Global long term bond yields remain elevated, which keeps funding costs higher and puts pressure on companies that rely on cheap capital. That makes the push toward productivity from artificial intelligence more important for investors. Businesses that build chips, software and cloud tools for AI are trying to help customers do more with every dollar spent. This article highlights three stocks from our AI Stocks screener that fit that theme.
The stocks below are just a sample from the broader opportunity, with the full AI stock screen surfacing 62 more companies that each have their own investment story that is not covered here.
If you want to identify and analyze the AI stocks that best fit your conviction level, head straight to the Artificial Intelligence/ AI Stocks screener.
Overview: Trend Micro is a Japan based cybersecurity company that uses AI powered platforms like Vision One and Deep Discovery/Deepfake Inspector to help enterprises protect their cloud, endpoints, networks and email from increasingly complex threats, including AI generated attacks. It also sells a wide range of consumer and business security products, so its AI driven security operations are an important growth driver rather than the whole business.
Investors looking at AI infrastructure should pay attention to how Trend Micro is turning AI from a marketing slogan into concrete security products that already sit inside major cloud platforms and enterprise networks. Vision One and TrendAI now combine machine learning with large language model partners like OpenAI and Claude to automate threat detection and response across hybrid cloud environments. At the same time, the stock is tied to more traditional businesses, including consumer security and perpetual licenses, which face issues such as payments disruption and slower renewals. That mix of high quality earnings, a sizeable AI opportunity in cybersecurity and real operational risks gives Trend Micro an interesting balance of potential reward and caution for long term AI focused investors.
Trend Micro’s AI security flywheel is already spinning across cloud and enterprise workloads, yet the real story may be how much risk and opportunity is still hidden in the 2 key rewards and 2 important warning signs
Build your own AI security shortlist
Trend Micro and the two other AI stocks in this list all came from a single screen, but the real advantage is setting your own rules. Use our flexible Screener to mix filters such as valuation, growth, balance sheet strength and risks to suit your approach, or start with any of our curated Investing Ideas.
Overview: WingArc1st is a Japan based software company that helps enterprises turn paper and digital documents into usable data, with its invoiceAgent AI OCR and related SVF cloud services using machine learning and natural language processing to automate form digitization and document workflows within a broader data analytics and dashboarding suite.
Operations: WingArc1st generates its ¥31,437 million in revenue entirely from its Data Empowerment Business in Japan, centered on document and data platforms.
WingArc1st gives you direct exposure to a practical side of the AI story, where invoiceAgent AI OCR and document automation tools sit inside real world billing and back office systems rather than just demo apps. The company pairs this AI OCR niche with data platforms like Dr.Sum and MotionBoard, which can deepen customer reliance on its stack as more documents are digitized. At the same time, growth expectations and a P/E near sector levels leave little room for disappointment if AI adoption in document workflows slows or larger competitors push harder into OCR. For investors, the more interesting questions are how sticky these AI driven workflows become and how much further WingArc1st can extend that into higher value analytics and cloud subscriptions.
WingArc1st’s AI OCR story appears to be in its early stages but is already embedded in real workflows. Get the fuller picture on its document automation, cloud pivot and valuation risk in the analysis report for WingArc1st
Overview: Appier Group is an AI native SaaS company that helps brands run digital advertising and personalize customer experiences using products like RETARGETING, AIBID, AdCreative.ai, AIXON and AIRIS, which apply machine learning to audience targeting, bidding, creative generation and customer data. It also offers tools such as AIQUA, AiDeal and BotBonnie that support broader marketing and messaging workflows across e commerce, finance, gaming and other industries.
Operations: Appier Group generates all of its ¥49,026 million in revenue from its AI SaaS Business, selling marketing and data cloud software across regions including Northeast Asia, the US and EMEA, Greater China and Southeast Asia.
Appier Group provides direct exposure to the AI advertising and personalization trend, where tools like RETARGETING, AIBID and AdCreative.ai are already tied to real marketing budgets rather than experimental pilots. The company reports profitability signals and has raised revenue and operating income guidance for 2026, which indicates confidence in demand for its AI SaaS Business. However, the stock trades on a rich P/E compared with the broader Japan software sector and has shown sharp share price swings, so expectations around growth and execution are high. For investors, a key consideration is whether Appier’s AI agents and data cloud can adapt to changing privacy rules and competition from large platforms in a way that supports its current valuation.
Appier Group’s AI agents, rich product suite and premium P/E hint at a story where expectations could either be justified or exposed. For the full context, see the 2 key rewards and 1 important major warning sign
Seeking Alternatives Before Momentum Flies Past
Fresh stock ideas can move from quiet to flying fast. Use these hand picked screens before the crowd catches on and the best entry points start dropping. Act now.
- Spot companies with strong cash generation and balance sheets before momentum builds by scanning the 26 high quality undervalued stocks while they are still under the radar for now.
- Target reliable income opportunities and stress test your dividend watchlist against the curated 31 dividend fortresses before yields reset and prices reflect the strength everyone is chasing.
- Track powerful secular themes and find overlooked future leaders with the focused 73 high quality undiscovered gems while the crowd is still looking the other way.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data
and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your
financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data.
Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Valuation is complex, but we’re here to simplify it.
Discover if Trend Micro might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis, featuring fair value estimates, potential risks, dividends, insider trades, and its financial condition.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly.Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
MI
mitchell_lawler
The Foxhole
Gold miners still look inexpensive because the market thinks we’re near the top of the cycle. Given what’s happening to the dollar, I’m not so sure.
Is it a safer bet on gold to have just exposure to ETFs?
Between 2003 and 2011, gold nearly went 5x. Dollar went weak too. The gold companies did bad. It is worth noting that between 2003 and 2011, there was 2008! I will leave it your inference and research.
About TSE:4704
Trend Micro
Develops and sells security-related software for computers and the internet in Japan, the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific.
Flawless balance sheet with proven track record.
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