Where Will Vertiv Stock Be in 1 Year?

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a provider of thermal management, liquid cooling, and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems for data centers, attracted a stampede of bulls in the first half of 2026 as the AI market's growth boosted its sales and margins. Its stock closed at a record high of $376.06 per share on May 14, marking a 2,390% gain over its previous three years.

But today, Vertiv's stock trades at about $211. Let's see why it pulled back, and whether it will recover and set fresh highs over the next 12 months.

Image source: Getty Images.

How fast is Vertiv growing?

The AI market's rapid expansion is driving more data centers to upgrade their servers with Nvidia's (NASDAQ: NVDA) latest GPUs and other AI chips. However, those new chips consume so much power and generate so much heat that data centers must upgrade their infrastructure with Vertiv's cooling products and UPS systems to operate safely and efficiently.

From 2021 to 2025, Vertiv's revenue more than doubled from $5.0 billion to $10.2 billion, while its adjusted EPS rose more than fivefold from $0.76 to $4.20. Its backlog reached $15 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2026.

For 2026, Vertiv expects its revenue to rise 37% (31% organically) to $14 billion, and for its adjusted EPS to grow 60%. It trades at 31 times that earnings estimate.

Why did Vertiv's stock pull back?

Three challenges weighed down Vertiv's stock over the past five months. First, it slightly missed Wall Street's aggressive top-line estimates for the second quarter, due to the lumpy timing of its larger contracts and supply chain constraints.

Second, Vertiv agreed to acquire UtilityInnovation Group -- a developer of microgrid solutions, advanced power controls, and behind-the-meter power architecture designs for data centers -- for $1.45 billion in cash in February. The integration of that deal, expected to close in the fourth quarter, could affect its near-term margins. Lastly, rising interest rates broadly compressed the valuations of higher-growth AI stocks.

Where will Vertiv's stock be in a year?

Analysts expect Vertiv's adjusted EPS to grow 60% in 2026 and 36% in 2027. If it matches those expectations and still trades at 30 times its current year's earnings by next October, its stock could rally about 30% to $276 per share over the next 12 months.

That would fall short of its all-time high, but it could still head much higher over the next few years as the data center market expands. Therefore, its recent pullback could be a great buying opportunity for investors seeking exposure to the AI infrastructure market.

Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia and Vertiv. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.