5 Stocks Set to Start Strong in January and Lead Through 2026
Investing·2025-12-29 13:18

Group 1: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - AMD is positioned for significant growth with the upcoming launch of its MI450 AI-specific GPU lineup, expected in the latter half of 2025, which will enhance its competitive stance against NVIDIA [2] - The MI450's rack-scale capability is crucial for meeting current business demands and unlocking GPU demand, potentially leading to a triple-digit revenue growth for AMD [3] Group 2: Micron Technology (MU) - Micron's fiscal year 2026 earnings release highlighted its strong performance, with substantial revenue and earnings outperformance, and record free cash flow [3][5] - Analysts have upgraded Micron's consensus sentiment to a Strong Buy, with price targets increasing by over 30%, indicating potential for new all-time highs [5] Group 3: Oracle Corporation (ORCL) - Oracle is establishing itself as a comprehensive AI provider, embedding AI across its services and focusing on chip neutrality to cater to diverse client needs [6] - The company's remaining performance obligation surged by over 400% in Q3 2025, signaling significant revenue growth as new data centers come online [7] Group 4: Salesforce (CRM) - Salesforce has shown signs of recovery with a hard bottom in stock performance, indicating potential acceleration in 2026 driven by its AI tools [8][10] - The company's Einstein AI engine and Agentforce platform are designed to enhance operational efficiency and data monetization for businesses [9] Group 5: Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Apple is viewed as an AI outlier, with strong core business performance and iPhone sales, although it has not yet made significant AI announcements [11] - Analysts have shown a steady trend of upgrades for Apple, with a potential 25% upside and expectations for new all-time highs [12]