The AI Boom's Best-Kept Secrets: 3 Companies Flying Under the Radar
2026-07-22 17:05
•Matt Dilallo •The Motley Fool
••••• •••••• Axe Capital view
AI Infrastructure: The Quiet Plays Driving Growth
Beyond semiconductor giants, some firms are quietly building the backbone for AI’s explosive growth.
Everyone talks about chips when it comes to AI, but the real winners might be infrastructure providers often overlooked. Brookfield’s trio of funds (BN, BNH, BNJ) is funneling serious capital into data centers and fuel cells, banking on 25% yearly earnings growth as AI demand soars. Locally, this matters because more data centers mean more energy and tech needs here, something Sasol and the broader energy complex could benefit from indirectly. Energy Transfer (ET) is expanding gas pipelines, critical for powering these data centers, which signals potential upside to related energy providers and a slightly firmer rand if US energy infrastructure investments sustain. Prologis (PLD) taps into logistics and industrial real estate, another often-missed angle in the AI story. Still, these plays aren’t risk-free — shifting AI tech or any setback in data center buildouts could delay expected returns, so patience is key. this is just my opinion and not financial advice
Buy Brookfield funds (BN, BNH, BNJ) selectively for growth exposure, watch Energy Transfer (ET) as a play on energy infrastructure powering AI, and keep an eye on Prologis (PLD) for complementary logistics demand. Avoid jumping in too early without strong data center capex indicators.
- BN
- ET
- PLD
- USD/ZAR
- Slower-than-expected AI infrastructure buildout
- Volatility in energy prices affecting pipeline expansions
6/10
While semiconductor stocks dominate AI investment discussions, three lesser-known companies are quietly capitalizing on the broader AI infrastructure boom. Brookfield Corporation is launching AI infrastructure funds to address capital constraints, Energy Transfer is expanding gas pipeline capacity to power data centers, and Prologis is leveraging warehouse and data center demand driven by the estimated $7 trillion in data center capex expected by 2030.
This article was originally published by The Motley Fool and has been adapted here for Axe Capital Trading News.
Publisher: The Motley Fool
Author: Matt Dilallo
Categories: Equities, Earnings, Technology, AI, Semiconductors
Tickers: BN, BNH, BNJ, ET, ETPI, PLD
Sentiment: Positive - Positioned as a leading capital provider for AI infrastructure with a dedicated $100 billion AI infrastructure fund, targeting 25% annual earnings growth over five years through strategic investments in data centers, fuel cells, and semiconductor manufacturing. Well-positioned to benefit from increased energy demand from AI data centers through expansion of gas pipeline infrastructure, construction of laterals to power plants and data centers, and multiple approved projects expected to meaningfully boost cash flow.
Keywords: AI infrastructure, capital investment, data centers, energy infrastructure, logistics, semiconductor demand, renewable energy
Insights:
- BN: Positive: Positioned as a leading capital provider for AI infrastructure with a dedicated $100 billion AI infrastructure fund, targeting 25% annual earnings growth over five years through strategic investments in data centers, fuel cells, and semiconductor manufacturing.
- BNH: Positive: Positioned as a leading capital provider for AI infrastructure with a dedicated $100 billion AI infrastructure fund, targeting 25% annual earnings growth over five years through strategic investments in data centers, fuel cells, and semiconductor manufacturing.
- BNJ: Positive: Positioned as a leading capital provider for AI infrastructure with a dedicated $100 billion AI infrastructure fund, targeting 25% annual earnings growth over five years through strategic investments in data centers, fuel cells, and semiconductor manufacturing.