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Is urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ:UGRO) the Best Vertical Farming and Hydroponic Stock to Invest In Now?

We recently compiled a list of the 8 Best Vertical Farming and Hydroponic Stocks to Invest In. In this article, we are going to take a look at where urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ:UGRO) stands against the other vertical farming and hydroponic stocks.

Vertical farming refers to producing food in vertically stacked layers, like in a used warehouse, skyscraper, or shipping container. Hydroponic agriculture refers to a technique for cultivating plants without traditional soil and replacing them with a mineral solution placed around plant roots.

The global agricultural sector continues to undergo a transformative shift. This transition stems from the increased demand for sustainable, efficient, and locally-produced food. Innovative strategies such as vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) have emerged and these are offering promising solutions to revolutionize food production.

There are several SMEs and start-ups leading the charge in vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture. Ranging from small-scale urban farms to well-established high-tech agricultural operations, these organizations have been revolutionizing food production, courtesy of innovation, sustainability, and efficiency. For example, AeroFarms has been reforming agriculture with its advanced aeroponic systems. These systems utilize 95% less water and 99% less land when compared to traditional methods. Also, the company’s fully automated systems grow pesticide-free leafy greens year-round, offering superior flavor and nutrition.

Another company is Zero Carbon Farms, which focuses on repurposing underground air raid shelters in London into climate-controlled vertical farms. The company’s innovation capabilities help in growing microgreens and herbs by using 70%-90% less water and 95% less fertilizer than traditional agriculture. By carrying out operations underground, it significantly reduces emissions while offering fresh produce locally.

Growth Drivers and Trends – Vertical Farming and Hydroponics 

As per IMARC Group, US hydroponics market size touched US$3.3 billion in 2024. Moving forward, the market is expected to reach US$6.5 billion by 2033. The increasing need among critical players to provide a more resilient and efficient approach to food production, as a result of evolving environmental and demographic pressures, has been fueling market growth across the country. A transition towards innovative and sustainable agricultural practices is one of the critical trends driving growth in the hydroponics market.

The global vertical farming market was pegged at US$6.8 billion in 2024, according to IMARC. This market should reach US$36.8 billion by 2033. The increased demand for sustainable agriculture methods, robust advancements in hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics focused on improving crop yields, and implementation of favorable government policies are some of the drivers fueling this market growth. Also, several governing bodies have been acknowledging the advantages of vertical farming in improving food security and lowering environmental effects.

Our Methodology

To list the 8 Best Vertical Farming and Hydroponic Stocks to Invest In, we conducted extensive research and sifted through several online rankings. After the research, we chose the following 8 stocks which were popular among hedge funds and that analysts saw upside to. Finally, the stocks were arranged in ascending order of the hedge fund sentiment surrounding them.

At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with 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 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

An engineer in front of an array of horticulture lighting equipment, examining the results.

urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ:UGRO)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 2

urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ:UGRO) focuses on offering integrated facilities solutions for indoor growing environments, which are foundational to modern vertical farming and hydroponics. While the company has established a strong foothold in the cannabis sector, it has been actively diversifying into other high-growth markets as well. Vertical farming of leafy greens, herbs, and berries continues to experience strong demand as a result of urbanization and sustainability concerns, which should support its growth prospects.

urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ:UGRO) is well-placed to fuel growth in the indoor growing environments sector with the help of its expertise, expansion of its offerings, and alignment with industry trends. Furthermore, the application of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in producing medicinal plants and other biotech solutions provides new opportunities. As per Wall Street, urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ:UGRO) can support specialty crops such as exotic herbs or rare plants with the help of its hydroponic expertise, which should aid its growth prospects.

Next, the growth of the cannabis industry should act as a significant driver for the company’s business prospects. This is because urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ:UGRO) has positioned itself as a leading provider of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) solutions suited for cannabis cultivation. On a related note, urban-gro, Inc. (NASDAQ:UGRO) announced the launch of its new Processing and Extraction Division. In lieu of further expanding its sector offering, this strategic expansion delivers cutting-edge solutions designed to optimize cannabis facilities for post-harvest operations.

