August 2026 Sustainable Stock and ETF Picks. Includes articles on the top clean-tech companies, AI infrastructure stocks, and ESG funds.

Transcript & Links, Episode 170, August 28, 2026

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast episode 170, published on August 28, 2026, titled “August 2026 Sustainable Stock and ETF Picks.”

This podcast is presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your go-to site for vital global, ethical, and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript and links to content, including stock symbols and bonus material, on this episode’s podcast page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, and I don’t receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will disclose any investments I have in the investments mentioned herein.

I have a great crop of 12 articles for you in this podcast! Note: Sometimes companies are covered more than once. Now I’ve chosen 6 to quote from. Titles and links to the other 6 can be found on the webpage for this podcast edition.

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Nvidia vs. SanDisk: Morgan Stanley Reveals Which AI Stock Is Crowded and Which Is Heavily Under-Owned

I’m beginning with an article featuring two stocks that most ethical and sustainable investors have invested in, either directly or indirectly through funds. It’s titled Nvidia vs. SanDisk: Morgan Stanley Reveals Which AI Stock Is Crowded and Which Is Heavily Under-Owned. It is published on tipranks.com and is by Shalu Saraf. Here’s some of what the writer says about Morgan Stanley’s analysis of these two stocks.

“Story Highlights

• Nvidia has a 2.53-point ownership gap, the widest among the large-cap tech stocks tracked by Morgan Stanley.
• SanDisk is 2.30 points above its S&P 500 weighting, making it the most over-owned stock in the group.
• Nvidia has 37.74% analyst upside, compared with 23.78% for SanDisk, with both stocks carrying Strong Buy ratings.

Nvidia NVDA 

Is Under-Owned Despite Its Market Size.

Nvidia’s institutional ownership is 2.53 percentage points below its 7.61% S&P 500 (SPX) weighting, and the gap widened by 14 basis points in the second quarter. That gives Nvidia the widest ownership gap among the large-cap tech stocks in the group.

Apple AAPL follows with a 2.33% gap, while Microsoft MSFT and Amazon AMZN have gaps of 1.54% and 1.29%, respectively.

SanDisk SNDK 

Is the More Crowded Trade.

Its institutional ownership is 2.30 percentage points above its 0.35% S&P 500 weighting, making it the most over-owned stock in Morgan Stanley’s group.

KLA KLAC and Western Digital WDC also rank among the most over-owned names…

Morgan Stanley also found that active managers remain heavily invested in memory and storage stocks. Software stocks, including IBM IBM, Oracle ORCL, Palo Alto Networks PANW, ServiceNow NOW, and Adobe ADBE, have much lower ownership.

NVDA vs. SNDK: Which Stock Do Analysts Prefer?

Wall Street remains bullish on both Nvidia and SanDisk, with both stocks carrying a Strong Buy consensus. Nvidia has the higher average price target of $309.94, implying 37.74% upside. SanDisk’s $2,211.76 average target points to 23.78% upside.”

End quotes

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Clean Tech Companies – Clean Edge 100

This next article is a good annual ranking of clean tech industries. Companies must include over 50% of their revenues from clean tech activities. The article is titled Clean Tech Companies – Clean Edge 100. It is from and by cleanedge.com. Here are some quotes.

“The 2026 Clean Edge 100, our third annual ranking of the 100 top publicly traded clean-tech companies in clean energy, transportation, water, and the grid, finds continued global industry leadership in the U.S., Europe, and China. Eligible clean-tech companies are members of our global equity research universe of more than 800 companies and must receive at least 50% of their revenue from clean-tech activities (pure plays). Companies are ranked according to an equally weighted composite of market capitalization, revenue, and operating profit. Revenue and operating profit are adjusted by business exposure as evaluated by Clean Edge. 

U.S., Europe, and China-domiciled companies lead the pack this year with 27, 26, and 22 listings respectively, followed by Brazil with seven and Korea with four, reflecting the diversity of global clean-tech activity. U.S.-domiciled firms accounted for nearly $2.5 trillion of market capitalization ($1.6 trillion from Tesla alone), followed by European Union and U.K. companies with $1.2 trillion and Chinese firms with $716 billion in cumulative market capitalization respectively.”

End quotes.

