VRT vs. PLTR: Which AI Stock Scores Wall Street’s ‘Strong Buy’ Rating?

Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have been volatile due to persistent concerns about elevated valuations and payoffs from massive spending. Nonetheless, Wall Street remains bullish on several AI stocks, given their strong fundamentals and growth potential. Using TipRanks’ Stock Comparison Tool, we placed Vertiv Holdings (VRT) and Palantir Technologies (PLTR) against each other to find the AI stock that scores Wall Street’s Strong Buy rating.

Vertiv Holdings (NASDAQ:VRT) Stock

Vertiv provides digital infrastructure for applications in data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial environments. The growing number of data centers amid the AI boom has driven demand for VRT’s power and liquid-cooling infrastructure solutions.

In the third quarter of 2025, Vertiv reported a 29% increase in net sales and a 63% surge in adjusted earnings per share (EPS) despite tariff-related headwinds. Furthermore, the company boosted investor sentiment by ending Q3 with a strong backlog of $9.5 billion and raising its full-year guidance. Investors are also optimistic about Vertiv due to its strategic partnerships, mainly its collaboration with Nvidia (NVDA). VRT stock has risen 33% over the past year.

Is VRT a Good Stock to Buy?

Earlier this month, shares of cooling system makers fell after Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang said that it is possible to cool racks with the company’s next-generation Rubin chips using water at a temperature that does not require a water chiller. Reacting to the statement, Evercore analyst Amit Daryanani stated that while Rubin can operate at 45°C, a temperature at which inlet water potentially eliminates the need for chillers, it does not end the requirement for heat rejection units, which bodes well for Vertiv’s DX portfolio and liquid cooling components like CDUs and SFNs.

The 5-star analyst believes that Vertiv remains well-positioned to benefit from the growing adoption of liquid-cooled architectures, driven by higher demand for CDUs, manifolds, SFN, thermal management systems, and services. He added that as power and cooling become more integrated at the rack and facility level, Vertiv’s end-to-end capabilities across the data center infrastructure present a key competitive advantage.

Overall, Wall Street has a Strong Buy consensus rating on Vertiv Holdings stock based on 15 Buys and one Hold recommendation. The average VRT stock price target of $206 indicates 16.4% upside potential.

See more VRT analyst ratings

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) Stock

Palantir Technologies stock has risen 147% over the past year, as the AI-powered data analytics company has been consistently delivering strong growth in its revenue and continued improvement in the bottom line.

Notably, the company’s AIP (Artificial Intelligence Platform) is experiencing impressive demand across its Government and Commercial businesses. PLTR saw a 151% jump in its total contract value to $2.76 billion in Q3 2025. Moreover, the company’s customer count grew 45% in Q3 2025. While several analysts acknowledge PLTR’s solid execution, they are concerned about the stock’s valuation.

Is PLTR a Buy, Sell, or Hold?

Earlier this month, Truist Securities analyst Arvind Ramnani initiated coverage of Palantir Technologies stock with a Buy rating and a price target of $223. While the analyst noted PLTR stock’s high valuation, he continues to see a buying opportunity. Ramnani expects Palantir to benefit from the huge opportunity to boost generative AI adoption for governments and enterprises.

The analyst highlighted Palantir’s impressive growth over the years, fueled by the rollout of AIP. Ramnani highlighted that PLTR’s revenue growth accelerated to 63% year-over-year in Q3 2025 from 13% in Q2 2023, with a larger share of this growth flowing through to operating margin. The analyst added that while most of PLTR’s growth has come from the domestic market, he sees a massive opportunity in the international markets. “We view PLTR as a best-in-class AI asset,” concluded Ramnani.

Not everyone shares Ramnani’s optimism about PLTR, mainly due to valuation concerns. Wall Street has a Hold consensus rating on Palantir Technologies stock based on 10 Holds, five Buys, and two Sell recommendations. The average PLTR stock price target of $192.88 indicates about 13% upside potential.

See more PLTR analyst ratings

Conclusion

Currently, Wall Street is bullish on Vertiv Holdings stock but sidelined on Palantir. Analysts see slightly higher upside potential in VRT stock than in PLTR. Vertiv is expected to continue to gain from strong demand for data center infrastructure amid the ongoing AI wave. According to TipRanks’ Smart Score System, Vertiv scores a “Perfect 10,” implying that the stock is capable of outperforming the broader market.