Nvidia, Micron, and Sandisk Are Up Over 1,000% Since the AI Boom Started. These 2 AI Stocks Could Be the Next Big Winners.

Nvidia was one of the first stocks to soar as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure exploded after the release of ChatGPT. The company designs graphics processing units essential to accelerating AI training and inference tasks, and the stock is up 1,360% since January 2023.

Micron and Sandisk were part of the second wave. They make memory chips and storage solutions, which are currently the biggest bottleneck in the industry, according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Micron is up 1,690% since January 2023, and Sandisk is up 3,860% since it was spun off from Western Digital in 2025.

Which industry will benefit next? Some Wall Street analysts think networking companies like Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) and Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET) will be the next big winners.

Here's what investors should know about these AI stocks.

Image source: Getty Images.

Astera Labs: A leader in cloud connectivity solutions

Astera does not build the primary compute chips used in artificial intelligence, such as graphics processing units (GPUs) or central processing units (CPUs). Instead, it designs semiconductors and software that connect primary compute chips to peripheral components such as storage and networking, thereby scaling individual servers and racks into cohesive systems.

Astera, a leader in cloud AI connectivity solutions, generates revenue through four product families. The Aries and Taurus lines boost data signals to improve communication within and between server racks. The Leo line overcomes memory bottlenecks by allowing servers to share resources. And Scorpio switches route data between primary compute chips and storage.

Astera reported strong financial results in the second quarter. Revenue increased 104% to $392 million, an acceleration from 93% growth in the previous year. Non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) net income increased 82% to $0.80 per diluted share. In the third quarter, management estimates revenue growth will accelerate to 139% as Scorpio switches become the largest product line.

Astera is well-positioned for future growth. Broader adoption of autonomous agents and multistep reasoning models will increase the volume of data moving through artificial intelligence systems, creating demand for connectivity solutions to overcome data transmission bottlenecks.

Wall Street estimates Astera's adjusted earnings will grow at 52% annually through 2027. That makes the current valuation of 144 times earnings look expensive.

But analysts have consistently underestimated the company's growth trajectory. Astera beat the consensus earnings estimate by an average of 25% during the last six quarters. For that reason, risk-tolerant investors should consider buying a very small position today.

Arista Networks: The market leader in high-speed Ethernet switches

Arista designs high-speed networking solutions. Its portfolio includes Ethernet switches (connecting servers and storage within a network) and routers (connecting multiple networks). Arista also develops adjacent software that helps customers monitor and automate network operations across public and private clouds.

Arista has differentiated itself with its Extensible Operating System (EOS). A single image of EOS runs on the company's switches and routers, reducing cost and complexity. "This approach is a large differentiator to legacy vendors who use multiple operating systems with numerous images to implement a siloed network," according to the company.

Arista reported impressive financial results in the second quarter. Revenue increased 38% to $3 billion, an acceleration from 35% sales growth in the previous quarter, and non-GAAP net income rose 40% to $1.02 per diluted share. In the current quarter, management expects revenue and non-GAAP net income growth to accelerate to 43%.

Further ahead, Arista is well-positioned to maintain its momentum due to its leadership in high-speed Ethernet switches. With twice as much market share as closest competitor Cisco Systems, Arista should be a big winner as the proliferation of AI workloads creates demand for faster network switches.

Wall Street expects Arista's adjusted earnings to grow 18% annually through 2027. That makes the current valuation of 61 times earnings look expensive. But analysts have underestimated the company. Arista beat the consensus earnings estimate by an average of 10% over the last six quarters. If that trend continues, the current valuation is tolerable.

Trevor Jennewine has positions in Arista Networks and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Arista Networks, Cisco Systems, Micron Technology, Nvidia, and Western Digital. The Motley Fool recommends Astera Labs. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.