Arista Networks Inc. (ANET) has seen a significant price increase of 8.41% in pre-market trading, reaching a 5-day high.
Analyst Karl Ackerman from BNP Paribas has identified Arista as one of the top picks for AI investments, citing its substantial exposure to AI infrastructure bottlenecks and the expected growth in the data center networking market, which is projected to reach $120 billion by 2028. This recommendation comes amid a broader positive sentiment in the tech sector, as major indices like the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500 are also experiencing gains.
The recognition from BNP Paribas highlights Arista's advantageous position in a rapidly growing market, driven by strong demand for AI-related networking solutions. This could lead to increased investor interest and further price appreciation for the stock.
Wall Street analysts forecast ANET stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for ANET is 171.42 USD with a low forecast of 140.00 USD and a high forecast of 200.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
15 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast ANET stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for ANET is 171.42 USD with a low forecast of 140.00 USD and a high forecast of 200.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
13 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 146.690
Low
140.00
Averages
171.42
High
200.00
Current: 146.690
Low
140.00
Averages
171.42
High
200.00
BofA
Tal Liani
Buy -> Neutral
downgrade
$260
2026-01-20
Reason
BofA
Tal Liani
Price Target
$260
AI Analysis
2026-01-20
downgrade
Buy -> Neutral
Reason
As previously reported, BofA analyst Tal Liani downgraded Ciena (CIEN) to Neutral from Buy with an unchanged price target of $260 despite additional revenue growth upside. The firm's focus instead is on downside risk to peaking backlog levels, high expectations, and a rich valuation with Ciena's stock up about 200% in the last year, the analyst tells investors. The cycles are strong and backed by robust backlog and deferred revenue, so the firm could see both Ciena and Arista (ANET) reporting better than expected growth, but questions "will it matter?"
Piper Sandler
Neutral
to
Overweight
upgrade
$145 -> $159
2026-01-05
Reason
Piper Sandler
Price Target
$145 -> $159
2026-01-05
upgrade
Neutral
to
Overweight
Reason
Piper Sandler upgraded Arista Networks (ANET) to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $159, up from $145. With 2026 positioned as a "Year of Refresh," rising enterprise investment, hyperscaler and AI exposure, and a conservative setup at a reasonable valuation are improving model visibility, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Despite concerns around share shifts to whitebox and Nvidia (NVDA) and the broader capex/AI cycle, Arista appears to be holding share, gaining large enterprise customers, and benefiting from typically lagged capex trends, the firm says.
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Piper Sandler
Neutral -> Overweight
upgrade
$145 -> $159
2026-01-04
Reason
Piper Sandler
Price Target
$145 -> $159
2026-01-04
upgrade
Neutral -> Overweight
Reason
Piper Sandler upgraded Arista Networks to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $159, up from $145.
Morgan Stanley
Overweight
downgrade
$171 -> $159
2025-12-17
Reason
Morgan Stanley
Price Target
$171 -> $159
2025-12-17
downgrade
Overweight
Reason
Morgan Stanley lowered the firm's price target on Arista Networks to $159 from $171 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The AI trade broadened out from semi names in 2025, helping infrastructure names, particularly within optical, notes the analyst, who believes that trade can continue, particularly in optical, through the first half of 2026. However, investors will "need to get more selective for full year returns given multiples," the analyst added in a year-ahead note on the group.
About ANET
Arista Networks, Inc. is a provider of data-driven, client-to-cloud networking for large artificial intelligence (AI), data center, campus and routing environments. Its platforms deliver availability, agility, automation, analytics, and security through an advanced network operating stack. Its platform is its Extensible Operating System (EOS), a modernized publish-subscribe state-sharing networking operating system. Its portfolio of products, services and technologies is grouped into various categories: Core (Data Center, Cloud and AI Networking), Cognitive Adjacencies (Campus and Routing), and Cognitive Network (Software and Services). It offers product portfolios of data-driven, high-speed, cloud and data center Ethernet switches. Its Cognitive Adjacencies include Cognitive Campus Switching, Cloud-Grade Routing and WAN Routing. Its software and services are based on subscription-based models and include various offerings: CloudVision, Arista A-Care Services, CloudEOS and 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.
