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5 Surprising Stocks Set to Benefit From a Future Robotics Boom

By Ryan Hasson | October 20, 2025, 2:21 PM

Robotic arms with conveyor — Photo

The robotics revolution, long envisioned by futurists and technology pioneers, is finally gaining momentum in 2025.

What began as limited automation in factories and logistics centers has evolved into a global ecosystem driven rapidly by recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Robots are no longer confined to assembly lines or research labs. They are now assisting in hospitals, logistics networks, retail environments, and even in our homes.

Yet, as the sector takes off, some of the most promising investment opportunities may not come from the well-known robot manufacturers themselves.

Instead, many of the biggest long-term winners could be the “pick-and-shovel” providers. These are the companies supplying the raw materials, components, and technologies that make a future robotics boom possible. The same dynamic played out during the early AI surge, when investors who focused on semiconductor and infrastructure companies often outperformed those chasing the more speculative software names.

For robotics, this approach could prove just as rewarding in the long term. The companies providing the energy sources, rare earth elements, and intelligent processing power behind the machines stand to gain as adoption expands across industries in the coming years and decades. 

Here are five stocks that could benefit significantly from this new wave of innovation.

Albemarle: Powering the Battery Backbone of Autonomous Machines

Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) is a global leader in specialty chemicals and one of the largest producers of lithium in the world.

The Charlotte-based company has a market capitalization of roughly $11 billion and operates across several continents, supplying critical materials for batteries, electronics, and energy storage. While its primary exposure has historically been in the electric vehicle (EV) market, Albemarle’s expertise in lithium places it in a unique position to benefit from the growing robotics and automation industries.

Reliable and long-lasting power is essential in robotics. As robots become increasingly mobile and autonomous, demand for lightweight, high-density batteries is expected to surge. Albemarle’s lithium production and refining capabilities provide the foundational material for these next-generation energy systems.

The company’s AI-enhanced production processes have improved extraction efficiency and reduced environmental impact, aligning with the sustainability goals that are increasingly important to major industrial and technology clients.

Lithium prices, which corrected sharply in 2024 after a period of overproduction, have since stabilized. This price normalization gives Albemarle room to regain pricing power as new demand from robotics, automation, and energy storage begins to rise.

Despite these long-term tailwinds, Albemarle’s stock performance has been relatively modest in 2025, up only about 7.7% year-to-date and lagging behind many peers and the broader market. That underperformance may leave room for upside if the robotics narrative accelerates.

In its Q2 2025 earnings report, Albemarle posted earnings per share of $0.11, significantly exceeding analyst expectations of an $0.83 loss, thanks to disciplined cost management. While the company remains a cyclical play tied to commodity trends, its role in supplying the energy backbone of automation and robotics could transform it into a key enabler of the next industrial wave.

Energy Fuels: Rare Earths for the Magnetic Heart of Robotics

Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN: UUUU) has emerged as a critical player in the U.S. rare earth and uranium markets. Traditionally known as a uranium producer, Energy Fuels has pivoted toward becoming a vertically integrated supplier of rare earth elements, which are indispensable in advanced technologies.

Rare earth magnets are the unsung heroes of robotics. They enable smooth and precise movement, allowing robotic arms, drones, and automated machines to operate with accuracy and responsiveness.

China dominates global rare earth production, accounting for almost 70% of supply. This dependency poses a geopolitical risk for Western economies. As one of the few domestic producers capable of rare earth separation, Energy Fuels offers a strategic alternative that aligns with U.S. efforts to secure its supply chain.

Energy Fuels’ growing portfolio, including the acquisition of Base Resources, expands its footprint into titanium and zircon, strengthening its vertical integration and enhancing its ability to serve high-tech industries. The company’s diversification into rare earth production comes at an opportune time, with robotics funding and automation adoption accelerating globally.

Investors have already taken notice. Shares of Energy Fuels have soared more than 300% year-to-date, reflecting optimism over its uranium business and its increasingly critical role in rare earth production. While its valuation has risen sharply, its unique positioning as a domestic supplier of essential robotics materials gives it long-term strategic importance, especially if supply chain tensions persist between the U.S. and China.

Nucor: Steel Foundations for the Robotics Infrastructure

Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE), based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the largest steel producers in the United States. With a market capitalization of nearly $30 billion, Nucor operates through a network of mini-mills that recycle scrap into high-quality steel products used across construction, manufacturing, and energy sectors. 

