While analyst sentiment isn’t the “be all, end all” of due diligence, retail traders should pay attention when consensus picks out a promising stock. Contrarian trades, or going against analyst forecasts, are sometimes lucrative when given enough conviction and research. Still, riding momentum driven by strong ratings of promising stocks is one of the best ways to capture early trends.
These three stocks tend to be analyst darlings. They possess multiple bullish indicators and tailwinds that will propel them higher over the next few years. But it isn’t too late to catch up on the ride.
Fabrinet (FN)
Fabrinet (NYSE:FN) has earned its reputation as a promising stock. It’s on par with Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) due to its AI-centered business strategy and significant growth, surging over 60% in the past year. Notably, Fabrinet counts the semiconductor giant Nvidia among its key customers. While Nvidia and other competitors vie for dominance in the AI “gold rush,” Fabrinet secures its success behind the scenes. FN supplies the vital tools needed, ensuring profitability regardless of who leads the race.
The company manufactures and delivers optical cables. These lines facilitate data transmission across hardware platforms at speeds beyond 800GB per second, an essential component for advancing machine learning and AI technologies. Further, this product line alone adds $500 million to Fabrinet’s revenue. And, the growth prospects for Fabrinet remain robust. Forecasts indicate that its operational income could more than double in the near future.
Also, Fabrinet’s valuation, standing at a mere 2.7x sales and 25x earnings, looks attractive. With the economic landscape improving and tech companies increasingly focusing on AI, Fabrinet could become one of the most promising tech stock successes of 2024.
Palantir Technologies (PLTR)
Retail traders knew that Palantir Technologies (NYSE:PLTR) was one of the most promising stocks of the decade. But wider market sentiment is finally catching up after its fifth consecutive profitable quarter. Better yet, PLTR is eligible for S&P 500 inclusion. And, if this happens, it would bring a flood of new cash as ETF and institutional investment managers right-size benchmarked funds.
Beyond the prospect of index inclusion, several compelling reasons position Palantir Technologies at the forefront of promising worthy of investment. Notably, the company’s growing pipeline of commercial contracts marks a significant shift. Previous apprehensions about PLTR’s heavy reliance on government contracts have been mitigated by a notable increase in commercial revenue, which rose 20% year over year (YOY), compared to a 14% increase in government sales. This balanced growth in both commercial and government sectors highlights Palantir Technologies’ momentum. Additionally, it highlights a successful pivot from the sole perception as a defense contractor.
Arista Networks (ANET)
Top analysts, including those from Citi, Morgan Stanley, and Barclays, are labeling Arista Networks (NYSE:ANET) as one of the most promising stocks in AI. It has remained under the radar compared to other prominent tech stocks vying for investor interest. Yet, this situation may shift in 2024.
These analysts recommend buying Arista shares, anticipating growth in the cloud sector and AI opportunities. Citi’s Atif Malik highlights Arista’s advantage from the “generative AI megatrend” and a range of “early AI-related opportunities.”
After a lackluster earnings report that offered muted guidance, Arista stock flatlined before bouncing slightly last week. The drop may have been due to over enthusiasm on the part of analysts, as a Piper Sandler note said that ANET needed “near perfect” earnings to deserve a further share price bump. Still, ANET remains a promising prospect as the company draws investor sentiment shifts back towards “hard tech” within AI and further away from software solutions.
On the date of publication, Jeremy Flint held no positions in the securities mentioned. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.