Incidentally, the top five companies in the ranking are: Tesla, Inc. (TSLA), Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CYATY), GE Vernova, Inc. (GEV), Schneider Electric SE (SU.PA), and ABB Ltd. (ABBN.SW).

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JUST: How This Ethical ETF Beats Other Large Caps

This next article features an ETF that is becoming a favourite. It’s titled JUST: How This Ethical ETF Beats Other Large Caps. It’s published on etfdb.com and written by Nick Peters-Golden. Here are some quotes from the article.

“Do you have clients looking to invest with justice in mind? Younger investors, in particular, are increasingly eager to screen out companies that don’t match their ethics. While many ETFs screen out questionable companies, not all manage to deliver strong returns. However, the Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (JUST B) offers a compelling alternative…

The index draws from the Russell 1000 and screens for firms that meet its methodology, assessing key areas like diversity, customer privacy, and greenhouse gas emissions… Rather than just focusing on penalizing perceived policy violators, the strategy prioritizes investing in companies doing good.

Leveraging that approach, the socially responsible ETF has returned 15.2% YTD, outperforming the ETF Database Large Cap Growth Equities category average of 11.15%, as of August 7.

JUST has also delivered strong long-term results, outperforming its category average across one, three, and five-year periods. Over the last five years, the fund has generated a 13% annualized return, beating the Large Cap Growth Equities category average.

As advisors look to onboard more clients with particular views and standards, JUST offers a balanced solution of principals and performance.”

End quotes.

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Top Renewable Energy Stocks To Watch Now

This next article takes us to an industry much loved by ethical and sustainable investors. It’s titled Top Renewable Energy Stocks To Watch Now. It’s from etfdb.com and by MarketBeat.

“1) Quanta Services (PWR)

Quanta Services, Inc. provides infrastructure solutions for the electric and gas utility, renewable energy, communications, and pipeline and energy industries in the United States, Canada, Australia, and internationally. The company’s Electric Power Infrastructure Solutions segment engages in the design, procurement, construction, upgrade, repair, and maintenance of electric power transmission and distribution infrastructure and substation facilities; installation, maintenance, and upgrade of electric power infrastructure projects; installation of smart grid technologies on electric power networks; and design, installation, maintenance, and repair of commercial and industrial wirings.

Read Our Latest Research Report on PWR

2) WEC Energy Group (WEC)

WEC Energy Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides regulated natural gas and electricity, and renewable and nonregulated renewable energy services in the United States. It operates through Wisconsin, Illinois, Other States, Electric Transmission, and Non-Utility Energy Infrastructure segments.

Read Our Latest Research Report on WEC

3) HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital (HASI)

HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the investment of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable infrastructure markets in the United States. The company’s portfolio includes equity investments, commercial and government receivables, real estate, and debt securities.

Read Our Latest Research Report on HASI

4) Clearway Energy (CWEN)

Clearway Energy, Inc. operates in the renewable energy business in the United States. The company operates through Conventional and Renewables segments. It has approximately 6,000 net MW of installed wind, solar, and energy generation projects; and approximately 2,500 net MW of natural gas-fired generation facilities.

Read Our Latest Research Report on CWEN

5) Forum Energy Technologies (FET)

Forum Energy Technologies, Inc. designs, manufactures, and distributes products serving the oil, natural gas, industrial, and renewable energy industries in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Drilling & Downhole, Completions, and Production. The Drilling & Downhole segment designs, manufactures, and supplies products, and provides related services to the drilling, well construction, artificial lift, and subsea energy construction and services markets, including applications in oil and natural gas, renewable energy, defense, and communications.

Read Our Latest Research Report on FET

6) AirJoule Technologies (AIRJ)

Montana Technologies Corporation operates as an atmospheric renewable energy and water harvesting technology company. It provides energy and dehumidification, evaporative cooling, and atmospheric water generation through its AirJoule technology. The company is headquartered in Ronan, Montana.

Read Our Latest Research Report on AIRJ

7) NOV (NOV)

NOV Inc. designs, constructs, manufactures, and sells systems, components, and products for oil and gas drilling and production, and industrial and renewable energy sectors in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Energy Equipment, and Energy Products and Services. The company provides solids control and waste management equipment and services, managed pressure drilling, drilling fluids, premium drillpipe, wired pipe, drilling optimization services, tubular inspection and coating services, instrumentation, downhole tools, and drill bits.

