The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has been largely driven by high-profile companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Apple. But smaller players have also seen their stock prices rise in 2026.
Here’s a look at four popular AI stocks you may not have heard of, along with whether they might make good investments.
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Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI)
- Stock Price (Closed April 13): $153.19
- YTD Profit: 339%
- AI market: Makes high-speed optical transceivers used to connect AI servers and networking gear.
Applied Optoelectronics (AOI) got a boost this year from “major program wins” for its optical transceiver business, according to technology investment analyst Uttam Dey.
Day has a bullish outlook on the stock, although he admits the markets are “still skeptical” about some of AOI’s growth prospects.
“The recent win of a third hyperscaler customer shows that the flow of AI capex is increasingly moving toward beneficiaries like Applied Optoelectronics,” Day wrote in an April 2 note. search for alpha.
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Coherent (COHR)
- Stock Price (Closed April 13): $307.93
- YTD Profit: 69%
- AI market: Makes high-speed datacom transceivers and optical components designed to handle data traffic in AI and similar applications.
As of April 13, Coherent had a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” in a survey by 21 analysts. Benzinga. However, there was wide divergence on price targets – meaning you might want to be careful about investing in the stock.
The average price target was $277.83 per share – which is significantly lower than Coherent’s April 13 closing price. The highest target was $375, while the lowest was $170.
FABRICNET (FN)
- Stock Price (Closed April 13): $689.89
- YTD Profit: 52%
- AI market:AI creates essential optical connectivity components in data centers.
FabriNet is among the players that will benefit from Nvidia’s ongoing expansion. As morningstar It was noted last month that FabriNet’s status as Nvidia’s “primary manufacturing partner” would increase demand for FabriNet’s services.
This relationship was one reason Rosenblatt analyst Mike Genovese recently raised his price target on Fabrinate to $715 from $550 previously.
Nebius Group (NBIS)
- Stock Price (Closed April 13): $154.56
- YTD Profit: 85%
- AI Market: Large-scale, GPU-powered AI builds data centers.
FabriNet has also benefited from its Nvidia partnership, but is also widely loved by AI startups and individual users. motley flower.
According to the Motley Fool, Nvidia has “about a 7.7% to 8.3% stake” in Nebius, which bodes well for the company’s near-term stock growth prospects.
Editor’s note: Data for each stock was taken from Yahoo Finance as of April 13, 2026. This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Always consider your individual circumstances and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.