Investors don't need to take chances with their savings to build wealth in the stock market. All you need to do is buy strong businesses, preferably those that lead their industry, and still offer attractive growth prospects. Two stocks I would consider buying with $2,000 are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL). These companies serve billions of people with their products every day. This drives substantial profits, which they can invest in artificial intelligence (AI) to i ...

Core Insights - The technology sector is poised for superior growth in 2026, particularly driven by demand for AI services, which is creating a robust environment for tech companies in the AI infrastructure market [1] Group 1: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - AMD is a leading chip supplier for consumer PCs and data centers, with revenue growing at an annualized rate of over 20% over the last two years [2] - Analysts project AMD's revenue to reach $34 billion in 2025, with a long-term growth outlook of 35% annually over the next three to five years [3] - AMD's data center revenue reached a record $4.3 billion in Q3, with expectations of over 60% annualized growth in the next five years [5] - The client segment revenue, driven by Ryzen processors, hit a record $2.8 billion in Q3, reflecting a 46% year-over-year increase [6] - AMD's gaming revenue was $1.3 billion last quarter, nearly tripling year-over-year, with long-term growth expected at over 10% annually [7] - AMD's portfolio includes adaptive computing chips, providing a competitive edge in AI solutions for edge computing devices [8] - Analysts expect AMD's earnings to grow at an annualized rate of 45% in the coming years, indicating multiple avenues for chip demand [9] Group 2: Microsoft - Microsoft has a vast ecosystem of productivity tools and cloud services, generating substantial revenue through subscriptions, including Microsoft 365 with over 400 million paid subscribers [10][13] - The company invested $69 billion in capital expenditures last year, funded by $147 billion in cash from operations, enabling the development of advanced AI chips and cloud software [12] - Microsoft Cloud revenue grew 26% year-over-year, reaching $46 billion, while Azure revenue increased by 40% year-over-year [12][14] - Operating profit grew 24% year-over-year, indicating healthy profitability alongside aggressive investments in AI infrastructure [15] - Analysts expect Microsoft's earnings to grow at a rate of 13% per year, positioning the company as a strong player in an AI-driven economy [15]

Core Insights - Microsoft (MSFT) shares are gaining momentum due to strong Office 365 subscription metrics indicating increased demand in both commercial and consumer segments [1] - The company's fiscal first-quarter 2026 results show a 17% increase in Microsoft 365 Commercial cloud revenues and a 6% growth in seat count, primarily driven by small and medium-sized businesses [1][7] - Consumer cloud revenues surged by 26%, with subscriptions exceeding 90 million, reflecting strong traction in personal productivity [2] Commercial Segment Performance - Microsoft 365 Commercial cloud revenues increased by 17%, with seat growth of 6%, indicating successful monetization of the installed base through higher-tier offerings [1] - The growth in revenue per user is largely attributed to the adoption of Microsoft 365 E5 and the Copilot AI assistant, which has reached 150 million monthly active users [2] - Remaining performance obligations in the commercial segment reached $392 billion, suggesting strong future revenue visibility [3] Consumer Segment Performance - Microsoft 365 Consumer cloud revenues rose by 26%, with subscriptions climbing 7% to surpass 90 million [2] - The rapid adoption of AI-enhanced productivity tools, particularly Copilot Chat, which saw a 50% quarter-over-quarter increase in usage, indicates strong enterprise acceptance [2] Pricing Strategy and Market Position - Microsoft announced price increases effective July 2026, with monthly fees rising by up to three dollars across subscription tiers, while extending promotional offers through June 2026 to encourage Copilot adoption [3] - The company's pricing strategy contrasts with Apple and Google, which have also raised prices to enhance subscription margins, but Microsoft maintains a stronger position in dedicated enterprise productivity platforms [4] Valuation and Market Performance - MSFT shares have declined by 4.7% over the past six months, outperforming the Zacks Computer – Software industry's decline of 7.8% but underperforming the broader Computer and Technology sector's return of 18.1% [5] - The stock is currently trading at a forward Price/Sales ratio of 10.5X, compared to the industry's 9.08X, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings at $15.59 per share, indicating a 14.3% year-over-year growth [8]

