Why Is Wall Street Obsessed With AI (Artificial Intelligence) Leader Arista Networks?
Arista Networks is a leading network platform provider.
Several Wall Street analysts hiked their price targets on Arista Networks stock in July.
Those on Main Street should investigate the company for themselves to see if it aligns with their investing goals.
10 stocks we like better than Arista Networks ›
We all have preferences. From our favorite movies to favorite places to eat to favorite places to visit, people love what they love. Wall Street is no different. Currently, analysts can't get enough of artificial intelligence (AI) stocks.
But of all the AI stocks on the Street's radar, Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET) is one AI name that analysts absolutely love. Let's take a look at the basis for this affection for one of the leading network platform providers.
Enthusiasm for Arista Networks has heated up in July
While Arista Networks' stock received some upgrades in June, it's during July that Wall Street's enthusiasm has been clearly seen. Here are some of the analysts' more recent actions.
JPMorgan boosted its price target to $130 from $117 on July 17.
Citigroup hiked its price target to $123 from $112 on July 11.
Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Arista Networks and assigned an outperform rating on July 7.
According to Thefly.com, JPMorgan predicated its new price target on the expectation that cloud spending will be strong in the second half of 2025, while Citigroup based its new price target on a growing Ethernet switching market.
Besides Wall Street, Arista Networks is growing increasingly popular with customers. The company's industry-leading switches are in high demand as data centers look to shore up their computing infrastructure to support AI computing. And demand for the company's networking solutions seems unlikely to taper off anytime soon.
During its first-quarter 2025 financial report, Arista Networks projected its total addressable market will rise from $41 billion in 2024 to $70 billion in 2028.
Is now a good time for Main Street investors to listen to Wall Street?
The enthusiasm that Wall Street has for Arista Networks is well warranted, but does that mean investors should rush to buy shares? The answer is a resounding No. Investors must -- as always -- do their own due diligence to see if Arista Networks is right for them, but for AI exposure, it certainly demands consideration.
Should you invest $1,000 in Arista Networks right now?
Before you buy stock in Arista Networks, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Arista Networks wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,063,471!*
Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,041% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025
Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Arista Networks and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Sun
5 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
Boeing braces for defence hub strike as workers reject offer
Published Jul 27, 2025 • 2 minute read An employee works on the aft fuselage of a Boeing Co. F-15 Strike Eagle fighter aircraft at the Boeing Defense, Space & Security facility in St. Louis, Mo., on Monday, July 24, 2018. Photo by Alex FLynn / Bloomberg Boeing Co. is preparing for a strike at its St. Louis defence hub after factory workers rejected a contract offer that would've boosted their wages by 20% over four years. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 837, which represents 3,200 Boeing defence workers in Missouri and Illinois, said its members voted overwhelmingly against the new terms Sunday. The Boeing proposal 'fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices' of the company's skilled workforce, the union said in a statement. 'Our members are standing together to demand a contract that respects their work and ensures a secure future.' While the present contract expires at 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, there's a seven-day 'cooling off' period before IAM Local 837 workers can walk off the job and shut down manufacturing in Boeing's military aircraft factories. Boeing hasn't scheduled any talks with union leaders, which typically are a precursor to a counteroffer. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We're disappointed our employees voted down the richest contract offer we've ever presented to IAM 837 which addressed all their stated priorities,' said Dan Gillian, Boeing Air Dominance vice president and a senior St. Louis site executive, in a statement. Boeing's offer, which was endorsed by IAM Local 837's bargaining committee, included a $5,000 signing bonus, 8% wage increase in the first year and work schedule changes intended to improve quality of life. All-in, the contract would've boosted average wages by 40%, the company said. 'We've activated our contingency plan and are focused on preparing for a strike,' Gillian said. 'No talks are scheduled with the union.' The aerospace manufacturer faces another labour standoff as it recovers from a two-month strike by a Seattle-based Machinists union that crippled manufacturing at its commercial jet factories last year. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Any labour strife would be costly for Boeing's defence division, which hasn't earned an annual profit since 2022 and is in the middle of a turnaround. A strike would shut down assembly lines for Boeing's F-15 and F/A-18 fighter jets, T-7A trainer, MQ-25 drone refueler and other weapons systems. The labour uncertainty will be a focus for analysts when Boeing reports quarterly earnings on Tuesday. It's also a bellwether as GE Aerospace launches contract negotiations with a separate IAM local on Sunday. St. Louis workers last went on strike in 1996 and don't have a history of activism, unlike Boeing's unions in the Pacific Northwest, according to Scott Mikus, an analyst with Melius Research. Union members initially rejected management's offer during the last negotiation with Boeing in 2022, before accepting a three-year deal with a 14% general wage increase and cost-of-living adjustments. While Puget Sound labour leaders endorsed Boeing's initial offer last year, they were rebuffed by rank-and-file members embittered by an earlier 10-year contract that stripped away pensions and locked in low wage increases while inflation soared. The lengthy strike squeezed the company's working capital and spurred Boeing to sell equity worth almost $24 billion. — With assistance from Bill Haubert. Sports Columnists Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA
