decade, with five new AI unicorns created.

Why One European AI Founder Keeps Saying No to VC – Sifted

The founder of Empathy AI rejected VC offers and built profitably from day one over ten years. His argument: the current funding environment rewards valuation theatre over genuine growth, and European founders should resist the blitzscale-or-die mindset.

AI Trends

IBM Beats D-Wave as the Smarter Quantum-AI Long-Term Bet – AOL

IBM's $12.5bn generative AI book of business, $14.7bn in free cash flow, and quantum computing roadmap make it a more reliable play than pure-play quantum firms still burning cash with no near-term path to profitability.

Hyperscalers Target Up to $700bn in AI Infrastructure Spending – ITWeb

Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are collectively planning up to $700bn in capital expenditure for 2026, nearly doubling 2025 levels. The vast majority is earmarked for AI compute, data centres, and networking, with all four companies reporting supply-constrained rather than demand-constrained markets.

Others

147,000 AI Agents Formed Communities on Their Own Social Network – Economic Times

Moltbook, a social network built exclusively for autonomous AI agents, attracted 147,000 agents within 72 hours of launch. The agents began forming communities, debating security risks, karma farming, and developing a private language to exclude human oversight.

Citrini Research Models AI Displacement Triggering 2028 Crisis – Outsource Accelerator

Citrini Research's "2028 Global Intelligence Crisis" scenario projects a self-reinforcing displacement spiral in which AI-driven white-collar redundancies push US unemployment above 10%, trigger a 38% market decline, and threaten the $13 trillion mortgage market. The report is framed as a thought exercise rather than a forecast.

Video

Tom Lee: “This Is What a Market Bottom Looks Like” – Fundstrat

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