Core Insights - The artificial intelligence (AI) industry has significantly contributed to stock market returns in 2025, with key players like Nvidia and Palantir Technologies outperforming the S&P 500 [1][2] Group 1: Roundhill Generative AI and Technology ETF - The Roundhill ETF focuses exclusively on companies developing AI infrastructure, platforms, and software, and is actively managed to optimize returns [4] - The ETF holds 49 stocks, with its top five positions accounting for 26.7% of the portfolio, delivering an average return of 56% in 2025, leading to a year-to-date gain of 47% [5] - The top five holdings include Alphabet (7.53%), Nvidia (6.11%), Microsoft (5.13%), Meta Platforms (4.28%), and Palantir Technologies (3.67%) [5] Group 2: iShares Future AI and Tech ETF - The iShares ETF invests in AI companies globally, providing exposure to the entire AI value chain, including infrastructure, software, and services [11] - It holds 51 stocks, with the top five positions representing 23% of the portfolio, including Advanced Micro Devices (5.48%), Vertiv Holdings (5.25%), Nvidia (4.28%), Advantest Corp (4.06%), and Broadcom (3.96%) [11] - The iShares ETF has an expense ratio of 0.47% and has achieved a return of 28% this year, outperforming the S&P 500 [15]

Core Insights - Microsoft (MSFT) stock is expected to continue its upward trend into 2026, with analysts believing it remains undervalued as the new year approaches [1][2] - Wedbush analysts project that Microsoft's Azure cloud computing service and Copilot AI assistant could contribute an additional $25 billion in sales through fiscal 2026 [2] - The average price target among analysts is $635, indicating expectations for Microsoft stock to rise above its previous records [4] Group 1 - Analysts from Wedbush maintain an "outperform" rating on Microsoft with a price target of $625, suggesting nearly 30% upside from current levels [1] - The AI sector is anticipated to continue driving growth, with major tech companies investing heavily in AI infrastructure [3] - Microsoft is expected to play a foundational role in the next stages of AI development, making it a compelling buy at current levels [3] Group 2 - A majority of analysts rate Microsoft as a "buy," with only one out of 13 analysts recommending a "hold" [4] - Microsoft shares have increased approximately 15% since the beginning of the year but remain about 10% below their recent record closing high [6] - Investors are currently underestimating the potential value that Microsoft's Azure services could add as the AI industry expands [6]

Core Insights - Artificial intelligence is generating significant value for U.S. tech companies, with Nvidia being the only company to reach a $5 trillion market cap earlier this year [1] - Microsoft is positioned to potentially join the $5 trillion club, driven by the growth of its Azure cloud platform and the adoption of its Copilot AI assistant [2] Microsoft and AI Opportunities - Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant is integrated into various platforms, including Windows and Bing, and is available as a paid add-on for the 365 productivity suite [3] - Over 400 million 365 licenses are in use globally, with 90% of Fortune 500 companies adopting Copilot, indicating strong market uptake [4] - PwC purchased 155,000 licenses in Q1 fiscal 2026, leading to significant interaction with Copilot, saving millions of hours for employees [5] Azure Cloud Platform Growth - Azure is a key player for enterprises looking to implement AI, with revenue growth accelerating to 40% in Q1 fiscal 2026 [10] - Microsoft plans to double its data center footprint in the next two years to meet the increasing demand for AI infrastructure, with $392 billion in remaining performance obligations [11] Financial Metrics and Projections - Microsoft is currently trading at a P/E ratio of 33.5, which is comparable to the Nasdaq-100 index [12] - Earnings are projected to grow to $15.69 per share in fiscal 2026 and $18.63 per share in fiscal 2027, suggesting a potential increase in market cap to $4.7 trillion if the stock maintains its current P/E ratio [13][15] - Modest earnings growth in fiscal 2028 could also lead Microsoft into the $5 trillion club [16]

