Four Club stocks that broke records in 2025 still have room to run
Fresh calls from Rosenblatt Securities and Wedbush point to more upside for Meta, Microsoft, Apple, and CrowdStrike. Here's what changed, why it matters, and the Club's stance on each name.
Meta: Manus acquisition could accelerate WhatsApp monetization
Meta shares rose after the company said it plans to acquire Manus, a Singapore-based developer of AI agents. Terms weren't disclosed, but The Wall Street Journal reported the deal is worth over $2 billion. Meta will sell Manus as a digital assistant service and integrate the tech into products like the Meta AI assistant.
The acquisition underscores the growing importance of Generative AI and LLM in consumer-facing products.
Rosenblatt reiterated a buy rating and a $1,117 price target, implying roughly 70% upside from Monday's close and about 40% above August's all-time highs. Analyst Barton Crockett called Manus a "rocket ship growth story" that fits "beautifully" with WhatsApp's expanding small-business footprint, arguing it could echo past hits like Instagram and WhatsApp.
Club take: The deal fits Meta's AI push and likely speeds up WhatsApp monetization by giving small businesses better customer tooling. We recently added to Meta on a pullback - our first buy in three years - and like the depth of talent in TBD labs. Reported metaverse cost cuts also free up more investment for AI. We're not convinced Manus is another Instagram-level swing, but it's directionally right. Our price target: $825.
Microsoft: Azure's AI flywheel is still underappreciated
Wedbush put Microsoft on its "top five names to play the AI revolution into 2026" list, maintaining an Outperform-equivalent rating. The firm sees 2026 as the inflection year for Microsoft's AI growth and set a $625 price target - about 28% above Monday's close and 12% above July's high.
Club take: The company has embedded AI across its cloud stack, and the OpenAI tie-in keeps feeding Azure workloads and premium features. Execution has been steady, with pricing leverage across Copilot and core cloud services. We see further operating margin benefits as monetization scales.
Apple: Late start, big base, real monetization shots
Wedbush kept Apple on its top list with a $350 price target, nearly 28% above Monday's close and 21% below the record high set earlier this month. Analysts estimate AI monetization could add $75 to $100 per share over the next few years once execution catches up.
Club take: Apple rarely goes first, but it ships what people actually use at scale. The installed base is the advantage. Once services and on-device features line up, the revenue story follows - historically with strong retention and ARPU lift.
CrowdStrike: AI raises the stakes - and the demand
Wedbush reiterated its positive view, arguing AI will boost CrowdStrike's deal count by both improving automation and escalating the sophistication of attacks. The firm set a $600 price target. Shares are up roughly 39% this year and last hit a record high of $566.90 in November, with the target implying about 26% upside from Monday's close.
Club take: CEO George Kurtz summed it up: as AI makes it easier to "vibe hack," enterprises need stronger defense. That urgency pushes consolidation toward platforms with proven detection and response. We see durable net new ARR, strong module adoption, and ongoing seat expansion.
What to watch next
- Meta: Speed of Manus integration and traction with WhatsApp SMBs. Look for clearer pricing and attach rates.
- Microsoft: Azure AI workload ramps, Copilot adoption across enterprises, and incremental gross margin trends.
- Apple: On-device AI rollout details, services tie-ins, and evidence of ARPU expansion across the installed base.
- CrowdStrike: Deal velocity, module penetration, and the mix of consolidation wins as attack volume/complexity rises.
Risks to keep in view: integration and execution timelines, AI compute costs and capex intensity, privacy/regulatory shifts, and macro-driven IT budget resets.
The rest of Wedbush's shortlist
Wedbush also named Palantir and Tesla to its top five AI plays into 2026, reiterating buy-equivalent ratings on both.
Club notes
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