Tariff uncertainty and escalating trade tensions between the United States and China have begun weighing on the broader stock market. The technology-leaning Nasdaq Composite index was roughly 20% off its high as of Tuesday afternoon as the market turns away from various AI stocks that have performed well since 2023.
In these situations, it helps to maintain a long-term investing mindset. The market occasionally experiences downturns, and history has shown that investing in high-quality stocks during these moments tends to pay off in the long run.
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There's little doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay, and now could be a great chance to add some of the top AI stocks while they trade at a discount. Here are three that have outstanding growth prospects and trade at compelling prices. These are the no-brainers to consider buying now.
1. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Trade tensions have clouded the technology sector's near-term outlook, but Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing(NYSE: TSM) could thrive, regardless of how things ultimately unfold. This leading semiconductor manufacturer captured a staggering 67% of global foundry revenue in Q4 2024. In other words, AI investments would likely need to slow dramatically everywhere for TSMC's business to stumble.
That doesn't seem likely, at least thus far. TSMC noted on its Q1 earnings call that its AI customers have not changed their behavior amid tariffs and reiterated expectations for mid-20% revenue growth this year. Barring a slowdown in broader semiconductor spending, analysts estimate TSMC will grow earnings by nearly 21% annually over the next three to five years.
One thing to look out for is TSMC's risk due to its geopolitical exposure to China's tensions with Taiwan. The stock price might already reflect those risks, though. TSMC trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 21, a bargain for such a critical AI company with such high anticipated earnings growth. It could be a good idea to buy if you're comfortable with the geopolitical situation.
2. Amazon
Tariffs will likely be a near-term headache for Amazon(NASDAQ: AMZN). The e-commerce giant relies heavily on Chinese suppliers, and tariffs could raise prices to a point where consumers stop shopping. Assuming the U.S. and China eventually resolve their trade dispute, the tariff noise could be a distraction from Amazon's AI opportunity.
Amazon's cloud platform, AWS, will benefit immensely as AI drives increased cloud usage over the coming years. Not only is AWS the world's leading cloud platform, but it also generates the majority of Amazon's profits despite representing only a fraction of the company's total sales.
Prolonged tariffs on Chinese goods would hurt Amazon, but they shouldn't stop AWS from driving earnings higher over time. Analysts estimate that Amazon will grow its earnings by an average of 20% annually over the long term. It's more than enough growth to justify buying Amazon stock at just 31 times earnings amid this tariff drama.
3. The Trade Desk
As the economy becomes increasingly digital, so is advertising. The Trade Desk(NASDAQ: TTD) has ridden this trend, spending years as a top growth stock. The company's independent technology platform utilizes AI and data analytics to sell ads targeted to their ideal audience across websites, music and video platforms, and internet-connected TVs. It has profitably grown as an alternative to closed-loop digital ad ecosystems, like Alphabet's Google and Meta Platforms, which offer less control to advertisers.
The Trade Desk sits nearly 64% off its highs today after missing its Q4 revenue guidance for the first time. The underwhelming quarter was due to the company transitioning its customers to a new AI-powered platform, so this doesn't seem like a long-term concern. However, since the stock traded at such a high valuation at the time, the unexpected miss caused a dramatic sell-off.
Considering this decline has been the worst in The Trade Desk's history, you could argue the market overreacted. The Trade Desk is trading at its lowest enterprise value-to-sales ratio (9.4) since 2019. Meanwhile, the company is already comfortably profitable, and analysts estimate earnings will grow by almost 23% annually for the next three to five years. It may be time to add shares before the stock starts regaining Wall Street's trust.
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John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
