NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 14:01 ET — Market closed
- Vertiv jumped 8.4% on Friday after Barclays raised its rating and price target
- The call leans on AI data-center power and cooling demand heading into 2026
- Investors now watch Friday’s U.S. jobs report for a rates read-through
Vertiv Holdings shares jumped 8.4% on Friday after Barclays upgraded the industrial stock to overweight and lifted its price target to $200. “The recent selloff in the shares creates an attractive entry point,” Barclays analyst Julian Mitchell wrote. 1
The upgrade matters now because the market has started 2026 trying to separate durable “picks-and-shovels” beneficiaries of artificial intelligence from the frothier corners of the trade. Vertiv sells the power and cooling gear that data centers need to run denser, heatier AI workloads.
That theme helped value-tilted sectors including industrials hold up in the first session of the year, even as Treasury yields moved higher and weighed on parts of big tech. Investors have kept one eye on rates as they recalibrate what they are willing to pay for next year’s earnings. 2
Barclays’ “overweight” rating is Wall Street shorthand for an expectation that the stock will outperform its coverage universe or a benchmark over the next 12 months. A price target is the analyst’s estimate of where the shares could trade over that horizon.
Mitchell also pointed to “substantial upside potential” to consensus earnings expectations in 2026 and 2027, and argued Vertiv’s initial 2026 guidance should sit at the high end of what analysts model. He flagged what he called the company’s tendency to offer conservative guidance, which can set up a “beat and raise” pattern — topping estimates and lifting forecasts. 1
Barclays framed Vertiv as a catch-up name versus other AI-exposed industrials that have already benefited from investors leaning into data-center electrification, including GE Vernova and nVent Electric, Barron’s reported. 3
Risks remain. A pause in data-center capital spending, delays in bringing new power online, or another leg higher in bond yields could pressure Vertiv’s valuation and make the bar for 2026 guidance tougher to clear.
With U.S. markets shut on Sunday, traders will look for follow-through when regular trading resumes Monday. The first test will be whether the upgrade sparks broader buying across AI infrastructure names or stays isolated to Vertiv.
The next macro catalyst is Friday’s U.S. employment report, due Jan. 9 at 8:30 a.m. ET, followed by the consumer price index on Jan. 13 — both key inputs for rate expectations. For Vertiv, investors will also be watching its next earnings report for the first detailed 2026 outlook. 4
