Finding stocks that can double in under a year isn't easy. These stocks are often among the hottest on the market and can rapidly rise at any given time. That's the case for both CoreWeave (CRWV 2.71%) and Nebius Group (NBIS 3.70%), as the stocks are up 25% and 17%, respectively, so far in 2026.
While some investors may throw in the towel and say they missed these two, I don't think that's necessary. I think both stocks have far more room to run, and could double before 2026 is over. Both companies operate in a similar space in the AI realm, and 2026 could mark several years of incredible growth for both businesses.
Image source: Getty Images.
The AI infrastructure build-out is picking up steam
CoreWeave and Nebius build and operate data centers that are primarily used for AI purposes. Because they are tailoring their platforms for AI, they are buying the most cutting-edge chips to place in them, which isn't a cheap proposition. The idea is to rent these chips to clients at a higher price than it costs to operate the company, and eventually replace a burnt-out or outdated chip. If these two companies can do that, they will be long-term success stories. Both companies are walking in the footsteps of cloud computing companies that have already proven out this business model, so CoreWeave and Nebius aren't doing anything too innovative; they're just adapting it to the current environment.
NASDAQ: NBIS
Key Data Points
Demand for each of their services is off the charts. In 2025, Nebius ended the year with an annual run rate of $1.25 billion. For 2026, they expect that figure to grow to $7 billion to $9 billion. This growth is possible from the nine sites that are expected to come online throughout the year, up from the seven they had active at the end of 2025 and the two that were running at the end of 2024.
CoreWeave is growing at a similarly rapid pace. During Q3 2025, its revenue rose 134% from a year ago to $1.37 billion. But that's just the beginning. CoreWeave currently has a $55.6 billion revenue backlog. About 40% of that is expected to be realized over the next 24 months, driving massive growth for CoreWeave. This also indicates the great demand for AI computing capacity and that the hyperscalers are willing to pay what's necessary to gain access to it.
NASDAQ: CRWV
Key Data Points
Both Nebius and CoreWeave have the growth to double this year. But there are a few sticking points in their investment thesis.
Where are the profits?
Both Nebius and CoreWeave are unprofitable and burning a ton of cash. This shouldn't be surprising, as each company is looking to capture market share in a massive and growing industry. Eventually, there will be adequate AI computing power, and market share gains won't be easy to come by. By then, both CoreWeave and Nebius will have built out their footprint, and their costs will drop from having to build a building, hook up utilities, and complete other infrastructure projects to just upgrading and replacing old computing units. That will yield a massively profitable company, but that's not where these two are at right now.
NBIS Profit Margin (Quarterly) data by YCharts
CoreWeave isn't far from breaking even, and if it crosses the profitability threshold in 2026, there's a good chance the stock could rise rapidly. Because Nebius is expanding so rapidly to meet demand, investors shouldn't give too much weight to the profit margin right now. If Nebius can show continued progress toward profitability in 2026, that will be all the market needs to stay bullish on it.
I think each of these companies will see strong demand for cloud computing throughout 2026, which will drive their stocks higher. I think they could even double this year, but even if they don't, they can still crush the market from here.