Overall UGRO ranks 6th on our list of the best vertical farming and hydroponic stocks to invest in now. While we acknowledge the potential of UGRO as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued AI stock that is more promising than UGRO but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock.

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

The $250 Trillion AI Hype is Real. A few years from now, you’ll probably wish you’d bought this stock.

When Jeff Bezos said that one breakthrough technology would shape Amazon’s destiny, even Wall Street’s biggest analysts were caught off guard.

Fast forward a year and Amazon’s new CEO Andy Jassy described generative AI as a “once-in-a-lifetime” technology that is already being used across Amazon to reinvent customer experiences.

At the 8th Future Investment Initiative conference, Elon Musk predicted that by 2040 there would be at least 10 billion humanoid robots, with each priced between $20,000 and $25,000.

Do the math. According to Musk, this technology could be worth $250 trillion by 2040.

Put another way, that’s roughly equal to:

  • 175 Teslas
  • 107 Amazons
  • 140 Metas
  • 84 Googles
  • 65 Microsofts
  • And 55 Nvidias

And here’s the wild part — this $250 trillion wave isn’t tied to one company, but to an entire ecosystem of AI innovators set to reshape the global economy.

It’s a leap so massive, it could reshape how businesses, governments, and consumers operate worldwide.

Even if that $250 trillion figure sounds ambitious, major firms like PwC and McKinsey still see AI unlocking multi-trillion-dollar potential.

How could anything be worth that much?

The answer lies in a breakthrough so powerful it’s redefining how humanity works, learns, and creates.

And this breakthrough has already set off a frenzy among hedge funds and Wall Street’s top investors.

What most investors don’t realize is that one under-owned company holds the key to this $250 trillion revolution.

In fact, Verge argues this company’s supercheap AI technology should concern rivals.

Before I reveal the details, let’s talk about how some of the richest people on the planet are positioning themselves.

  • Bill Gates sees artificial intelligence as the “biggest technological advance in my lifetime,” more transformative than the internet or personal computer, capable of improving healthcare, education, and addressing climate change.
  • Larry Ellison — through Oracle, is spending billions on Nvidia chips and partnering with Cohere to embed generative AI across Oracle’s cloud and apps.
  • Warren Buffett — not known for tech hype — says this breakthrough could have a ‘hugely beneficial social impact.

When billionaires from Silicon Valley to Wall Street line up behind the same idea — you know it’s worth paying attention to.

Even as we admire what Tesla, Nvidia, Alphabet, and Microsoft have built, we believe an even greater opportunity lies elsewhere…

But the real story isn’t Nvidia — it’s a much smaller company quietly improving the critical technology that makes this entire revolution possible.

And judging by what I’m hearing from both Silicon Valley insiders and Wall Street veterans…

This prediction might not be bold at all:

A few years from now, you’ll wish you’d owned this stock.

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AI, Tariffs, Nuclear Power: One Undervalued Stock Connects ALL the Dots (Before It Explodes!)

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

AI is eating the world—and the machines behind it are ravenous.

Each ChatGPT query, each model update, each robotic breakthrough consumes massive amounts of energy. In fact, AI is already pushing global power grids to the brink.

Wall Street is pouring hundreds of billions into artificial intelligence—training smarter chatbots, automating industries, and building the digital future. But there’s one urgent question few are asking:

Where will all of that energy come from?

AI is the most electricity-hungry technology ever invented. Each data center powering large language models like ChatGPT consumes as much energy as a small city. And it’s about to get worse.

Even Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, issued a stark warning:

“The future of AI depends on an energy breakthrough.”

Elon Musk was even more blunt:

“AI will run out of electricity by next year.”

As the world chases faster, smarter machines, a hidden crisis is emerging behind the scenes. Power grids are strained. Electricity prices are rising. Utilities are scrambling to expand capacity.

