The AI boom has made Micron one of the most spectacular stocks of the year – but after the rally, many investors are wondering about affordable alternatives.
• AI boom continues to drive Micron rally
• Analysts remain bullish on Micron
• Three alternatives in the semiconductor sector
Anyone who bet on Micron Technology last year can look forward to one of the most spectacular price rallies of the year. From a 52-week low of around $103, the US memory chip manufacturer’s shares have catapulted to an annual high of almost $1,100 – an increase of almost 940 percent. The share is currently hovering around the $1,080 mark (as of June 15, 2026). While this is an impressive success story, it could also be a problem for newcomers.
Anyone who missed the Micron rally is faced with a simple question: Is there still potential to catch up at reasonable prices in the semiconductor sector? The answer is yes – and the following three names deserve closer attention.
Why Micron is going through the roof
The fuel behind Micron’s share price explosion is no secret: the AI boom. Every data center that trains and operates AI models consumes massive amounts of high-performance storage. DRAM, NAND, high-bandwidth memory (HBM) – the demand is growing faster than producers can deliver.
Analysts are correspondingly optimistic, as TipRanks reports. Cantor Fitzgerald’s CJ Muse significantly raised his price target from $700 to $1,500 and reiterated his Buy rating. He sees the market in a new, AI-driven “storage paradigm” that is only in the middle of a longer-term growth cycle. UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri also remains bullish and names a price target of $1,625. For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, he expects sales of $36 billion and earnings per share of $20.96. The upside potential results primarily from further rising prices. As it becomes clearer about the structural changes brought about by AI in the memory market, Micron is also likely to trade at a higher valuation level.
However, if you can no longer afford Micron or don’t want to, you will still find attractive entry points among the competitors and niche games.
Western Digital
Anyone who had written off Western Digital as an old-fashioned hard drive manufacturer was proven wrong in 2026. With an annual performance of around 200 percent, the share is one of the strongest winners in the entire tech sector. From a 52-week low of $56.27, the price has increased more than tenfold to over $653.53.
The change has several drivers. Firstly, Western Digital benefits directly from the storage boom. Second, Western Digital is working on a strategic spinoff of its flash business to clearly separate the more mature HDD segment from the high-growth flash storage segment. This potentially opens up new valuation scope for both parts of the company.
Of 16 analysts, 14 recommended buying the stock in the past three months, while two recommended holding it. There is currently no sell recommendation for the paper, as data from TipRanks shows. Based on the estimates of 16 Wall Street analysts, the average price target is $565.94. The range extends from 375.00 to 685.00 US dollars. However, based on the last price of $653.53, the average target represents a downside potential of 13.40 percent.
For investors who missed the first wave, Western Digital remains an interesting name in the sector.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung is not an insider tip – but the price development in 2026 still reads like a story of discovery. After being in the shadow of HBM pioneer SK hynix for years, the South Korean company was recently able to catch up. The share price has gained over 181 percent since the beginning of the year and reached an all-time high in domestic trading at the beginning of June.
The trigger: Samsung has made significant progress in the development of high-bandwidth memory chips for AI servers. With the delivery of the first 12-layer HBM4E samples, the company has repositioned itself. AI infrastructure customers, from hyperscalers to chip designers, are taking note.
Based on the assessment of a Wall Street analyst who has published a 12-month price target for Samsung in the past three months, the average price target in OCT trading is $147.15. Since there is only one forecast, both the highest and lowest targets correspond to this value. Based on the last price of $140.00, this results in an upside potential of 5.11 percent.
Samsung also offers the security of a blue chip with a global presence in areas such as smartphones, displays and memory chips. Samsung’s Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), which can be traded in Europe, are generally listed on German stock exchanges at easily accessible prices in the double-digit euro range.
Infineon Technologies
Anyone looking for a European alternative will inevitably end up with Infineon. The DAX group from Neubiberg near Munich is not a classic memory chip manufacturer – and that is exactly the point. While Micron, Samsung and Western Digital are benefiting from the memory bonanza, Infineon serves a broader range of markets: power semiconductors for electric cars, industrial controls, renewable energy, security chips and AI data centers.
Infineon reached a new all-time high at the beginning of June, breaking a 26-year-old record. Since the beginning of the year there has been a price increase of around 103 percent; last month alone it was 12.71 percent.
Of 17 analyst reviews in the past three months, 13 are buy recommendations and four are hold recommendations. No expert advises selling. Based on the estimates of 17 analysts, the average price target is EUR 73.71. The range of forecasts ranges from 60.00 euros to 91.00 euros. However, compared to the last price of 80.75 euros, the average target corresponds to a discount of 8.72 percent.
The share could still be a solid entry into the semiconductor sector and is trading at moderate prices in the double-digit euro range.
All three values are not risk-free – the semiconductor market is cyclical, capital intensive and sensitive to geopolitical tensions and fluctuations in AI demand. However, if you think long-term, accept the volatility and no longer want to pay the full price for Micron, you could find interesting entry points in these three names.
Evelyn Schmal, editorial team at finanzen.net
This text is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an investment recommendation. finanzen.net GmbH excludes any claims for recourse.
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