The Nasdaq Was Up 26% in the First Half of 2026 — These 3 AI Stocks Are Just Getting Started

The archetypal fractional of 2026 handed investors a split-screen market. The Dow roseate astir 8% successful the archetypal fractional of 2026, portion the Nasdaq-100 gained astir 26% successful Q2, powered astir wholly by the AI infrastructure trade. The question present is which names person the cardinal firepower to support compounding into the backmost half. Growth rates northbound of 40%, AI gross lines doubling twelvemonth implicit year, and absorption teams raising guidance are the filter. Three stocks wide that barroom with country to spare.

Below is the countdown of the apical 3 AI stocks positioned to support running, ranked by AI momentum, guidance trajectory, and scale.

#3. Palantir

Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR) has the maturation illustration of a institution astatine slightest doubly its size. In Q1 2026, gross jumped 85% twelvemonth implicit twelvemonth to $1.63 billion, U.S. commercialized gross surged 133% to $595 million, and adjusted EPS of $0.33 bushed statement by 18% for the eighth consecutive quarter. CEO Alex Karp raised full-year guidance to 71% growth, 10 points up of the anterior guide, and touted a Rule of 40 people of 145%.

The bull lawsuit rests connected that Rule of 40 print. Karp said "Palantir's Rule of 40 people has soared to 145%. We person shattered the metric... we grew 85% past quarter, our highest-ever year-over-year maturation rate, by much than doubling our U.S. business." AIP adoption is compounding, and U.S. commercialized remaining woody worth deed $4.92 billion, up 112% twelvemonth implicit year.

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The caveat is valuation. Shares transportation a trailing P/E adjacent 131 and a guardant P/E of 80, and the banal is down astir 29% twelvemonth to day done July 1, a reset that indispensable clasp if fundamentals drawback up to the multiple.

#2. AMD

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) is the momentum leader. Shares are up astir 153% twelvemonth to day done July 1, backed by beardown fundamentals. Q1 2026 gross reached $10.25 billion, up 38% twelvemonth implicit year, with Data Center increasing 57% to $5.78 billion. Adjusted EPS of $1.37 bushed by astir 6%, and escaped currency travel exploded 253% to $2.57 billion.