Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN) is a hidden AI Revolution stock with the electric grid in the spotlight. The company is a nationwide provider of professional, technical, and consulting services to utilities, government agencies, and private industries, writes Tracey Ryniec, senior stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research.
WLDN is a smaller company with a market cap of $1.7 billion. Willdan’s specialties include electric grid solutions, energy efficiency and sustainability, engineering and planning, and municipal financial consulting. As of November 2025, it had active projects in 42 states with 50-plus offices in North America.
Studies have shown that there could be a 50% increase in US electricity demand by 2050. Much of it will be from data centers that will power AI, robots, and self-driving cars. In powering data centers, Willdan has capabilities across the project, from project management through to engineering, then to policy, forecasting, and data analytics.
It also has active M&A to add capabilities where demand is strong. In 2025, it bought Alternative Power Generation, which had $37 million in revenue. It does grid interconnection solutions from concept to concrete. Its clients are data centers, commercial, and renewable developers.
Willdan is currently doing a grid impact study for the State of Virginia. Virginia has the largest data center market in the country. Questions about the grid are rising. Willdan’s expertise is in grid modernization.
Willdan has been raising full-year revenue and earnings guidance throughout the year as business remained strong. Net revenue grew 26.8% for the year through the third quarter of 2025. Earnings are expected to jump 70% in 2025 and another 9.7% in 2026 on strong margin growth. The Zacks Consensus is looking for $4.13 for 2025, up from $2.43 in 2024.
The stock soared to all-time highs in 2025, but valuations are still attractive. Willdan trades with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 26. Compared to other AI stocks, that P/E ratio looks cheap. It also has a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 2.5, which is low compared to others in the AI Revolution space.
The data center buildout and grid optimization have only just begun. They should keep Willdan busy for 2026 and beyond.
Recommended Action: Buy WLDN.
