New York, Jan 23, 2026, 12:25 PM EST — Regular session
Shares of Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET) slipped 0.2% to $138.15 on Friday, following an earlier peak at $138.93, marking the stock’s 52-week high before retreating. The company’s market cap stands near $143 billion.
The sharp rally thrust Arista squarely into the AI-infrastructure spotlight, where shifts can come quickly without a clear catalyst. Traders are digging for signs on whether Thursday’s surge marks the beginning of a sustained upswing or just a short-lived squeeze.
Arista surged 8.7% intraday on Thursday, hitting a peak of $146.40. Roughly 14.9 million shares traded hands, around 82% more than its typical daily volume, according to MarketBeat data. 1
Arista manufactures high-speed Ethernet switches and network software tailored for data centers and enterprise setups. Investors frequently view it as a barometer for cloud expansion and the infrastructure supporting major AI workloads. 2
Bank of America’s Tal Liani stuck to a buy rating with a $175 price target, citing steady demand signals. He highlighted growth in deferred revenue—cash received for work still pending—and increasing purchase commitments. Liani also noted the outlook is “well hedged against any data center infrastructure buildout delays.” 3
Insider moves drew attention as CTO Kenneth Duda sold 56,000 shares on Jan. 20, exercising stock options at prices between $126.66 and $130.29, according to a filing. These sales followed pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans, locking in the transactions ahead of time. Post-sale, Duda still holds about 13,000 shares directly, plus roughly 3.2 million through trusts and a foundation. 4
In other tech action, Cisco Systems climbed about 1%, while Nvidia added roughly 1.7% by midday. The broader AI-related segment held firm, despite some volatility in individual stocks.
Yet the setup works both ways. When cloud customers pull back on capital spending or delay delivery timelines, back-end networking upgrades can stall fast — and stocks often reprice ahead of any updated figures.
All eyes turn to Arista’s quarterly report, set to drop after U.S. markets close on Feb. 12, with a conference call scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET. The company also flagged two key management appearances: a Bernstein Insights event on Feb. 25 and the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference on March 3. 5