Globe and Mail
35 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Amber Kanwar's Weekly Setup: Big tests are coming for the markets
My husband got taken down by a nasty summer bug but has reintegrated into the family. He stayed in the guest room to avoid infecting me and the kids. He passed his time watching TV and having meals delivered. I'm glad he is back in the fold, but I would be lying if I didn't admit there is a small part of me that thought about licking one of his spoons to get a few days alone in a quiet room. This is not the week to call in sick with huge catalysts on deck. Here are the five things to watch: Magnificent week: With the S&P 500 sitting atop a record high, the resilience of the Magnificent 7 (also at a record) will be the next test for the markets. Four of the seven companies report this week, including Meta Platforms Inc. META-Q, Microsoft Corp. MSFT-Q, Apple Inc. AAPL-Q and Inc. AMZN-Q They represent a combined US$14-trillion in value. The big question for all of them will be how much each company is spending on AI. Although for Apple, it will be more like, 'Have you heard of AI?' Apple is the second-worst-performing Mag7 after Tesla Inc. TSLA-Q, down about 14 per cent so far in 2025. The reason Apple is in the dog house is because it lacks a clear AI strategy, according to Needham senior analyst Laura Martin. She said 'calls to replace Tim Cook as Apple CEO are getting louder every quarter that Apple doesn't lay out a comprehensive GenAI strategy.' After Alphabet Inc. GOOGL-Q surprised investors with a US$85-billion spending plan, there is a good chance the others follow suit. Is it any wonder that Nvidia Corp. NVDA-Q is back at a record high and the best-performing Magnificent 7 in 2025? Decisions, decisions: If mega-cap earnings weren't enough, the Bank of Canada and U.S. Federal Reserve are delivering interest-rate announcements on Wednesday. The BoC is expected to keep rates on hold at 2.75 per cent for a third time in a row. Core inflation, which is hanging around 3 per cent, and the oddly robust jobs data from earlier this month make it an easy bet that the BoC will hold. It is also an easy bet that the Federal Reserve won't cut this month, although U.S. President Donald Trump may think otherwise after meeting with Fed Chair Jerome Powell this week on a tour of the central bank's renovations. Mr. Trump said Mr. Powell congratulated him on a strong economy, which he took to mean that rate cuts are coming. Watch for dissenters on the decision; those are the ones auditioning for Mr. Powell's job when his term expires next year. Hold your breath: In the past three months, UnitedHealth Group Inc. UNH-N has slashed its profit forecast, announced that its CEO is leaving, then suspended its profit forecast altogether and endured a 50-per-cent drop in the value of its shares. And just last week, it confirmed that it is the subject of a Department of Justice investigation into its Medicare practices. Talk about a season to forget. The embattled health insurer is set to report quarterly results Tuesday morning as its stock languishes at the lowest level in five years. However, that now means it sports a low-teens multiple. Before you let that lure you in, like yours truly, value investor Michael McCloskey, founder and president of GreensKeeper Asset Management, said on my podcast this week that this has the markings of a value trap. 'When you see the suggestion that maybe they're playing games with Medicare, it's the cockroach theory,' he said. 'I might be totally wrong, but when I see that, I tend to stay away.' Flying close to the sun: Bombardier Inc. BBD-B-T reports this week and talk about a comeback story. The stock is up 1,400 per cent over the past five years compared with just 100 per cent for the TSX over that time. It went from a universally unloved stock with high debt levels to a Bay Street favourite with a new investment-grade debt rating. Its transformation into a business-jet company has paid off big time. But some analysts say the setup from here gets harder. TD Cowen analyst Tim James downgraded the stock last week on the runup and says it has a bad habit of falling on earnings days regardless of the results. '[The] recent share-price strength may heighten Q2 hurdle for driving further short-term upside,' said Mr. James in a note downgrading the stock from buy to hold. Hot commodity: MEG Energy Corp. MEG-T reports results Thursday after the close. The energy producer is subject to a hostile bid from Strathcona but reports last week suggest Cenovus is preparing a rival bid. The company will likely be tight lipped about what it can say, but analysts and investors may pry to see where the companies are in the process and how many other bidders have kicked the tires. In the Money with Amber Kanwar brings you actionable insights from top portfolio managers and business leaders. New episodes out Tuesdays and Thursdays. Subscribe now!
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Better Quantum Computing Stock: IonQ vs. Rigetti Computing
Key Points IonQ and Rigetti Computing have developed fundamentally different methods to create quantum computers. IonQ aspires to build the internet of the future while Rigetti focuses on commercializing its superconducting qubit technology. Neither IonQ nor Rigetti are profitable, although they have amassed large sums of cash to fund their operations. 10 stocks we like better than IonQ › The quantum computing industry is a promising area to invest in. Quantum machines can complete complex calculations in minutes that would take classical computers centuries, thanks to the power of quantum mechanics. In the sector, IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) and Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI) are among the prominent players. IonQ uses ions to power its quantum machines while Rigetti employs the traditional superconducting qubits process. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Both have seen impressive share price increases over the past year. IonQ stock is up over 400% through July 23 while Rigetti climbed more than 1,000% in that time. Is one a better investment in the nascent quantum computing field? Examining these businesses in more detail can help to arrive at an answer. Rigetti Computing's tried-and-true tech Rigetti uses a proven method of producing qubits. Qubits are a quantum device's equivalent to a classical computer's bit. But while bits represent a zero or one, the properties of quantum mechanics mean qubits can be both at the same time, enabling orders of magnitude faster processing speeds. Superconducting qubits offer several advantages. They can be manufactured using existing semiconductor chip processes, and can complete calculations faster than ion-based quantum machines. Rigetti hopes to gain greater commercialization with the latest version of its quantum computer, the Ankaa-3 system, which launched at the end of 2024. However, the technology isn't cheap. Superconducting qubits require special cryogenic equipment to keep temperatures colder than outer space. This is necessary for qubits to maintain stability long enough to perform calculations before they break down. As a result, the company exited the first quarter with an operating loss of $21.6 million on sales of $1.5 million. The loss is 30% greater than the previous year while Q1 revenue plunged 52% year over year. This combination of falling revenue and rising costs is unsustainable over the long run. That's why Rigetti executed a $350 million equity offering that helped it build up a stockpile of $575 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments with no debt as of June 11. This cash hoard should sustain the company's operations in the short term, but it will need to produce revenue growth to build a sustainable business. IonQ's lofty ambition to remake the internet IonQ's ion-based method holds several advantages over superconducting qubits. Its tech can operate at room temperature, eschewing the need for cryogenic equipment. The technology also offers low error correction rates. Because qubits quickly break down, quantum computers are prone to calculation mistakes that limit their ability to scale. IonQ's reduced error rates make scalability a possibility. Consequently, the company aims to construct a quantum computing network, reminiscent of the infrastructure that underpins today's world wide web. It pursued several acquisitions to achieve its goal of building "the next generation of the internet," in the words of IonQ Chairman Peter Chapman. But like Rigetti, IonQ's costs are rising. It posted a Q1 operating loss of $75.7 million, an increase from 2024's $52.9 million, on revenue of $7.6 million. So it, too, is pursuing an equity offering to the tune of $1 billion. In addition, IonQ believes it can hit revenue of $75 million to $95 million in 2025. This would be a strong increase over 2024, when sales soared 95% year over year to $43.1 million. Making the choice between IonQ and Rigetti Computing stock Although Rigetti's superconducting qubits technology is well established in the quantum computing industry, IonQ's approach is producing higher sales. On top of that, another factor to consider is share price valuation. This can be assessed using the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio, a metric commonly used when companies are not profitable. Data by YCharts. The chart reveals Rigetti's P/S multiple has skyrocketed from where it was a year ago, and is far higher than IonQ's as well. This suggests Rigetti stock is overpriced, making IonQ the better value. That said, IonQ stock is not cheap, given it has a P/S ratio exceeding 200. While quantum computers hold the promise of revolutionizing the computing industry, whether IonQ or Rigetti's approach will win out in the end is far from certain. After all, quantum computing is still in its infancy. Its market size was just $4 billion in 2024, although industry estimates predict rapid growth to $72 billion by 2035. As of now, IonQ's 2024 sales success coupled with an outlook of 2025 revenue growth, and a far better valuation compared to Rigetti, make its stock the superior quantum computing investment between these two businesses. Ideally, wait for a dip in IonQ's share price, and for its Q2 results to validate it's on a trajectory to hit 2025 sales targets before deciding to pick up shares. Should you invest $1,000 in IonQ right now? Before you buy stock in IonQ, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and IonQ wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,063,471!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,041% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025
