The $350 Billion AI Boom Nobody's Talking About (2 Stocks to Buy)

Three investing giants just poured over $5 billion into a single AI infrastructure deal. We're talking about Apollo, Blackstone, and KKR. Few investors even noticed, and those who did simply chase the company they invested in. But, here's the thing, that company might not be the best way to play this event. This deal is just the tip of the iceberg of what's shaping up to be a massive $350 billion opportunity. So, today I'll show you what this deal really is, why it's happening, and most importantly, the two best stocks to invest in because of this unique opportunity. By the way, I'm Steve Wrightmeister, but all my friends call me Wrighty. I've been investing for over 40 years and currently a partner at wallstreetzen.com. We created a quant rating system that analyzes a wide array of data points to separate the best opportunities from all the noise and nonsense. Now, if this is the kind of investment breakdown you find useful, then tap that like button. Tells YouTube to send you more videos like this in the future. Now, before I dig into this deal, some important context. Now, every AI data center being built right now is starving for electricity. We can build the data centers fast, but we can't connect them to the grid fast enough. The wait to plug a facility in the grid can run up to four to seven years, whereas these AI companies want to be up and running in 12 to 18 months. But, as they say, where there is a will, there is a way. So, these companies have found a workaround in behind the meter power, where you build a power plant next to the data center and wire it straight in, skipping the grid entirely. And this isn't some niche approach. Elon Musk's xAI dropped 31 gas turbines on site and had them up and running in about five months. That's the story. Developers have already announced nearly 90 gigawatts of this on-site power, close to double the total data center capacity this country runs to date. Now, let's get back to the deal we noted at the top of the video today. It revolves around Williams Company with a symbol of WMB. They're a legacy natural gas pipeline operator pushing into the power space. Now, a group led by Blackstone with other heavyweights Apollo and KKR are putting in 5.34 billion into five of Williams' behind-the-meter projects. Now, one of them, a plant called Socrates, already powers a metadata center in Ohio. The terms state that Williams sells down about half and then keeps control and funds the buildout without piling on the debt. So, on the one hand, this might seem like a great reason to check out Williams stock right now. I'm here to tell you why that might not be the right approach. But first, a quick heads-up. If you like timely market updates like this, then the best thing you can do for yourself is to sign up for my next live training session this coming Monday. The focus is on timely market insights plus my top picks. Now, it's totally free, but you do need to sign up. Do that now to join me this coming Monday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time. Just go to wallstreetzen.com/live. Back to Williams. Whenever an interesting stock crosses my radar, the first thing I do is look it up with the Zen ratings. Now, that's the Wall Street Zen's quant rating model based on a full 115 factor review spanning key areas like growth, value, momentum, and more, right? The rating is then expressed as a letter grade. Now, just like in school, mom and dad are proud of A's, but F's are going to get you grounded, right? Before I dig into Williams specifically, I need to remind you that this is not investing advice. I'm presenting, you know, real data and stocks, but I'm not giving you personalized recommendations. Also, do your own homework before buying or selling any hear from some dude on YouTube. Okay. In the Zen ratings review, Williams earns a D, which amounts to a sell recommendation. That's because it currently ranks in the bottom 16% of the 4,600 stocks we track based upon that full 115 factor review. It also ranks as only the 42nd best stock out of 46 in its industry, right? Bottom four. And when you pop the hood, you see what's wrong with the company. Now, remember, the Zen ratings is built on on top of seven underlying component grades. These help reveal a stock's unique strengths and weaknesses, and there's a lot of weaknesses to talk about with Williams. Now, value is a big drag here, down in the bottom 13% of all stocks we track. Now, the PEG ratio is the one that screams loud and clear on this front. The average stock in the market today has a PEG ratio of about 1.5, whereas Williams is shockingly bad at 3.45. This greatly diminishes the odds of future share price performance. Now, growth is not much better in the bottom 21%. This foreshadows weakness with future earnings reports, and sentiment, which is the smart money gauge, is in the bottom 23%. That means many top investors are sitting this one out. Now, in fairness, it's not all bad. Williams just posted record uh quarterly results, and several analysts recommended the stock as a strong buy. But, our model weighs the stock from every logical angle, and it just doesn't stack up. That is what the sell rating of D is saying loud and clear, even with this new deal in hand. Now, so I've identified the problem with this news catalyst, that being the seemingly obvious Pick 'n Save Williams is not as good as advertised. Now, that's the bad news. Now, let's get to some good news. Gladly, there are better stocks out there aligned with this unique AI-powered demand story. I'll get to those in a moment, but first let me reveal why this latest high-profile deal is just a line item in something much, much bigger. According to data cited in a recent US Senate letter, private equity investment in data centers hit 45.7 billion in 2025 alone, and it's projected to reach 350 billion by 2028. So, the 5.34 billion headline you know, that we were talking about here, is real, but it's actually just a small slice of a truly massive investment already rolling ahead. So, now we are going to discuss