US Q3 GDP at 3.4%, brisk AI-related corporate spending, and firm consumer demand have put hard infrastructure like data centers, cloud hardware, and networking gear back in the spotlight. This mix of growth and sticky inflation is reshaping how capital flows into AI plumbing. The article breaks down three stocks from the AI infrastructure and data center screener that appear well placed and explains why each might deserve a closer look now.
The three stocks covered below are only a small sample from this AI plumbing theme, since the full screen surfaced 54 more US-listed companies with similar infrastructure stories that are not covered here. If you want to move beyond headlines and actually identify, compare, and analyze your own highest-conviction setups, head straight into the US AI Infrastructure and Data Center Stocks screener.
Viavi Solutions (VIAV)
Viavi Solutions plugs directly into the AI infrastructure story because its test, monitoring, and optical tools sit where high speed networks connect data centers, and that role is backed by a sizeable business and a multi billion dollar market value.
Viavi Solutions provides test, monitoring, assurance, and optical security products that help build and validate high performance networks linking data centers and cloud infrastructure. Most revenue comes from Network and Service Enablement at about US$1.2b, with Optical Security and Performance Products adding roughly US$335 million, and the stock carries a market cap near US$8.5b.
"Viavi is experiencing robust and sustained demand across the data center ecosystem, with customers updating optical connectivity to 400G, 800G, and now 1.6T, enabling multi-year upgrade cycles and expanding its total addressable market, which should drive structural revenue growth through 2026 and beyond."
What happens to Viavi’s earnings power if a single assumption about how quickly hyperscalers adopt the next wave of high speed testing gear breaks.
If that adoption curve matters to you, read the full narrative for Viavi Solutions to see how Viavi Solutions could benefit if AI plumbing upgrades accelerate faster than expected.
MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings (MTSI)
MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings is one of the pure AI plumbing plays in this screen, supplying the analog chips that move data inside cloud servers and data centers so AI workloads can talk to each other at very high speeds.
MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings designs a single integrated analog semiconductor and module platform that generated about US$1.16b in revenue, powering RF, microwave, millimeter wave and optical components for data centers and communications, and the stock carries a market value near US$19.9b.
"Accelerating AI and cloud data center demand for higher speed optical connectivity, including 800G and 1.6T products, 200G and 400G per lane photodetectors and PCIe optical interconnects, supports the view that MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings can expand revenue as these architectures scale through its optical chipset portfolio."
What that could mean for MACOM’s margins and pricing power hinges on how a single pressure point in this AI connectivity build out resolves.
That pressure point is exactly what the full narrative for MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings unpacks, including how MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings could still accelerate if industry bottlenecks flare up.
Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI)
Applied Optoelectronics sits right on the fiber spine of AI data centers, supplying the optical links that let GPU clusters actually talk to each other. Any shift in hyperscaler ordering patterns matters directly to this stock’s AI infrastructure story.
"AAOI has disclosed a first volume order for 1.6T transceivers from a major hyperscale customer in March 2026, reportedly over US$200M, with shipments expected in 2H26. The biggest risk is customer concentration: on the Q4 2025 call management said it had three customers above 10% of revenue, including two datacenter customers at 31% and 21%."
What happens to Applied Optoelectronics’ earnings path if a single large buyer quietly rethinks how much cutting edge AI networking hardware it really needs?
Applied Optoelectronics designs and sells fiber optic networking gear for AI data centers and cloud infrastructure, generating about US$596 million from optical networking equipment and carrying a market value near US$7.4b.
That customer concentration question is exactly where the story gets interesting, and the full narrative for Applied Optoelectronics maps how Applied Optoelectronics could still accelerate if ordering patterns shift again.
Seeking Fresh Alternatives Before They Fly
Fresh breakouts often start quietly while attention sits elsewhere. Use that gap before the crowd catches on and while the data still matters. Spot momentum early and act now.
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