Read Our Latest Research Report on NOV”

End quotes.

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Morgan Stanley says load up on these 13 AI power infrastructure stocks — including 2 ‘standout’ energy storage plays

This next article features a market segment beloved by most investors of this podcast. It’s titled Morgan Stanley says load up on these 13 AI power infrastructure stocks — including 2 ‘standout’ energy storage plays. It was posted on finance.yahoo.com and is by William Edwards. Here are some brief quotes on each of Morgan Stanley’s picks.

“Morgan Stanley says it’s time to buy the dip in some beaten-down AI infrastructure stocks… But little has changed regarding the bullish drivers behind these trades, the bank said.

‘We believe a meaningful driver of weakness has been technical rather than fundamental,’ Stephen Byrd, an analyst at the bank, wrote in the note…

Below, are 13 US energy stocks that fall under two themes: AI power infrastructure bottlenecks and energy security, as well as two names in energy storage.

1) Applied Digital APLD

AI power infrastructure bottlenecks

Year-to-date return: -6.1%

2) Blackstone BX

AI power infrastructure bottlenecks

Year-to-date return: -16.7%

3) Bloom Energy BE

AI power infrastructure bottlenecks

Year-to-date return: 90.8%

4) Cipher Mining CIFR

AI power infrastructure bottlenecks

Year-to-date return: 33.5%

5) Clearway Energy CWEN

Energy security assets; energy storage

Year-to-date return: -5.48%

6) Liberty Energy LBRT

Energy security assets

Year-to-date return: -10.8%

7) Riot Platforms RIOT

AI power infrastructure bottlenecks

Year-to-date return: 55.1%

8) Solaris Energy Infrastructure SEI

AI power infrastructure bottlenecks

Year-to-date return: 4.64%

9) SpaceX SPCX

AI power infrastructure bottlenecks

Year-to-date return: -29.5%

10) Talen Energy TLN

Energy security assets

Year-to-date return: -12.4%

11) TeraWulf WULF

AI power infrastructure bottlenecks

Year-to-date return: 41.1%

12) Vistra VST

Energy security assets; energy storage

Year-to-date return: -4.93%

13) X-Energy XE

Energy security assets

Year-to-date return: -47.9%”

End quotes.

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Cathie Wood and Stanley Druckenmiller Agree On Amazon (AMZN) and Alphabet (GOOGL)

The final article I’m reviewing today is titled Cathie Wood and Stanley Druckenmiller Agree On Amazon (AMZN) and Alphabet (GOOGL). It was posted on finance.yahoo.com and is by Fahad Saleem of Insider Monkey. Here are some quotes.

“The latest 13F filings for the second quarter show that both Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management and Stanley Druckenmiller’s Duquesne Family Office hold Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), and both were buying in the quarter.

Duquesne Family Office raised its stake by 1,083% in Amazon to 541,600 shares worth $129 million. Wood increased her ARK position by 18% to about 1.59 million shares worth $379 million, or 2.46% of her portfolio.

On Alphabet, Druckenmiller opened a new position of 336,300 shares worth $120 million, or 2.31% of his portfolio. Wood raised hers by 45% to about 1.04 million shares worth $369 million.”

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6 more articles from around the world with Sustainable Investment Picks for August 2026.

1. Title: Eye-Popping Returns Are Drawing Investors Back to ESG Funds – Barron’s. By Debbie Carlson.

2. Title: 3 Alternative Energy Stocks Riding the Next Wave of Clean Energy Growth. From zacks.com and by Tanvi Sarawagi.

3. Title: Buy 5 AI Infrastructure Stocks as Big Techs Assure Lasting AI Frenzy. From zacks.com and by Nalak Das.

4. Title: 3 Stocks to Buy as AI Infrastructure Continues to Surge. From fool.com and by Geoffrey Seiler.

5. Title: UBS lists 4 reasons why it may be a good time to look at infrastructure now. From investing.com and by Simon Mugo.

6. Title: FLNC or GEV: Which Alternative Energy Stock Is Better-Placed Now? From finance.yahoo.com and by Maharathi Basu at Zacks.

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Ending Comment

These are my top news stories plus their stock and fund tips for this podcast, “August 2026 Sustainable Stock and ETF Picks.”

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My next podcast will be on September 25^th.

See you then. Bye for now.

© 2025 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul