Google-parent Alphabet is planning the largest percentage increase in AI spending, with 2026 capital expenditures projected at roughly $195 billion to $205 billion.
- Alphabet received 36% of the vote in a Stocktwits poll of more than 3,300 respondents, making GOOGL stock the most popular hyperscaler pick for the next 12 months.
- Meta currently offers the highest implied upside based on average analyst price targets, while Alphabet has delivered the strongest trailing one-year stock return among the four companies.
- The four companies are collectively expected to spend nearly $700 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026.
Google-parent Alphabet (GOOGL) came out on top in a recent Stocktwits poll asking traders which hyperscaler they’re most bullish on over the next 12 months.
GOOGL stock captured 36% of the vote among more than 3,300 respondents, putting it well ahead of Microsoft (MSFT), which received 22%. Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META) tied at 21% each.
GOOGL stock edged 0.5% higher in pre-market trade, while META stock moved 0.6% higher. MSFT stock and AMZN stock each gained around 0.3% at the time of writing.
The poll comes at a time when investors are increasingly focused on the scale of spending required to build AI infrastructure. Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta are collectively expected to spend nearly $700 billion on capital expenditures in 2026, raising concerns on Wall Street and among retail traders about the potential pressure on free cash flow.
Critics of the AI spending boom, including Michael Burry and ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli, have questioned whether the industry can generate sufficient returns to justify the scale of investment.
GOOGL Stock Leads Poll Despite Massive AI Spending Plans
Based on the companies’ latest earnings reports, Alphabet is projecting capital expenditures of roughly $195 billion to $205 billion in 2026, nearly double its estimated $91 billion to $93 billion in 2025.
That represents the sharpest percentage increase in spending among the four companies.
Amazon is expected to spend around $200 billion in 2026, up from $131 billion in 2025. Microsoft’s capital expenditures are projected to reach roughly $190 billion, compared with $118 billion previously, while Meta expects to spend between $130 billion and $145 billion, up from approximately $72 billion.
Retail Traders Debate Microsoft’s Cash Flow, Meta’s AI Opportunity
Some traders responding to the poll focused on Microsoft’s financial position and ability to fund its AI investments.
Others argued that Meta could have more upside from AI, despite Alphabet’s advantage in computing infrastructure.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft remained in ‘bearish’ territory over the past day, while sentiment around META improved to ‘neutral’ from the ‘bearish’ zone.
Meta Leads On Analyst-Implied Upside, Alphabet Has Strongest One-Year Return
META’s stock leads the group when it comes to implied upside based on average analyst price targets compiled by Koyfin, with an average price target of $754.14, implying roughly 30% upside. However, the company has posted the weakest trailing one-year stock performance among the four, with shares down over 26%.
Alphabet ranks second, with an average price target of $428.04, implying about 24.6% upside. GOOGL has also delivered the strongest one-year return in the group, gaining nearly 69%.
Amazon’s average price target of $326.07 implies roughly 22% upside, alongside a 20% trailing one-year gain.
Microsoft, which finished second in the Stocktwits poll, has the lowest implied upside of the group at 15.38%, based on an average analyst target of $568.14. The stock is down almost 7% over the past year.
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