Wall Street analyst stocks: CrowdStrike, AST SpaceMobile and Broadcom get buys

Wall Street analyst stocks in focus this week include CrowdStrike, AST SpaceMobile and Broadcom, according to TipRanks. For everyday investors, the common thread is long-term growth tied to AI security, satellite connectivity and custom chips, even as broader indexes stay choppy amid earnings reports and Middle East tensions.

TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their historical performance, pointed to three bullish calls from analysts it tracks. Each call centers on a different growth story, and each comes with the usual caveat for investors: an analyst rating is an opinion, not a guarantee of future returns.

Which Wall Street analyst stocks are analysts backing?

The three names are CrowdStrike Holdings, AST SpaceMobile and Broadcom. CrowdStrike sells cloud-based cybersecurity software, AST SpaceMobile is building a space-based cellular broadband network, and Broadcom supplies custom AI chips and networking products.

For retail investors, the mechanism is straightforward. Analysts raise or repeat buy ratings when they believe a company’s future revenue, profit or market position is not fully reflected in its stock price. Those views can influence sentiment, but company execution and market conditions still drive results over time.

CrowdStrike gets support from AI security demand

Stifel analyst Adam Borg kept a buy rating on CrowdStrike and raised his price target to $230 from $220 after investor meetings in Europe with the company’s chief financial officer, according to TipRanks. CrowdStrike also recently announced an expanded partnership with Schwarz Digits to offer its Falcon platform to European enterprises.

Borg said the meetings strengthened his view that CrowdStrike is well placed in cybersecurity and can benefit from AI. He cited the company’s broad product set, data assets and ability to protect AI systems while also using AI to improve security.

According to Borg, AI is changing cybersecurity demand because software weaknesses can now be exploited by hackers with capabilities that used to be associated with state-backed groups. He said that dynamic is making cybersecurity a higher priority for companies and supporting interest in CrowdStrike’s AI Detection & Response product and wider platform.

Borg also said AI-related demand is helping CrowdStrike’s sales pipeline and backing management’s higher fiscal 2027 net new annual recurring revenue guidance. Annual recurring revenue, or ARR, is a subscription-business metric that estimates yearly revenue from existing customer contracts. TipRanks ranks Borg No. 651 out of more than 12,300 analysts, with 65% of his ratings profitable and an average return of 15%.

AST SpaceMobile call focuses on carrier partnerships

Piper Sandler analyst Alexander Potter began coverage of space-related stocks and gave AST SpaceMobile a buy rating with a $100 price target, TipRanks said. Potter took a neutral view on SpaceX and Rocket Lab because of valuation concerns.

Potter said he prefers AST SpaceMobile because its valuation is more attractive to him and because he sees a clearer route to EBITDA upside. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, a profit measure investors often use to compare companies before certain financing and accounting costs.

AST SpaceMobile is developing satellites designed to connect directly with smartphones. Potter said that could help users access services such as video calls, streaming and gaming in more places, while helping mobile network operators expand coverage and sell add-on services to travelers and people in remote areas.

Potter also pointed to AST SpaceMobile’s relationships and equity investments from major mobile network operators including AT&T, Vodafone, Verizon and Rakuten. By partnering with carriers rather than competing with them, he said AST SpaceMobile can reach more than 3 billion subscribers. TipRanks ranks Potter No. 708 among more than 12,300 analysts, with 48% profitable ratings and a 17.2% average return.

Broadcom remains a major AI chip pick

Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore reiterated a buy rating on Broadcom and set a $502 price target, according to TipRanks. Moore said Broadcom’s stock has underperformed peers this year despite continued AI demand.

Moore cited investor concerns that MediaTek could take share from Broadcom in Google’s tensor processing unit business, as well as preference for faster-growing AI chip stocks. A tensor processing unit, or TPU, is a type of chip built to run AI workloads efficiently.

Moore acknowledged MediaTek’s role in Google’s TPU business is increasing, but said he does not expect it to meaningfully damage Broadcom’s position. He expects Broadcom to remain the main TPU supplier with about 80% share, and said fears of Broadcom falling to 50% share or being replaced are early.

Moore’s case rests on Broadcom’s high-bandwidth memory supply position, chip packaging ability and large-scale production, TipRanks said. He also highlighted Broadcom’s position in AI ASIC chips, its networking business and new customer wins. An ASIC is a chip designed for a specific task, rather than general-purpose computing. TipRanks ranks Moore No. 148 out of more than 12,300 analysts, with 60% of his ratings successful and a 25.5% average return.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.