Three Leading ETFs I'm Eager to Invest in Heavily in 2026, Even with Numerous Affordable Stocks on My Watchlist
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 11 2025
0mins
Should l Buy AMD?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
Investment Strategy for 2026: The author plans to allocate half of their retirement contributions to ETFs in 2026, focusing on the Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF, Vanguard Real Estate ETF, and Ark Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF as key investments.
Small Cap Stocks Outlook: Small cap stocks, particularly those in the Russell 2000 index, are currently undervalued compared to large caps, and lower interest rates in 2026 could help close this valuation gap.
Real Estate Investment Potential: The Vanguard Real Estate ETF is highlighted as a promising investment due to its exposure to REITs and a 4% dividend yield, especially as the real estate sector is expected to recover.
AI Investment via ETFs: The Ark Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF is favored for its focus on smaller AI stocks, providing a way to invest in the AI revolution without extensive research on individual companies.
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Analyst Views on AMD
Wall Street analysts forecast AMD stock price to fall
33 Analyst Rating
25 Buy
8 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 341.540
Low
210.00
Averages
289.13
High
377.00
Current: 341.540
Low
210.00
Averages
289.13
High
377.00
About AMD
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. is a global semiconductor company. The Company is focused on high-performance computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Its segments include Data Center, Client and Gaming, and Embedded. Data Center segment includes AI accelerators, microprocessors (CPUs) for servers, graphics processing units (GPUs), accelerated processing units (APUs), data processing units (DPUs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and Adaptive system-on-Chip (SoC) products for data centers. Client and Gaming segment includes CPUs, APUs, chipsets for desktops and notebooks, discrete GPUs, and semi-custom SoC products and development services. Embedded segment includes embedded CPUs, APUs, FPGAs, system on modules (SOMs), and Adaptive SoC products. It markets and sells its products under the AMD trademark. Its products include AMD EPYC, AMD Ryzen, AMD Ryzen PRO, Virtex UltraScale+, among others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Oil Price Decline: WTI crude oil prices fell more than 3% as the ceasefire in the Middle East eased geopolitical risks, providing support for the stock market and reflecting market demand for stability amid fluctuating oil prices.
- New Home Sales Growth: U.S. March new home sales rose 7.4% month-over-month to 682,000, surpassing expectations of 652,000, indicating a robust recovery in the housing market that could bolster economic confidence.
- Positive Earnings Outlook: As of Tuesday, 83% of the 354 S&P 500 companies that reported Q1 earnings exceeded estimates, with projected earnings growth of 12% year-over-year, demonstrating sustained corporate profitability that may further drive stock market gains.
See More
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- Market Trend Analysis: Jim Cramer highlights that the boom in data centers and artificial intelligence is rapidly expanding, impacting nearly every corner of the market and indicating strong economic growth potential.
- Profit Explosion: During the first-quarter earnings season, Cramer noted significant profit growth among companies tied to AI and data centers, driving major indexes higher and reflecting strong investor confidence in this sector.
- Five-Layer Cake Model: Cramer referenced Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's five-layer cake model, emphasizing the interdependence of power, semiconductors, hardware, AI models, and application layers, illustrating the complexity and breadth of the AI economy.
- Investment Opportunities: Cramer asserts that the AI boom is not just a tech story but a broad economic transformation, advising investors to focus on S&P index funds and select stocks to capitalize on future investment opportunities.
See More
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- Market Trend Analysis: Jim Cramer highlights that the boom in data centers and artificial intelligence is rapidly expanding, impacting nearly every sector of the market, indicating a strong economic transformation trend.
- Profit Growth Drivers: During the first-quarter earnings season, Cramer notes that companies tied to AI and data centers have achieved significant profit growth, driving major indexes higher and reflecting increased investor confidence in these sectors.
- Five-Layer Cake Model: Cramer references Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's framework, likening the AI economy to a 'five-layer cake,' emphasizing that various industries from power to semiconductors, hardware, cloud computing, and applications are benefiting from this trend.
- Investment Opportunity Outlook: Cramer stresses that the AI boom is not just a tech story but a broad economic shift, advising investors to focus on S&P index funds and potential high-quality stocks to capitalize on future investment opportunities.
See More
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- Earnings Beat: AMD reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.37, surpassing Wall Street's estimate of $1.29 and significantly up from $0.96 in the same quarter last year, indicating a remarkable improvement in profitability.
- Data Center Growth: Revenue from AMD's data center business surged 57% to $5.8 billion, exceeding analysts' predictions of $5.61 billion, demonstrating the company's successful expansion in market share amid skyrocketing AI infrastructure demand.
- Optimistic Q2 Guidance: For Q2 2026, AMD expects revenue to be approximately $11.2 billion, exceeding expectations of $10.5 billion by $300 million, with a year-over-year growth of about 46%, reflecting strong confidence in future growth.
- Bullish Market Sentiment: On Stocktwits, retail sentiment was rated 'extremely bullish', with many users predicting AMD's market cap will soon hit a trillion dollars, showcasing high market expectations for the company's future performance.
See More
AMD Shares Rise 12% in After-Hours Trading Following Quarterly Report; Intel Increases by 4.5%
- Market Performance: Shares of AMD have increased by 12% in extended trading following a quarterly report.
- Intel's Growth: Intel's shares have risen by 4.5% in the same trading period.
See More
AMD Surpasses Expectations in Q1 Earnings Report
- Significant Revenue Growth: AMD's Q1 revenue surged 38% year-over-year to $10.25 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of $9.91 billion, with adjusted EPS of $1.37 reflecting a 43% increase, showcasing the company's robust performance amid rising AI infrastructure demand.
- Margin Expansion: The company's gross profit margin expanded by 300 basis points to 53%, while operating expenses grew at a slower pace than revenue, resulting in a 95% increase in net income to $1.38 billion on a GAAP basis, indicating substantial operational efficiency improvements.
- Strong Data Center Demand: Revenue from the data center segment jumped 57% year-over-year to $5.8 billion, driven by robust demand for Epyc CPUs and Instinct GPUs, highlighting AMD's competitive edge in the high-performance computing market.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: AMD projects a 46% revenue growth for Q2, reaching $11.2 billion, surpassing market expectations of $10.5 billion, and with partnerships with Meta and AWS, the company is well-positioned for strong growth in AI chips and cloud computing.
See More
