Core Viewpoint - The investment theme in artificial intelligence (AI) is shifting from chip giants to a broader range of industries, particularly in technology infrastructure and related sectors [1][2]. Group 1: Technology Infrastructure - Investors are increasingly purchasing stocks of "picks and shovels" companies in the technology infrastructure sector, as large cloud service providers invest billions in new data centers [2]. - The beneficiaries of the current AI investment cycle have expanded beyond companies like Nvidia to include data storage, power supply, and construction contracting sectors [3]. - Data storage companies dominated the S&P 500 index performance in 2025, with SanDisk's stock soaring nearly 580%, making it the best-performing stock in the index [3]. Group 2: Power Supply and Cable Production - AI-related power suppliers and manufacturers of cables and fibers, such as Amphenol Corp., Corning Inc., NRG Energy Inc., and GE Vernova Inc., have also made it to the top 25 performers [5]. - Nvidia, once a top performer, saw only a 40% increase in 2025, ranking 71st in the S&P 500 index, indicating a shift in market dynamics [5][7]. Group 3: Data Storage Sector Outlook - Analysts expect the data storage sector to remain strong through 2026, although the current boom may be nearing its end [8]. - The average target price for SanDisk in 2026 is projected at $264, reflecting an approximate 8% increase from its current price of $244 [8]. - Companies like Pure Storage Inc. are anticipated to have greater upside potential, with a projected increase of 38% from its current price of $68 to $94 by 2026 [8]. Group 4: Construction and Power Stocks - Stocks related to data center construction and power supply are expected to continue their upward trend, with Quanta Services Inc. being a preferred choice among investors [10]. - Other notable contractors include MYR Group Inc., Primoris Services Corp., and MasTec Inc. [10]. Group 5: Cooling Systems and Software - Companies providing precision cooling, ventilation, and air conditioning systems for data centers are in demand, with Vertiv Holdings Co. expected to rise by 40% in 2025 [14]. - The software sector, while underperforming this year, is viewed as a long-term beneficiary of AI advancements, with companies like Snowflake Inc., Datadog Inc., and ServiceNow Inc. being highlighted for their attractive valuations [16].

Core Viewpoint - Sandisk Corporation will hold its fiscal second quarter earnings conference call on January 29, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time, with a live webcast available for investors [1]. Company Overview - Sandisk delivers innovative Flash solutions and advanced memory technologies, enabling individuals and businesses to pursue their aspirations and push possibilities forward [2]. - The company is active on various social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube, promoting engagement with its audience [2]. - Sandisk and its logo are registered trademarks of Sandisk Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries [2].

Core Insights - The article discusses the potential for a Santa Claus Rally in the stock market, particularly focusing on technology stocks that are well-positioned for growth as the year ends [1][2]. Technology Sector - Strong momentum in the technology sector is driven by AI infrastructure, cloud computing, and GPU demand, with companies like NVIDIA, Sandisk, and Ciena identified as key players [3][4]. - NVIDIA is highlighted as a leader in AI and accelerated computing, benefiting from high demand for its GPUs, particularly for generative AI applications [4][8]. - Sandisk is positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for AI-driven storage solutions, with a projected earnings growth of 321% for fiscal 2026 [9][10]. - Ciena is experiencing growth in optical networking due to increased data traffic from AI workloads, with a target total addressable market of $13 billion by 2028 [11][12]. Company Performance - NVIDIA's current-year earnings estimate has increased by 4.2% to $4.65, with a stock gain of 4.5% in the past month, and it holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [5][8]. - Sandisk's fiscal 2026 earnings estimate has been revised upward by 99.5% to $12.59, with shares surging 16.1% in the past month, also holding a Zacks Rank 1 [10]. - Ciena's fiscal 2026 earnings estimate is $5.15, indicating a 95% year-over-year growth, with a 20% stock gain in the past month and a Zacks Rank 1 [12]. Market Outlook - The article suggests that if seasonal tailwinds materialize, these technology stocks are technically positioned to benefit, making them worth monitoring as the market approaches the end of the year [13].

Group 1 - BlackRock Science and Technology Term Trust reported a return of 10.1% on market price and 11.6% on net asset value (NAV) in Q3 2025, underperforming the MSCI Custom ACWI SMID Growth IT Call Overwrite Index which returned 15.2% [1] - The trust adjusted its investments in the technology sector to align with changing market conditions and emerging opportunities during the quarter [1] - Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) showed a one-month return of 18.94% and a three-month return of 117.69%, closing at $244.25 per share with a market capitalization of $35.8 billion on December 29, 2025 [2] Group 2 - Macroeconomic factors, particularly trade tensions and tariffs, adversely affected the technology sector, impacting large global hardware companies with complex supply chains [3] - Sector allocation to semiconductors and security selection within the hardware subsector were the largest detractors to relative performance for the trust [3] - Sandisk Corporation was held by 61 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3, an increase from 49 in the previous quarter, indicating growing interest [4]

While much of the artificial intelligence (AI) debate remained centered on Nvidia (NVDA) in 2025 – it still didn’t succeed in emerging as the top performing S&P 500 Index ($SPX) stock. Instead, a handful of unexpected names, including SanDisk (SNDK), Western Digital (WDC), and Robinhood Markets (HOOD) outperformed the bigger names to lead the index this year. More News from Barchart WDC and HOOD shares are currently up more than 200% each (YTD), while SNDK is going for about 8x its price in late April ...

