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A Once-in-a-Decade Investment Opportunity: The 2 Best AI Stocks to Buy Now
The Motley Fool· 2026-01-23 08:55
Industry Overview - The S&P North American Technology Software Index has underperformed the S&P 500 by 19 percentage points over the past year, marking the worst relative performance for the software industry since the bear market of 2022 [1] - Concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) disrupting traditional business models have contributed to this underperformance, with investors worried about reduced demand for many software products [2] AppLovin - AppLovin is projected to have a 45% upside based on the median target price of $774.50 per share, compared to its current price of $533 [8] - The company specializes in ad tech software that enhances consumer engagement and monetizes web content through targeted campaigns, having expanded from mobile gaming to e-commerce advertising [5] - AppLovin differentiates itself by earning revenue based on ad performance rather than a percentage of ad spend, and its AI-powered recommendation engine, Axon, significantly outperforms competitors [6] - Axon reportedly drives a 45% higher return on ad spending compared to Meta Platforms and 115% higher than platforms like TikTok and YouTube [7] - Wall Street estimates that AppLovin's adjusted earnings will grow at an annual rate of 58% through 2027, making its current valuation of 66 times earnings appear reasonable [8] Atlassian - Atlassian has an implied upside of 84% based on a median target price of $225 per share, compared to its current price of $122 [13] - The company develops work management and collaboration software for both technical and non-technical teams, recognized as a technology leader in various categories by Gartner [9] - Atlassian invests heavily in R&D and is unique in connecting technical, non-technical, and IT service teams on a single platform, which enhances collaboration and upselling opportunities [10] - The introduction of generative AI features called Rovo aims to improve productivity and efficiency across business teams, positioning Atlassian as a potential winner in the AI boom [11] - Wall Street anticipates Atlassian's adjusted earnings to increase at 22% annually through the fiscal year ending in June 2027, with a current valuation of 31 times earnings appearing reasonable [12]