Prediction: After Nvidia's Stock Split, These 3 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Companies Could Be Next

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Stock splits seem to be all the rage. After years of the step seeing less traction, 2024 already served up a slew of high-profile splits.

The biggest, no doubt, was Nvidia, the poster child of the current artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Some big names joined the split club, like the rapidly growing Broadcom.

Why split a stock? It helps open the door for smaller investors who are locked out of buying shares due to a steep price tag. On average, post-split stocks tend to perform well, but it’s not a guarantee.   It could just be that splits tend to happen with stocks that already have positive momentum.

You might be curious, which company is next? I don’t have a crystal ball, unfortunately, but here are my three picks for which companies it could be.

1. Meta

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) is emerging as one of the strongest AI plays. It has a massive amount of engaged daily users — 3.2 billion by the company’s count. This number is up 7% year over year across its different platforms, which stand to benefit greatly from the tools the company collectively calls Meta AI.

The company saw its earnings per share (EPS) more than double last quarter, compared to the year before. This came with a nearly 30% jump in revenue and a huge bump in operating margin. The company also cut 10% of its staff this year.

This success drove its share price up 83% since last year. Now hovering above $500, it’s the most expensive stock of the so-called “Magnificent Seven.”

Meta has never split its stock since it’s been on the market. It seems ripe for a split.

2. Super Micro Computer

Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI) went on a tear this year with a year-to-date gain that would make Nvidia blush. The semiconductor company also designs and manufactures hardware critical for AI but arguably has a more diversified revenue stream than Nvidia.

The two actually work together. Supermicro uses Nvidia’s chips in its data center servers.

Supermicro has a lot of growth ahead. Of course, predicting the future is always difficult, but consensus estimates put the company’s 2024 EPS growth at more than 100% from last year.

Supermicro’s shares are already expensive, trading near $900. If these estimates hold true, this company could easily be trading at a significantly higher price. It seems likely a split is coming for SMCI, as well.

3. Netflix

Calling Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) an AI company might be a stretch. They do make shows about AI — if you haven’t watched Black Mirror, please do — but that hardly seems to qualify.

The company has actually employed AI for a while, or at least machine learning, the technology at the core of AI. Every large language model (LLM) you see on the market, like ChatGPT, is based on machine learning algorithms.

The algorithms Netflix employs learn what you like and what you don’t. Based on this, they provide you recommendations. The more you use it, the better it gets. The company helped pioneer this feature that’s now standard across all streaming platforms.

Netflix leads the streaming pack with more than 260 million subscribers. That’s a lot of eyeballs that make the service valuable. The company is capitalizing on this, instituting new programs to raise revenue. It seems to be working as consensus estimates put this year’s earnings-per-share (EPS) growth at roughly 40% year over year.

Netflix stock is trading at nearly $700. That’s already at a level that could benefit from a stock split. That may well be what happens, but only time will tell.

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Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Johnny Rice has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms, Netflix, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Prediction: After Nvidia’s Stock Split, These 3 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Companies Could Be Next was originally published by The Motley Fool