Bank Of America Strategist Sounds Alarm On Potential AI Stock Market Bubble: ‘It Better Be Different This Time’

Sep 16, 2025
bank-of-america-strategist-sounds-alarm-on-potential-ai-stock-market-bubble:-‘it-better-be-different-this-time’

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Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett has voiced concerns about a possible bubble in the AI stock market. This comes in light of valuation metrics reaching historic highs.

Hartnett has pointed out the S&P 500’s price-to-book ratio, which is a valuation measure comparing the total market cap of the index’s constituents to their total assets minus liabilities.

As of August, this ratio hit a record high of 5.3, surpassing the 5.1 level observed at the height of the dot-com bubble in March 2000.

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Other valuation metrics also suggest an overheated market, with the S&P 500’s 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio at its peak since the dot-com era, except for August 2020.

According to the report by Insider, the Shiller cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings ratio, which compares current prices against a 10-year rolling average of earnings, is reflecting levels from 1929, 2000, and 2021.

Hartnett sent this message to the investors, and as quoted by the outlet: “It better be different this time.”

Despite these elevated valuations, many AI companies have consistently outperformed earnings expectations, indicating that the market optimism might be justified.

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However, Hartnett cautions that if the market starts to unwind, bonds and non-US stocks could stand to gain.

The AI stock market has been on a tear, with companies consistently beating earnings expectations. This has led to a surge in optimism, pushing valuation metrics to record highs.

However, the warning from Hartnett serves as a reminder of the potential risks.

The parallels drawn with the dot-com bubble and other historic market peaks underscore the potential for a significant correction if market conditions change. This could have implications not just for AI stocks, but for the broader market as well.

Image: Shutterstock/Lightspring

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