AI Infrastructure Stocks in Focus: Five Names Behind 2026’s Rally

As of 16 July 2026, 11:00 (UTC) / 19:00 (GMT+8), five share CFDs have posted some of the strongest year-to-date gains among widely followed AI-related and infrastructure names, though the story behind each is different: Arm Holdings (ARM), Teradyne (TER), Onto Innovation (ONTO), Sterling Infrastructure (STRL), and Iridium Communications (IRDM).

Three operate directly within the AI semiconductor supply chain: chip design, chip test equipment, and chip inspection. A fourth, Sterling Infrastructure, is a construction and site-development company whose growth has coincided with data-centre buildout demand rather than AI technology of its own. The fifth, Iridium Communications, is a satellite communications company whose 2026 share price move has been driven primarily by a pending acquisition, not by AI demand. This piece sets out what has moved each stock, the sourced figures behind the headlines, and the risk considerations that come with a basket this varied.

Five stocks, three distinct investment themes

Arm Holdings (ARM)

Arm Holdings shares have traded up by approximately 179% year-to-date, as of 10 July 2026, according to Benzinga[1]. Figures reported by other outlets around the same period have varied somewhat, which appears to reflect how quickly the stock has moved through July; this analysis uses the most recently dated figure available at the time of writing.

Arm’s data-centre royalty revenue more than doubled year-on-year in its most recent fiscal-year results, and the company’s new Arm AGI CPU, its first data-centre chip, has reportedly attracted more than $2 billion (USD) in committed customer demand across fiscal 2027 and 2028[2]. Shares also benefited after Nvidia highlighted Arm-based architecture in a new AI-focused Windows PC chip[3]. Arm’s next earnings report is scheduled for 29 July 2026[1].

Teradyne (TER)

Teradyne shares have gained approximately 84% year-to-date, as of 6 July 2026, according to 24/7 Wall St[4]. The company’s Semiconductor Test segment topped $1.1 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time in the first quarter of 2026, more than doubling year-on-year[5]. AI-related demand accounted for approximately 70% of Teradyne’s revenue in that quarter, up from around 60% the previous quarter[5]. Teradyne is scheduled to report next earnings on 28 July 2026[4].

Onto Innovation (ONTO)

Onto Innovation shares were up 102.3% year-to-date, as of 14 July 2026, according to GuruFocus[6]. The company’s first-quarter 2026 results beat expectations, and management guided for revenue growth of more than 30% for the full year, citing demand tied to AI and advanced semiconductor packaging[7]. New product lines, including the Dragonfly G5 inspection system, have been cited as contributing to this demand[7].

Sterling Infrastructure (STRL), the AI-infrastructure name

Sterling Infrastructure is the exception on this list by business model. It is a construction and site-development company, not an AI-technology company, and it does not design, manufacture, or sell AI technology. Its E-Infrastructure segment builds physical sites for data-centre customers, and that segment’s growth has coincided with the stock’s move this year.

Shares were up 118.4% year-to-date, as of 15 July 2026, according to AAII[8]. First-quarter 2026 revenue rose 92% year-on-year, with adjusted earnings per share up 120% over the same period[9]. The company’s order backlog has also expanded, which coverage has linked to continued data-centre construction demand[9].

Iridium Communications (IRDM), the acquisition story

Iridium Communications is included here because it was among the names originally flagged for this roundup, but its 2026 share price move is not an AI-demand story. Iridium is a satellite communications company; it does not design, manufacture, or sell AI technology, and it has no direct AI buildout exposure comparable to the other four names above.

On 29 June 2026, Rocket Lab Corporation and Iridium announced a definitive agreement under which Rocket Lab will acquire all outstanding Iridium shares for $54.00 per share in a cash-and-stock transaction, representing an enterprise value for Iridium of approximately $8.0 billion[10]. Iridium shares rose approximately 21.1% on the day the deal was announced, closing near $52.71, according to GuruFocus[11]. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2027, subject to Iridium shareholder approval, regulatory clearances, and other customary closing conditions[10].

Iridium’s year-to-date share price gain was reported at approximately 213.7%, according to a Simply Wall St analysis referencing a share price near $55.72[12]. As with Arm Holdings above, figures reported elsewhere for nearby dates have differed meaningfully, which is consistent with a stock trading in close reference to pending deal terms rather than settling into a stable range.

