3 HALO Stocks to Buy Now
Zacks Market Edge Podcast discusses “HALO” stocks tied to AI data center buildout. It highlights Caterpillar (CAT) with Q2 2026 sales up 24%, backlog $72B (+92% YoY), and earnings growth forecasts of 30.5% (2026) and 25.2% (2027), plus forward P/E 35. It also covers MasTec (MTZ) backlog $21.4B (+30%), earnings +41.2% (2026) and +35.3% (2027), forward P/E 28.8, and United Rentals (URI) record Q2 results and raised guidance, earnings +15.4% (2026) and +14.2% (2027), forward P/E 23.9.
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
The article highlights cited Q2 2026 performance metrics and valuation context for CAT, MTZ, and URI, but it does not provide new, time-stamped disclosures beyond what is referenced.
Market read
Primarily a promotional stock-pick roundup using previously reported or referenced results; limited incremental trading signal.
What to watch
The article does not discuss margins, order quality, customer concentration, or backlog conversion risk, which can dominate returns even when revenue/backlog growth looks strong.
Background
Zacks Market Edge podcast episode promotes “HALO” stocks (hard assets, low obsolescence) as beneficiaries of hyperscaler AI infrastructure spending.
Ticker impact
Caterpillar is cited as having Q2 2026 sales up 24% and backlog up 92% YoY to $72B, with forward P/E 35.
Likely limited near-term impact; any move would be sentiment-driven around already-reported Q2 metrics.
This is a promotional “buy now” piece with specific numbers, but it does not indicate a fresh disclosure date or incremental update beyond the referenced Q2 results.
MasTec is cited with record backlog of $21.4B up 30% YoY, while shares are down 33.1% in the last month.
Near-term trading impact is modest; the stock’s recent selloff could attract dip-buyers if the thesis holds.
Numbers are provided, but the article is not a new earnings/guidance release report and lacks a time-specific catalyst beyond the described market reaction.
United Rentals is cited as reporting record Q2 2026 results and raising full-year earnings guidance, with shares at new all-time highs.
Potentially supportive for momentum, but incremental impact is limited because it is framed as a stock-pick roundup rather than a fresh disclosure.
The text claims guidance was raised, but it does not specify the guidance figures or whether this is newly released today.
Market effects
Reinforces a read-across trade from hyperscaler AI capex to industrial equipment, power delivery, and rental demand.
No explicit regional macro linkage beyond MasTec’s US infrastructure focus and URI’s North America footprint.
AI data-center buildout is global, but the article’s evidence is company-specific and not a cross-market policy shock.
Counterpoint
The “HALO” thesis may be overstating AI linkage; these are cyclical industrials where backlog and guidance can mean-revert with capex cycles.
Key entities
- public_companyCaterpillar Inc.
Cited Q2 2026 sales and backlog growth, plus industrial gas turbines used for data-center power.
- public_companyMasTec, Inc.
Cited record backlog and recent share drawdown, tied to power delivery and infrastructure work.
- public_companyUnited Rentals, Inc.
Cited record Q2 results and raised full-year earnings guidance, with shares at new highs.
