The demand for analytics and automation is rising together with the artificial intelligence and cloud computing mega-trends. And because this backdrop makes the prospects bright for the big-data industry, we think top players Oracle (ORCL), International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM), VMware (NYSE:VMW), and Teradata (TDC) should generate significant returns in the near term. These stocks are rated ‘Buy’ in our proprietary POWR Ratings system. Read on for a closer look.The growing demand for advanced technology and data is shaping the outlook for the big data industry. The global big-data market is advancing significantly, driven by large-scale analytics and intelligent automation services investments. As per a recent update by the International Data Corporation (IDC), worldwide spending on big data and business analytics (BDA) solutions is expected to hit $215.7 billion this year, reflecting a 10.1% increase year-over-year. In addition, this spending is expected to grow at a 12.8% CAGR over the next four years.
The United States is expected to be the largest market for big-data companies, with more than $110 billion in BDA spending this year.
Considering the industry’s robust growth prospects, we think industry giants Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL), International Business Machines Corporation ( IBM ), VMware, Inc. (VMW), and Teradata Corporation (NYSE:TDC), which are rated Buy in our proprietary POWR Ratings system, could be solid bets now.