AI Build-Out? Fine. But Is Anyone Thinking About the Switches?

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So, everyone’s flapping their gums about $500 billion for AI infrastructure. Five. Hundred. Billion. You’d think someone would spend a little time considering the details. Like, what good is all this artificial intelligence if the power keeps going out? Honestly. They’re building these digital palaces, and I’m picturing flickering lights and servers crashing because of a faulty electrical connection. It’s infuriating. But, alright, fine. If we must enable the robots, a few companies might actually benefit. I’ve been looking at Eaton, Texas Instruments, and Brookfield Renewable. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still ridiculous, but there’s a potential value play here, if you can stomach it.

Eaton: They Control the Juice, Apparently

Eaton. They make electrical stuff. Switches, transformers, you name it. It’s not glamorous, but someone has to keep the lights on. And apparently, these data centers—these black holes of electricity—are big customers. Their backlog is “at a record level.” A record level! Like that actually means something. It just means they’re busy. But okay, okay. It’s a decent business. They’re even talking about spinning off their vehicle division. Which, frankly, I don’t understand. Why separate the things that make cars go from the things that power your toaster? It feels… disjointed. But, I suppose if it unlocks value for shareholders, who am I to judge? Although, if it messes with the supply chain of, say, a simple tail light bulb, I’ll be the first one to complain.

Texas Instruments: Not the Fancy Chips, Just the… Other Ones

Texas Instruments. They don’t make the chips that think. No, they make the chips that control the flow of energy. Simple stuff. Buttons. Switches. The things that make your coffee maker turn on. It’s… underwhelming. But apparently, these basic chips are suddenly essential for data centers. Go figure. They’ve even created a new business category for it. Data center sales are up 64%. 64%! It’s like they’re surprised their existing products are now useful. And they’re buying Silicon Labs. More irons in the fire, they say. It’s just… a lot. The whole thing feels like they’re scrambling to catch up. They’re trying to capitalize on a trend, instead of, you know, just doing their job.

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Brookfield Renewable: Powering the Machines, Saving the Planet (Supposedly)

Brookfield Renewable. They own windmills and solar panels and stuff. Clean energy. Very virtuous. They’re already making deals with Microsoft and Alphabet to power their data centers. Which, let’s be honest, is just offsetting the environmental impact of all this artificial intelligence. It’s like putting a band-aid on a broken leg. But, fine, they’re making money. And they have a dividend yield of over 5%. A 5% yield! That’s… acceptable. They have two share classes. One for corporate types, one for… others. It’s unnecessarily complicated. Why do they need two? It just creates confusion. But alright, alright. If you want to benefit from the data center boom and feel good about yourself, Brookfield Renewable is… an option. It’s still a little self-congratulatory, but what isn’t these days?

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The Bottom Line (If You Can Call It That)

So, if everyone’s determined to build this AI infrastructure, Eaton, Texas Instruments, and Brookfield Renewable might see a little bump. Eaton is the growth story, if you believe in planned spin-offs. Texas Instruments is a dividend play, with a yield of 2.5%. And Brookfield Renewable is… well, it’s a dividend play with a slightly higher yield. It’s all just… a lot. Honestly, I’m still stuck on the switches. Someone needs to ensure the switches are reliable. Is that too much to ask? It’s a simple request. Just good, reliable switches. And maybe a clear explanation of the two share classes at Brookfield Renewable. It’s not rocket science, people. It’s just common courtesy.

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2026-02-07 12:03