We recently published a list of 10 Best Computer Hardware Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. In this article, we are going to take a look at where NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP) stands against other best computer hardware stocks to buy according to billionaires.

Forrester Research published an interesting report in August 2014 titled Hardware Is Dead; Long Live Software. The report argued that technology was shifting towards software-driven infrastructure, gradually replacing the need for specialized hardware. While this change is still happening, many believed hardware had lost its importance. Over the years, the focus moved away from hardware, making it seem less relevant.

However, the last five years have challenged this idea and a look at the performance of the hardware and software industries shows a different trend. Over the past decade, the S&P Technology Hardware Industry Index gave a total return of 145%, or 9.4% per year (annualized total return as of March 14; Source: S&P Global). While this was lower than the S&P Software & Services Industry Index, which returned 13.5% per year, things have changed recently. Over the last five years, hardware has done better, with nearly 18% yearly returns compared to 15.6% for software. A similar pattern was seen over the last three years, though in the past year, software has started to perform better again.

The Resurgence of Hardware: Why the Sector Gained Momentum

Deloitte’s December 2024 report, Hardware is Eating the World, highlighted the return of hardware as a key part of technology growth. After years of software leading the way, hardware is now becoming more important, especially with AI-powered devices. Enterprise laptops, once seen as simple tools, are now improving with AI features. Leading computer hardware companies are promoting AI-powered PCs as a way to prepare for the future, lower cloud costs, and improve data privacy. These devices, with offline AI models, can speed up tasks like image creation and text analysis, helping workers be more productive.

The report further elaborates that beyond IT, AI hardware is expanding into the Internet of Things, making smart devices even smarter. While AI is already used in everyday products like toothbrushes, future uses could change industries like healthcare by improving medical devices. Vivek Mohindra, senior vice president of corporate strategy at Dell Technologies, points out that 30% of PCs worldwide are outdated and lack neural processing units (NPUs) to take advantage of AI improvements. Deloitte noted that AI PCs are expected to make up 40% of PC shipments by 2026, and AI-powered smartphones are also becoming more common. Experts the report quoted, compared this shift to the move from command-line computing to graphical interfaces in the 1990s. With large technology companies adding AI to their devices, hardware is becoming an even bigger part of technology’s future.

In summary, the growing role of hardware shows its increasing value in the tech industry. As AI adoption speeds up and companies invest in better computing technology, hardware innovation will continue to grow. This renewed focus on hardware presents strong investment opportunities, especially in companies leading the AI revolution. As hardware and software continue to work together, businesses at the center of this change could see strong long-term growth. For investors looking to take advantage of this trend, choosing the right hardware stocks backed by billionaire investors could be a smart move.

Our Methodology

To identify the 10 best computer hardware stocks to buy according to billionaires, we compiled a preliminary list of hardware stocks using a review of ETFs and financial media reports. We then analysed Insider Monkey’s database of billionaire holdings to determine the most favoured hardware stocks among those investors. We then ranked top 10 of these stocks in ascending order based on the number of billionaire investors holding positions in each company as of Q4 2024. Additionally, we also provide data to assess hedge fund sentiment surrounding these stocks, utilizing data from Insider Monkey’s Q4 2024 hedge fund database to provide deeper insights into institutional investor trends.

Note: All pricing data is as of market close on March 14.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP)

Number of Billionaire Investors: 11

Billionaire Holdings: $321 Million

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41

NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP), a data management and cloud storage company, focuses on hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Its offerings include ONTAP, a robust data management software, along with various all-flash and hybrid storage solutions designed to enhance performance, scalability, and efficiency for businesses.

The company’s Q3 2025 results (with its fiscal year ending in April) elicited mixed reactions from analysts. A Citi analyst, holding a Neutral rating, reduced the price target on NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP) from $135 to $110. The analyst appreciated management’s clarification that the Q3 sales miss was not due to competitive losses but emphasized that the execution miss is likely to raise concerns among investors.

In contrast, a Loop Capital analyst maintained a Buy rating, though the price target was lowered from $150 to $130. The analyst pointed out that Q4 results represented the fifth consecutive quarter of growth in revenue and billings, primarily driven by a 10% year-over-year increase in all-flash storage sales. The report also highlighted the growing demand for AI-driven workloads as a significant growth driver. Despite facing sales execution issues, Loop Capital considers this an attractive value opportunity for investors.

Overall, NTAP ranks 7th on our list of best computer hardware stocks to buy according to billionaires. While we acknowledge the potential of NTAP to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NTAP but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.