Arista Networks Surged 7% on AI Plumbing Boom: Why Analysts Expect $270 in 2026

Wiltone Asuncion5 minute read
Reviewed by: Thomas Richmond
Last updated Feb 7, 2026

Key Stats for Arista Networks Stock

  • Price Change: +6.7%
  • Current Price: ~$137
  • Advanced Model Target: $271

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What Happened?

Shares of Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET) surged 6.7% to close near $137 on Friday, driven by the realization that massive cloud capex plans are a direct windfall for the company’s networking business.

The catalyst was Amazon’s announcement of a multi-billion-dollar investment in new data centers, a move that requires miles of high-speed Ethernet cables and switches to connect thousands of AI servers.

Investors are betting that Arista, as the leader in high-performance cloud networking, will capture the lion’s share of this spend, effectively becoming the “plumber” for the AI revolution.

Unlike traditional enterprise networking, AI clusters require low-latency, high-throughput switches to prevent bottlenecks, an area where Arista’s EOS software has a significant technical lead over Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO).

Analysts at Barclays highlighted the opportunity, noting that the “back-end” network for AI training clusters is growing faster than the front-end, playing directly into Arista’s strengths.

The stock’s move also reflects a broader rotation into “AI Infrastructure” names, as investors look for ways to profit from the spending boom without picking a winner in the LLM wars.

Despite the rally, the stock is still trading at a valuation that implies a slowdown, a disconnect that our model suggests is a major opportunity.

With the $200 billion cloud capex wave just beginning to crest, Arista is positioned to be a prime beneficiary for years to come.

Arista Networks Stock Price Target (TIKR)

See analysts’ growth forecasts and price targets for Arista Networks stock (It’s free!) >>>

Is Arista Networks Undervalued Today?

Speaking at the Barclays Global Technology Conference, GM of Cloud and AI Hardev Singh explained the complexity of the new AI networks.

He stated: “You got to figure out because all these different chip architectures… which is going to be the highest volume one a year from now and it’s kind of an art more than a science.”

This quote underscores Arista’s close partnership with hyperscalers; they are designing the network in tandem with the chip roadmaps of Nvidia and AMD.

Operations executive Mark Foss addressed the supply chain, noting that while demand is high, they are managing well.

He noted: “We’ll buy from third-party brokers every now and then if we need to… there is continuing to be a lot of demand out there, and we’re just managing the best we can.”

The leadership team is confident that their “best of breed” approach will continue to win against bundled solutions from competitors.

Read the full Arista Transcript on TIKR to see the AI Networking Strategy >>>

According to TIKR’s Advanced Valuation Model, the market is vastly underestimating the duration and magnitude of the AI networking cycle.

  • Target Price: $271.01
  • Current Price: ~$137
  • Potential Upside: +110.6%

Valuation Model Deep Dive

The investment case for Arista Networks is a bet on the “picks and shovels” of the data center.

The model suggests that the market is pricing Arista as a cyclical hardware company rather than a secular growth story with high software-like margins.

  • The Fair Value Gap: At $137, the stock trades at less than half of its $271 target, implying 110% upside as earnings accelerate.
  • The Growth Reality: The model forecasts a robust 23.8% Revenue CAGR (historical 5-year), a pace that could easily be exceeded if the AI buildout continues to scale.
  • The Profitability Check: With Net Income Margins at 32.6%, Arista is one of the most profitable companies in the tech hardware sector, justifying a premium multiple.

If Arista can maintain its share in the hyperscale market while expanding into the enterprise “AI Campus,” the path to $271 is clear.

Conclusion: The essential plumbing for the AI age. With a 110.6% upside potential to $271, Arista Networks offers a high-conviction way to play the massive capital spending cycle of the cloud giants.

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How Much Upside Does Arista Networks Stock Have From Here?

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Disclaimer:

Please note that the articles on TIKR are not intended to serve as investment or financial advice from TIKR or our content team, nor are they recommendations to buy or sell any stocks. We create our content based on TIKR Terminal’s investment data and analysts’ estimates. Our analysis might not include recent company news or important updates. TIKR has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading, and happy investing!

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