Monolithic Power Systems

A number of stocks jumped in the afternoon session after growing optimism surrounding agentic artificial intelligence and Meta Platforms' Muse application fueled expectations of higher demand for central processing units.

Vicor (VICR) stock has more than quadrupled over the past year, yet at about $224 it sits roughly 41% below its 52-week high. The opportunity is plain: demand for its power modules, from AI data centers to defense, is filling its first chip fab. The catch is that the growth you would pay for depends on new fabs whose sites Vicor only bought in September.

Vicor (VICR) stock gained 21.2% in the week to Monday, Sep 21, while the S&P 500 rose 1.9%. The spark was a new license for its AI power technology. The company said what that license adds to its sales only after Monday's close, when it raised its revenue outlook. So the shares paid for the deal before Vicor put a number on it.

AI hardware went from tech niche to geopolitical bargaining chip almost overnight, as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang now shapes how President Trump talks about regulation, export fees, and China trade. That power shift creates real ripple effects for companies exposed to these talks. Read on to see how three US listed hardware stocks tied to AI chips and datacenter gear are plugged into this story, and why those links could matter for your portfolio. The stocks covered below are just a small slice...

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