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Risk considerations across this basket

Volatility across the four AI-linked and AI-infrastructure names has been substantial. Arm Holdings alone has swung by several percentage points across single sessions in July 2026 amid analyst rating changes[1][3], and Onto Innovation and Teradyne have each posted double-digit single-day moves around earnings and sector-wide semiconductor sentiment shifts[5][6]. A basket concentrated in one theme, AI infrastructure investment, can also mean that a single piece of news, such as a change in hyperscaler capital expenditure plans or a shift in trade policy affecting chip exports, coincides with moves across several of these names at once.

Iridium carries a different kind of risk from the other four: deal-completion risk. The transaction requires Iridium shareholder approval and regulatory clearances, and is not expected to close until mid-2027[10]. Share price moves tied to a pending acquisition can behave differently from sector-driven moves, and can be sensitive to news about deal progress, regulatory review, or movements in the acquiring company’s own share price, given that part of the consideration is in Rocket Lab stock rather than cash[10].

Market participants often monitor Stop Loss placement across positions with correlated exposure of this kind, particularly around scheduled earnings dates, including Teradyne’s 28 July 2026 report and Arm’s 29 July 2026 report[1][4]. Limiting losses to a planned size, rather than reacting to a single session’s move, is one approach traders use to manage this kind of concentration.

Leverage is a double-edged tool that can magnify both gains and losses, and this applies with particular force to a group of stocks that have already posted triple-digit year-to-date gains, including one currently trading in close reference to pending acquisition terms. Position sizing relative to overall account exposure is worth revisiting for anyone holding several of these names at the same time.

RISK WARNING: CFDs are complex financial instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should ensure you fully understand the risks involved and carefully consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money before trading.

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References

[1] “Arm Stock Slides as Investors Lock In 179% Gains; Earnings Loom on July 29 – BigGo Finance (via Benzinga)” https://finance.biggo.com/news/be7350e5-ecde-48ec-a961-a4132e25fbac Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[2] “Stock Price Prediction: Arm Holdings Has Limited Upside Despite 177% Rally – 24/7 Wall St” https://247wallst.com/investing/2026/05/29/stock-price-prediction-arm-holdings-has-limited-upside-despite-177-rally/ Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[3] “Chip stocks shakeup: Arm soars, Intel falls as Nvidia and Microsoft announce new AI superchip for Windows PCs – Fast Company” https://www.fastcompany.com/91551586/chip-stocks-today-arm-rises-intel-falls-nvidia-ai-superchip-windows-pcs Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[4] “3 AI Infrastructure Stocks to Buy in July – 24/7 Wall St” https://247wallst.com/investing/2026/07/07/3-ai-infrastructure-stocks-to-buy-in-july/ Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[5] “TER Rides on Strong Semiconductor Test Segment: More Upside Ahead? – Zacks, via Yahoo Finance” https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/ter-rides-strong-semiconductor-test-155600983.html Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[6] “Onto Innovation Inc (ONTO) Stock Up 5.0% but GF Value Says Overvalued – GuruFocus” https://www.gurufocus.com/news/8958730/onto-innovation-inc-onto-stock-up-50-but-gf-value-says-overvalued-gf-score-85100 Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[7] “Onto Innovation Forecasts 30% Revenue Growth for 2026: Can It Deliver? – Zacks, via Yahoo Finance” https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/onto-innovation-forecasts-30-revenue-142100836.html Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[8] “Why Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.’s (STRL) Stock Is Up 6.05% – AAII” https://www.aaii.com/investingideas/article/508792-why-sterling-infrastructure-inc8217s-strl-stock-is-up-605 Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[9] “Here’s How Much a $1000 Investment in Sterling Infrastructure Made 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today – Zacks, via Yahoo Finance” https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/heres-much-1000-investment-sterling-123004972.html Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[10] “Rocket Lab to Acquire Iridium in Historic Deal, Creating A Fully Vertically Integrated Space Powerhouse Primed for Growth – PR Newswire (Rocket Lab / Iridium joint announcement)” https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rocket-lab-to-acquire-iridium-in-historic-deal-creating-a-fully-vertically-integrated-space-powerhouse-primed-for-growth-302813075.html Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[11] “Iridium (IRDM) Sees Significant Price Increase of 21.1% – GuruFocus” https://www.gurufocus.com/news/8936404/iridium-irdm-sees-significant-price-increase-of-211 Accessed on 16 July 2026.

[12] “Iridium (IRDM) Stock May Be 38% Below Fair Value As Buyout Nears – Simply Wall St, via Yahoo Finance” https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/iridium-irdm-stock-may-38-011650732.html Accessed on 16 July 2026.