Sandisk Corp. (NASDAQ:SNDK) tops our list of spin-off companies in 2025 and is also the largest by market cap. The company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) and became an independent company following its spin-off, which was completed on February 21, 2025. WDC distributed 80.1% of its stake to its shareholders, who received one-third (1/3) of one share of Sandisk’s common stock for each share of WDC’s common stock held (per the company’s report). While Western Digi ...

Core Insights - 2025 was characterized by significant volatility in the stock market, with the S&P 500 index experiencing both sharp declines and recoveries, ultimately ending the year up nearly 20% with dividends reinvested [3][8] - Nvidia, a leading player in AI, had a modest gain of around 41%, while SanDisk emerged as the top performer with a nearly 600% increase since its IPO [3][8] - The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) demonstrated the effectiveness of passive investment strategies, returning 19% in 2025 despite market fluctuations [5][8] Market Performance - The year began positively, extending the previous bull market, but was marked by early volatility due to economic concerns [6] - A significant market reaction occurred in April following President Trump's tariff announcements, leading to a 12% drop in the S&P 500, which was the worst short-term loss since the 2020 pandemic [7] - The index recovered quickly after tariffs were paused for most countries, turning positive by mid-May and fully reclaiming losses by late June [7][8] Investment Strategy - The hands-off approach of index investing allowed investors to capture market gains without the need for constant decision-making, reinforcing its status as a preferred strategy for most [5][8] - The volatility experienced throughout the year highlighted the challenges of timing the market, as panic selling and chasing winners can lead to missed opportunities [4][8]

Group 1 - SanDisk Corporation is recognized as one of the best performing S&P 500 stocks in 2025, with JPMorgan initiating coverage with a Neutral rating and a price target of $235, highlighting its position to benefit from the AI-driven enterprise SSD supercycle due to a low-cost structure from its joint venture with Kioxia [1] - In FQ1 2026, SanDisk reported revenue of $2.3 billion, marking a 21% sequential increase and a 23% year-over-year increase, with non-GAAP EPS rising to $1.22, supported by a non-GAAP gross margin of 29.9% [2] - Data Center revenue increased by 26% sequentially to $269 million, driven by cloud expansion and AI infrastructure needs, while the Edge segment also rose by 26% to $1.387 billion, and Consumer revenue grew by 11% to $652 million [3] Group 2 - SanDisk projects revenue for FQ2 2026 to be between $2.55 billion and $2.65 billion, with improved visibility into 2026 and 2027 as customers are shifting towards long-term agreements for supply certainty, particularly for enterprise SSDs [3] - The company develops, manufactures, and sells data storage devices and solutions using NAND flash technology across various regions including the US, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia [4]

Group 1: Stock Performances - Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) gained 15.5% after launching its 21st Electron rocket of the year [1] - Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) increased by 14.76% this week [2] - BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:BMRN) rose by 9.68%, with Truist Securities raising its price target from $80 to $100 [2] - Ciena Corporation (NYSE:CIEN) saw an increase of 8.84% [2] - Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG) gained 12.01% [2] - Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) soared 10.57%, influenced by broader chip stocks and NVIDIA's recent performance [3] - Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) jumped 12.9% following strong first-quarter earnings [4] - Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) gained 12.75% [4] - Karman Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KRMN) increased by 9.91%, with Keybanc initiating coverage with an Overweight rating and an $80 price forecast [4] - CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) increased by 7.82% after joining the Department of Energy's Genesis Mission [5] Group 2: Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Needham analyst Ryan Koontz maintained a Buy rating for Rocket Lab and raised the price forecast from $63 to $90 [1] - Truist Securities maintained a Buy rating on BioMarin Pharmaceutical and raised its price target from $80 to $100 [2] - Keybanc initiated coverage on Karman Holdings with an Overweight rating and announced an $80 price forecast [4]

Core Insights - Marvell Technology (MRVL) and Sandisk (SNDK) are significant players in the technology infrastructure sector, benefiting from the ongoing artificial intelligence (AI) boom [1][2] Marvell Technology (MRVL) - Marvell Technology's custom AI silicon chips are gaining traction among hyperscalers, with the data center segment revenues reaching $1.52 billion in Q3 fiscal 2026, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 37.8% [3][4] - The company is experiencing rapid growth in its data center segment, driven by demand for custom XPU silicon, electro-optic interconnect products, and next-generation switches, which are essential for AI computation and networking [4] - Marvell's acquisition of Celestial AI will enhance its capabilities in the interconnect space, positioning it favorably within next-generation AI data center architectures [5] - Strategic collaborations with AWS and NVIDIA are expected to provide long-term growth opportunities, with fiscal 2026 earnings estimated at $2.84, indicating a 90% year-over-year growth [6] Sandisk (SNDK) - Sandisk is capitalizing on AI-driven data center spending, with data center revenues increasing by 26% sequentially, primarily due to demand from hyperscalers and AI training [10][12] - The company is focused on advanced storage technologies for AI workloads, with expectations that data center and AI infrastructure investments will exceed $1 trillion by 2030, creating strong demand for NAND and enterprise SSDs [11] - Sandisk's high bandwidth flash products are specifically designed for AI inference, targeting lower latency and higher bandwidth, which positions the company well in the market [13] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sandisk's fiscal 2026 earnings is $12.59, reflecting a substantial year-over-year growth of 321% [14] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past three months, MRVL shares have increased by 4%, while SNDK shares have surged by 157.5% [15] - SNDK is trading at a forward sales multiple of 3.11X, above its median of 2.76X, while MRVL's forward sales multiple is at 7.46X, slightly higher than its median of 7.44X [16] Conclusion - Both MRVL and SNDK are benefiting from the AI wave, with SNDK currently viewed as a better investment due to its explosive earnings growth outlook, holding a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) compared to MRVL's Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [18]