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Jim Cramer highlighted GE Vernova and Vertiv on 2 October, noting their exposure to data centre growth. He questioned why the jobs report didn't reflect the data centre buildout, suggesting commercial construction is weak whilst data centre projects remain strong. Vertiv's Q2 net sales grew 24% annually, with operating profit up 44%. However, revenue growth of 17.8% missed analyst estimates of 23.6% due to supply chain issues, raising concerns about backlog conversion. The company's capital expenditure surged 285% to $173 million. GE Vernova's shares have risen over 240% since October 2024. Q2 customer downpayments generated a $6.4 billion working capital benefit, pushing free cash flow up 2,532% to $5.1 billion. The company raised its full-year cash flow guidance to $11.5–$12.5 billion from $6.5–$7.5 billion.

3 monster stocks worth buying and holding for the next 5 years. These three industrial suppliers are positioned to benefit from growing investment in data centers. By John Ballard - Oct 7, 2026 at 5:45AM EST Key points. * Vertiv provides the power and cooling systems, and management expects sales to grow at least 20% per year through 2030. * Comfort Systems has a record $14 billion backlog, with technology projects now making up 58% of its revenue. * Quanta Services' record $53 billion backlog gives it a multiyear runway as it shifts toward larger, higher-margin projects. * Motley Fool Issues Rare "Total Conviction" Buy Alert" The artificial intelligence (AI) build-out is creating tremendous growth opportunities for quality industrial stocks. AI-focused processing and memory chips get the headlines, but companies that supply power and electrical systems for data centers can grow in value for years without the drama of who is winning or losing the chip race. Dell'Oro Group expects worldwide data center spending to top $3 trillion by 2030. Vertiv (VRT -0.19%), Comfort Systems (FIX +6.12%), and Quanta Services (PWR +5.29%) are three industrial stocks positioned to reward patient investors. Vertiv is taking a bigger share of data center spending. Vertiv designs the power and thermal systems that keep data centers online. Advanced AI chip clusters generate far more heat and consume more electricity, which raises the value of reliable cooling and power delivery. Vertiv has also moved beyond selling individual components to providing system-level designs, letting it capture a larger share of customer spending. The stock has returned 57% over the past year as of Oct. 2, supported by double-digit growth. Net sales rose 24% year over year in Q2 2026, and management raised full-year guidance, now calling for adjusted sales growth of about 31%. On the Q2 2026 earnings call, CEO Gio Albertazzi said, "Our global pipeline momentum remains very strong, and we expect another year of robust orders growth." Vertiv is collaborating with Nvidia on the first AI data center using 800 VDC (Volt Direct Current) architecture at the rack level, powered by Nvidia's next-generation Vera Rubin platform. At the Sept. 8, 2026, Goldman Sachs Communacopia and Technology Conference, Vertiv re-affirmed a long-term target from May that said revenue would compound at 20%-22% annually from 2025 through 2030, with margins expected to improve to 27%. Missed Nvidia in 2009? (This Rare signal is flashing again). When the Total Conviction signal flashed for Nvidia in 2009, most people ignored it. The ones who acted turned $5,000 into $3,105,454*. Now, for the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. It's a key player in the $1.8 trillion space race, and with the stock recently sitting 20% off its highs, the window to get in early is closing fast. *Returns as of October 6, 2026. Vertiv trades around 38 times forward earnings, while analysts expect earnings to grow roughly 40% annually. That's a reasonable valuation relative to growth that could fuel excellent returns over the next five years. Comfort Systems USA Premium Feature Moneyball Superscore ( 6.12 %) $ 104.89 Current Price $ 1,817.96 Key data points. Market Cap Day's Range $ 1720.00 - $ 1835.04 52wk Range $ 770.47 - $ 2073.99 Gross Margin Dividend Yield Comfort Systems' Q2 revenue jumped 50% year over year. Comfort Systems installs mechanical and electrical systems for commercial and industrial buildings. It's a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and electrical contractor benefiting from a large and growing backlog tied to the data center build-out. That backlog hit a record $14 billion in Q2 2026, supporting its $3.3 billion in quarterly revenue. Shares have returned about 111% over the past 12 months as of Oct. 2. Second-quarter revenue jumped 50% year over year. Demand from tech customers is a major driver: The sector represented 58% of revenue in the first half of 2026, up from 40% a year earlier. Projects are becoming more complex as Comfort Systems expands into modular construction, which is emerging as a meaningful growth engine. The company has 3.5 million square feet of modular building capacity today and plans to expand that to about 5 million square feet by late summer 2027. The stock trades near 36 times forward earnings, while analysts project about 45% annual earnings growth. Comfort Systems could still have years of market-beating returns ahead. Quanta Services Premium Feature Moneyball Superscore ( 5.29 %) $ 36.14 Current Price Market Cap Day's Range $ 685.95 - $ 722.21 52wk Range $ 404.50 - $ 788.75 Gross Margin Dividend Yield Quanta's backlog hit a record $53 billion. Quanta Services designs, installs, and maintains the electrical systems that deliver power for utilities and, increasingly, technology customers. It balances steady service work with project-based construction, which supports long-term revenue visibility. Revenue has surged from about $13 billion in 2021 to nearly $33 billion on a trailing-12-month basis as of Q2 2026. The stock is up 60% over the past year as of Oct. 2. Second-quarter revenue grew 41% year over year, accelerating from 26% in the first quarter. Growth is being fueled by grid modernization, electrification, and rising power demand from data centers. Quanta is known for executing complex projects on time and on budget, a real competitive advantage. Its backlog reached a record $53 billion in Q2 2026, and management believes it can work through that backlog while improving margins as the mix shifts toward larger, higher-complexity jobs. The stock trades around 40 times forward earnings, while analysts expect roughly 20% earnings growth in the coming years. That valuation looks reasonable, given the backlog and the durability of its customer agreements. All three stocks depend on a growing data center market. If anything slows that down, such as regulation, that could drop these stock prices. But that risk appears to be low right now, as demand for AI services remains strong, requiring more investment in data centers. Vertiv, Comfort Systems, and Quanta Services appear well-positioned to capitalize on this growing industry. Is Vertiv a smart long-term play? 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