the two stocks that provide much better way to ride the AI power wave. Before I get to them, a quick ask, if you're are value from this video, then hit that subscribe button in the notification bell. That's the best way to get all my future stock insight videos. Stock number one is Generac with the symbol of GNRC. Now, the whole trend we're talking about is building power on site and this company makes the equipment that does exactly that. They make the on-site generators and power systems these behind the meter projects run on. A pretty clear beneficiary of the surging AI growth arena. This was on full display in their latest earnings report where they had a robust beat and raise with management pointing straight at data center demand as the key growth driver. Now, the market is noticing, which is why shares are up about 50% the past year, but you dig deeper. There are signs that point that the upward trajectory should continue much, much higher from here. For one, consider the forward projections. Earnings are expected to grow by nearly 65% a year. Now, compare that to Williams at only 10% and you start to appreciate why this is a far better opportunity. Or how about Generac's much more appealing PEG ratio of 1.12, far superior to Williams' notably reading a 3.45. Now, let's appreciate the totality of the bullish story through the lens of the ZACKS ratings. Generac earns an overall A amounting to a strong buy recommendation. This is awarded to the top 5% of all stocks based upon that 115 factor fundamental review. In this case, Generac is actually in the top 1%, which is truly extraordinary. The fundamental prowess keeps shining through as we review the component grades. Top 14% of all stocks for momentum. As they say, a body in motion stays in motion. Safety and financials both land in the top 12%. This speaks to the company's overall stability. And the one that really pops off the page, growth is in the top 2% of all stocks we track. This greatly increases the odds of more earnings beats on the way and earnings beats is the best path to more share price appreciation. Now, I'll be straight with you. After a 50% run, the stock is not cheap as it used to be, right? But it's still in the top 32% of all stocks for the value grade, which is not bad, either. The key is they are riding one of the best long-term growth trends. This shows up in the seller growth rating in the top 2%. As long as that growth priority shows up in their actual results, then you should expect Generac to continue to outperform. Before we get to that last stock, one quick thing. If you want to stay one step ahead of the market, then join me live every Monday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time. This is when I share my updated market outlook and trading plan to outperform. This is also where I share my trade of the week based upon our proven Zen ratings quant model and my greater than 40 years of investing experience. It's a free event, but you do need to register. Just go to wallstreetzen.com/live or click the link in the description below or scan the QR code on your screen. Just pause the video for a moment. I'll wait for you. And then I look forward to seeing you on Monday. Now, if Generac is the obvious pick, then this next one is the quiet one almost everyone's talking about. This leads us to Invent Electric with the symbol of NVT. Here's a simple way to think about it. Generac makes the power. Invent makes the gear that moves it safely. They make the protection systems that keep the electricity flowing through data centers in the grid without melting down. Just about every upcoming project needs this layer protection. And as a result, Invent's business is thriving right now. Last quarter, they not only beat earnings, but also raised guidance and posted a record $2.6 billion backlog, all thanks to soaring data center demand. As you would come to expect, this stock sparkles in the light of the Zen ratings review. Invent earns an elite overall A rating, which once again points to a strong buy recommendation. As the week I'm recording, it ranks in the top 2% of all stocks in our database owing to a truly exemplary fundamental profile. The component grades are nicely balanced across the board starting with the top 14% for financials. Better yet is the top 10% showing for growth, top 8% for momentum, and top 7% for sentiment. Now, the sentiment score is a major tell of the stock's upside. That's because it says the smart money is already moving into shares, yet no one is discussing this stock in major media outlet. Here we have yet another way to play the enormous growth opportunity in energy demand thanks to the AI revolution. Enphase provides the essential plumbing behind the whole trend. Plus, it's top-rated in the Zen Ratings model, and don't forget the smart money is already leaning in. Add it all up, you can appreciate why shares should continue to outperform in the months and years ahead. So, let's bring it home. This story was never about just the $5 billion deal that we we started talking with. This deal was just a hint of a much larger $350 billion investment that is already underway to meet surging AI data center demands. The biggest names on Wall Street are already placing their bets. Now, it's your turn, right? Williams is central to the news, but the data says there are two stronger picks out there in Generac and Enphase. Both elite A ratings versus the lowly D-rated Williams. This is also good time to remind you that the Zen Ratings are updated every single day. You can see those free ratings for these stocks or any other stock just by going to the quote pages on wallstreetzen.com. Be sure to bookmark the site for future visits. All right, now I want to hear from you. Which stock do you like better, Generac or Enphase? Or do you have another AI infrastructure stock you like even better? Drop in the comments section below. And if you want to go deeper into AI stocks, then watch the video popping up on your screen right now. I break down the companies quietly powering the entire AI boom, and it's the perfect follow-up to this video. >> Mhm.