And that’s where the real opportunity lies…

One little-known company—almost entirely overlooked by most AI investors—could be the ultimate backdoor play. It’s not a chipmaker. It’s not a cloud platform. But it might be the most important AI stock in the US owns critical energy infrastructure assets positioned to feed the coming AI energy spike.

As demand from AI data centers explodes, this company is gearing up to profit from the most valuable commodity in the digital age: electricity.

The “Toll Booth” Operator of the AI Energy Boom

  • It owns critical nuclear energy infrastructure assets, positioning it at the heart of America’s next-generation power strategy.
  • It’s one of the only global companies capable of executing large-scale, complex EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) projects across oil, gas, renewable fuels, and industrial infrastructure.
  • It plays a pivotal role in U.S. LNG exportation—a sector about to explode under President Trump’s renewed “America First” energy doctrine.

Trump has made it clear: Europe and U.S. allies must buy American LNG.

And our company sits in the toll booth—collecting fees on every drop exported.

But that’s not all…

As Trump’s proposed tariffs push American manufacturers to bring their operations back home, this company will be first in line to rebuild, retrofit, and reengineer those facilities.

AI. Energy. Tariffs. Onshoring. This One Company Ties It All Together.

While the world is distracted by flashy AI tickers, a few smart investors are quietly scooping up shares of the one company powering it all from behind the scenes.

AI needs energy. Energy needs infrastructure.

And infrastructure needs a builder with experience, scale, and execution.

This company has its finger in every pie—and Wall Street is just starting to notice.

Wall Street is noticing this company also because it is quietly riding all of these tailwinds—without the sky-high valuation.

While most energy and utility firms are buried under mountains of debt and coughing up hefty interest payments just to appease bondholders…

This company is completely debt-free.

In fact, it’s sitting on a war chest of cash—equal to nearly one-third of its entire market cap.

It also owns a huge equity stake in another red-hot AI play, giving investors indirect exposure to multiple AI growth engines without paying a premium.

And here’s what the smart money has started whispering…

The Hedge Fund Secret That’s Starting to Leak Out

This stock is so off-the-radar, so absurdly undervalued, that some of the most secretive hedge fund managers in the world have begun pitching it at closed-door investment summits.

They’re sharing it quietly, away from the cameras, to rooms full of ultra-wealthy clients.

Why? Because excluding cash and investments, this company is trading at less than 7 times earnings.

And that’s for a business tied to:

  • The AI infrastructure supercycle
  • The onshoring boom driven by Trump-era tariffs
  • A surge in U.S. LNG exports
  • And a unique footprint in nuclear energy—the future of clean, reliable power

You simply won’t find another AI and energy stock this cheap… with this much upside.

This isn’t a hype stock. It’s not riding on hope.

It’s delivering real cash flows, owns critical infrastructure, and holds stakes in other major growth stories.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

Don’t be a spectator in this technological revolution.

Dive into the AI gold rush and watch your portfolio soar alongside the brightest minds of our generation.

This isn’t just about making money – it’s about being part of the future.

So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your investment life!

Act Now and Unlock a Potential 100+% Return within 12 to 24 months.

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For a ridiculously low price of just $9.99 per month, you can unlock our in-depth investment research and exclusive insights – that’s less than a single fast food meal!

Space is Limited! Only 1000 spots are available for this exclusive offer. Don’t let this chance slip away – subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter today and unlock the potential for a life-changing investment.

Here’s what to do next:

1. Head over to our website and subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter for just $9.99.

2. Enjoy a month of ad-free browsing, exclusive access to our in-depth report on the Trump tariff and nuclear energy company as well as the revolutionary AI-robotics company, and the upcoming issues of our Premium Readership Newsletter.

3. Sit back, relax, and know that you’re backed by our ironclad 30-day money-back guarantee.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Subscribe now and take control of your AI investment future!


No worries about auto-renewals! Our 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies whether you’re joining us for the first time or renewing your subscription a month later!