Nucor could play a foundational role in a future robotics boom. Robotics and AI infrastructure require massive physical investment, from automated factories and logistics centers to advanced data facilities that train and deploy machine learning models. These facilities rely on Nucor’s structural steel, rebar, and sheet products for construction. In addition, specialized steel alloys are used in robot frames, arms, and mechanical structures where both strength and flexibility are critical.

Nucor’s AI-optimized operations also mirror the very technological revolution it supports. The company has integrated advanced data analytics and automation into its production process, improving efficiency and reducing costs. From a valuation standpoint, Nucor remains attractive. The stock trades at a forward P/E ratio of around 12, making it a compelling value in a market crowded with richly valued tech names. It also offers a 1.67% dividend yield, adding an income component to its investment appeal.

In Q2 2025, Nucor reported earnings per share of $2.60, slightly beating estimates, with revenue rising 4.7% year-over-year to $8.46 billion. With Q3 results due later this month, investors will be watching for further strength in industrial demand. As robotics infrastructure expands worldwide, Nucor is well-positioned to supply the steel that literally builds the foundation of this new era.

QuantumScape: Next-Gen Batteries for Smarter, Longer-Lasting Robots

QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE: QS) is pioneering solid-state lithium-metal battery technology designed to deliver faster charging, higher energy density, and enhanced safety. Backed by major investors such as Volkswagen, the company’s breakthroughs have the potential to transform not only electric vehicles but also autonomous robotics systems that demand consistent, high-output energy.

Solid-state batteries could represent a significant leap forward for robotics. Longer operation times, reduced charging cycles, and improved safety could dramatically increase productivity for autonomous delivery bots, drones, and industrial automation systems. QuantumScape’s introduction of the Cobra separator process, which accelerates battery production by 25 times, suggests that commercialization may not be as distant as once thought.

However, QuantumScape remains largely pre-revenue and speculative. With a nearly $8.7 billion valuation, the company trades on potential rather than current fundamentals. Analysts remain cautious, with a consensus Reduce rating and projecting roughly a 60% downside from current levels.

For investors with a long-term horizon and significant risk tolerance, QuantumScape could offer optionality on breakthrough technology that could reshape robotics and energy storage. Others might be warranted to wait until more tangible operational progress is visible.

NVIDIA: The Brain Driving Robotic Intelligence

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is the undisputed powerhouse behind the modern AI revolution. Best known for its graphics processing units (GPUs), the Santa Clara-based company now dominates data center, AI, and autonomous technology markets, with a market capitalization exceeding $4.4 trillion.

NVIDIA’s technology is indispensable in robotics. Its GPUs power real-time processing for vision, navigation, and control systems, allowing robots to “think” and react to their environments. NVIDIA’s Isaac platform provides simulation and training environments that accelerate robotic development. The latest iteration, the Isaac GR00T model, incorporates human-like reasoning and decision-making, significantly improving robotic adaptability and safety.

In its most recent earnings report, NVIDIA posted revenue of $46.7 billion, up 55% year over year, with earnings per share slightly above expectations. Shares are up about 36% year to date and have delivered more than 1,000% returns over the past five years. While NVIDIA is no longer a hidden gem, its central role in the robotics and AI ecosystem ensures that it remains one of the most critical names in this space.

As robotics continues to merge with artificial intelligence, NVIDIA’s software and hardware dominance will likely make it the brain of the global automation movement.

Positioning for the Next Industrial Revolution

The robotics adoption is creating an entirely new investment landscape, one that reaches far beyond traditional technology stocks. From lithium and rare earth producers to steelmakers and semiconductor leaders, the supply chain supporting automation is vast and increasingly vital.

These five companies highlight the diversity of opportunities available to investors. By focusing on robotics' enablers rather than just the end products, investors can gain exposure to the sector’s long-term growth potential while mitigating some of the risks tied to speculative robotics startups.

The robotics revolution is no longer a concept. Instead, it is becoming a core component of the modern economy. Companies building their foundations could be among the biggest beneficiaries in the years ahead.

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The article "5 Surprising Stocks Set to Benefit From a Future Robotics Boom" first appeared on MarketBeat.

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