Core Insights - Microsoft and ServiceNow represent two distinct strategies in enterprise cloud transformation, with Microsoft being a diversified technology giant and ServiceNow focusing on workflow automation and enterprise service management [1] Microsoft Overview - Microsoft reported revenues of $77.7 billion for Q1 fiscal 2026, an 18% year-over-year increase, with significant growth from Microsoft Cloud [2] - The Intelligent Cloud segment generated $30.89 billion, driven by Azure's strong performance, particularly in AI services, which contributed 16 percentage points to growth [4] - Microsoft continues to expand its AI capabilities, launching new features like Work IQ and Agent 365, enhancing customer relationships and lifetime value [5] - Despite strong revenue growth, Microsoft faces challenges, including a net income loss of $3.1 billion and diluted earnings per share of 41 cents due to investments in OpenAI [6] - The competitive landscape is intensifying, with Microsoft facing competition from Google's Gemini and Amazon's cloud services, leading to stock price volatility [7] ServiceNow Overview - ServiceNow reported third-quarter subscription revenues of $3.3 billion, reflecting a 21.5% year-over-year growth, and raised its 2025 subscription revenue guidance [2][8] - The company achieved an operating margin of 33.5%, exceeding guidance, and raised its full-year operating margin targets to 31% [11] - ServiceNow's AI strategy includes the introduction of an AI Control Tower for monitoring AI agents, enhancing enterprise governance and collaboration [10] - The company has expanded strategic partnerships, including with NTT DATA and Nvidia, to accelerate AI-led transformation and broaden its market reach [12] Valuation and Performance Comparison - Microsoft has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28.27, slightly below its 5-year historical average, indicating reasonable valuation relative to growth [13] - ServiceNow trades at a forward P/E of 40.95, reflecting expectations for significant earnings acceleration, justified by its superior growth rates and expanding margins [14] - Year-to-date, Microsoft stock has gained 12%, while ServiceNow has declined 23.3%, creating a more attractive entry point for long-term investors [17] Conclusion - ServiceNow offers compelling upside potential for investors interested in cloud software innovation and AI-driven enterprise transformation, with its specialized platform and strong revenue visibility [19]

Core Insights - The article discusses the significant growth and investment opportunities in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, particularly through the Roundhill Generative AI and Technology ETF, which focuses on companies driving the AI boom [7][10][12]. Company Highlights - **Broadcom**: Supplies networking equipment for data centers, including Tomahawk switches and AI accelerators that are alternatives to traditional GPUs [1]. - **Microsoft**: Integrates its Copilot AI assistant into major software products and offers a robust Azure cloud platform for AI software development [2]. - **SK Hynix**: A leading supplier of memory and storage chips, providing high-bandwidth memory solutions critical for AI workloads [3]. - **Alphabet**: Owns Google Search and has developed the Gemini family of large language models, widely adopted in AI software [4]. - **Nvidia**: Supplies advanced GPUs, with its latest Blackwell Ultra variants being highly sought after for AI model development due to their processing power and energy efficiency [5]. - **Roundhill Generative AI and Technology ETF**: Focuses on companies developing AI infrastructure and has a concentrated portfolio with its top five holdings representing 25.1% of its total value [6][10][11]. Market Performance - The Roundhill ETF has delivered a remarkable 150% return since its inception in May 2023, outperforming the Nasdaq-100's 91% and the S&P 500's 66% during the same period [12]. - The Nasdaq-100 index has experienced a significant recovery, rising 50% from its April low, driven largely by AI stocks [9][10]. Investment Considerations - The Roundhill ETF has an expense ratio of 0.75%, which is higher than traditional passive index funds, reflecting its active management approach [13]. - Despite strong returns, the ETF's heavy focus on AI means that investors should consider it as part of a diversified portfolio to mitigate risks associated with the sector [14].

Core Insights - Microsoft is collaborating with Harvard Medical School to enhance its Copilot AI assistant with health-related content, aiming to diversify its offerings and reduce reliance on OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT [1] Group 1 - The partnership with Harvard Medical School signifies a strategic move by Microsoft to integrate advanced health content into its AI tools [1] - This initiative is part of a broader strategy to lessen dependence on OpenAI, indicating a shift in Microsoft's approach to AI development [1]

Core Insights - The artificial intelligence (AI) sector is experiencing significant growth, with major tech companies projected to spend over $300 billion on AI infrastructure this year [2] - Microsoft has a substantial backlog of $368 billion in contracted revenue, indicating strong demand for its services [4][7] - Microsoft Azure is growing rapidly, with a reported 39% year-over-year revenue growth and expectations for continued growth [10] Company Summaries - Microsoft is leading in AI infrastructure spending, committing $30 billion in capital expenditures for the current quarter, and is expected to continue investing heavily to meet demand [12] - Microsoft’s backlog includes long-term commitments, with only 35% expected to be recognized as revenue in the next 12 months, while the amount recognized beyond 12 months grew by 49% [9] - Azure is now a $75 billion business, significantly larger than Google Cloud, and is expected to maintain a growth rate of 37% in the next quarter [10] Industry Trends - Demand for cloud computing services, particularly AI services, is outpacing supply across the industry, with similar sentiments expressed by Amazon and Alphabet [11] - The growth in long-term commitments for cloud services is a trend seen across major players, with Google Cloud's backlog at $108 billion and Amazon Web Services at $195 billion [7] - The integration of AI into enterprise software, such as Microsoft 365, is enhancing productivity and driving higher commitments from commercial customers [13]