The Biggest Bottleneck in AI Isn't Chips Anymore; It's Power. These 2 Stocks Could Soar in 2026.

By Patrick Sanders – Feb 28, 2026 at 5:15PM ESTKey PointsNextEra is working with some of the industry's biggest hyperscalers to provide power for AI data centers. Credo Technology provides high-speed data connectivity in data centers.I've long believed that artificial intelligence (AI)-related infrastructure is the best way for investors to play the growing demand for AI applications. Chipmakers Nvidia and Broadcom, as well as foundry titan Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, are some of my favored investment opportunities in the AI space. But it's important not to forget the power required to run AI applications.

Researcher Rand Corp. estimates that global AI data center power demand will be 68 gigawatts by next year, growing to 327 gigawatts by 2030. That's a lot of power consumption. So, if you're not thinking about power consumption and which companies are best suited to capitalize on the growing demand for electricity, cables, space, and cooling technology, then you're potentially leaving a lot of money on the table. Here are two companies positioned to profit from the ever-increasing demand for data center power. Image source: Getty Images. NextEra Energy NextEra Energy (NEE +2.63%) may not be the first company you think of when considering artificial intelligence, but the Florida-based company is in a great position to have a massive run in the next few years. NextEra operates the largest utility company in the U.S. in Florida Power & Light, serving more than 12 million customers. And its NextEra Energy Resources segment allows the company to act as a wholesale generator of electric power. NextEra is working with some of the industry's biggest hyperscalers to provide power for AI data centers. It announced a deal in December with Alphabet's Google Cloud to build and power multiple new AI data centers. In addition, Google will help NextEra Energy modernize its digital systems so it can use AI more broadly across the company. ExpandNYSE: NEENextEra EnergyToday's Change(2.63%) $2.40Current Price$93.77Key Data PointsMarket Cap$195BDay's Range$90.65 - $94.1452wk Range$61.72 - $95.91Volume25MAvg Vol9.8MGross Margin36.20%Dividend Yield3.08% The company is increasing its investment in gas-fired power plants as it plans to deliver an additional 15 gigawatts of power to data centers by 2035, with 6 GW of that energy coming from gas, management said on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call. "I'll be disappointed if we don't double our goal and deliver at least 30 gigawatts through this channel," CEO John Ketchum said. Full-year net income was $2.97 billion, up from $2.3 billion a year ago, and earnings per share was $1.44 versus $1.12 in 2024. Management is expecting compound annual growth of at least 8% through 2032, as well as 10% dividend growth for 2026, before slowing to 6% dividend growth through 2028.

Credo Technology Data centers need power, but they also need wiring to bundle chips and ensure everything runs efficiently. For that, my pick is Credo Technology (CRDO 1.93%), which provides high-speed data connectivity in data centers, 5G products, and high-performance computing. The company's best opportunity is its Active Electrical Cables (AECs) that are connectors that use signal processors to help move data quickly and more efficiently between chips and switches. By reducing signal degradation and power consumption, the AECs are superior to passive copper wiring when relaying high-speed data. The company recently announced a deal with TensorWave, which is an AI cloud provider that works exclusively with chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices, to use Credo's AECs on TensorWave's next-generation AI cluster infrastructure. Earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 (ending Nov. 1, 2025) showed Credo's revenue of $268 million, up 272% from a year ago. Net income was $82.6 million versus a loss of $4.2 million a year ago. The company issued guidance for the fiscal third quarter of revenue in the range of $335 million to $345 million. ExpandNASDAQ: CRDOCredo Technology GroupToday's Change(-1.93%) $-2.21Current Price$112.27Key Data PointsMarket Cap$20BDay's Range$108.88 - $112.9652wk Range$29.09 - $213.80Volume7.4MAvg Vol6.4MGross Margin66.76% Why not buy both? NextEra Energy is a regulated utility with a predictable growth window and a dividend to boot, while Credo provides a unique product that is critical to supplying the connectivity that allows GPUs to communicate efficiently. If the Rand projection of AI data center demand proves to be accurate, both of these stocks are thoughtful ways to invest in the AI build-out without buying chip stocks, giving investors some diversification to round out their AI portfolios.Read NextFeb 12, 2026 •By Anders BylundThe AI Infrastructure Boom Is Just Getting Started. Here Are 2 Stocks to Buy.Jan 14, 2026 •By Marc Guberti1 Stock That Could Outperform as Artificial Intelligence Adoption GrowsJan 14, 2026 •By Robert IzquierdoCredo Technology Is Surging on AI Tailwinds.

Should Investors Buy After Earnings?Dec 17, 2025 •By Anders BylundCredo Technology Stock Is Down 28% in Two Weeks. Is the Dip Worth Buying?Dec 15, 2025 •By Patrick SandersThe Best Stocks to Invest $50,000 in Right NowDec 7, 2025 •By Leo SunCredo Technology Stock Is Soaring. Is This a Top AI Play for 2026?About the AuthorPatrick Sanders is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering stocks and ETFs in the consumer, financial, and technology sectors. Before joining The Motley Fool, he was an assistant managing editor at U.S. News & World Report and a news editor for The Associated Press. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marshall University.TMFPatrickStocks MentionedCredo Technology GroupNASDAQ: CRDO$112.27(-1.93%)-$2.21NextEra EnergyNYSE: NEE$93.69(+2.54%)+$2.32*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.