Only seven American companies are worth $1 trillion or more, so it's an ultra-exclusive club. But getting there is only half the battle, because investors can be unforgiving during times of uncertainty. Broadcom (AVGO 3.50%) and Tesla have discovered that firsthand -- they both dropped out of the trillion-dollar club this year.Broadcom stock is currently down 22% from the record high it set in December. With a market capitalization of $911 billion (as of this writing), it still trades at an elevated valuati ...

VMware Explore on Tour to be Newly Held in Frankfurt, London, Mumbai, Paris, Sydney and Tokyo in Fall 2025 PALO ALTO, Calif., March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) today announced highlights and new program elements of VMware Explore(R) 2025, an essential cloud event for IT professionals. VMware Explore 2025 will kick-off in Las Vegas on August 25 at The Venetian Convention and Expo Center. Explore will then go on the road to select cities in Asia Pacific, Japan and Europe. VMware ...

With the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 indexes entering correction territory, it has opened up a lot of good buying opportunities for investors, including in the semiconductor space. This includes the stocks of the two leading companies in the artificial intelligence (AI) chip space: Nvidia (NVDA -1.50%) and Broadcom (AVGO -0.49%).As of this writing, both stocks are down a little more than 20% from their recent highs. Let's examine why these two AI chip stocks look like no-brainer buys at these levels.Nvidia ...

Core Viewpoint - The threat of tariffs is impacting consumer behavior and investor sentiment, but certain companies, particularly in the AI hardware sector, are positioned to thrive despite these challenges [1][2][8]. Group 1: Companies Affected by Tariffs - Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), and Broadcom are identified as crucial suppliers for AI hyperscalers and are expected to perform well amid tariff pressures [3][8]. - Nvidia's GPUs are essential for training and operating AI models, and the company faces little competition in this space [4][5]. - Broadcom is experiencing significant growth potential with its connectivity switches and custom AI accelerators (XPUs), targeting a market opportunity of $60 billion to $90 billion by 2027 [6][7]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Investment Opportunities - Despite fears surrounding tariffs, the demand for AI technology is driving long-term potential for Nvidia and Broadcom [8]. - TSMC has mitigated tariff concerns by announcing a $100 billion investment in U.S. semiconductor production, positioning itself as a key supplier for Nvidia and Broadcom [9][10]. - The current market sell-off presents a buying opportunity for investors, as all three companies are trading at price points not seen in over a year [11][12]. Group 3: Valuation Insights - TSMC is trading at 18.8 times forward earnings, lower than the S&P 500's 19.8 multiple, indicating a pricing mismatch that presents a buying opportunity [13]. - Nvidia's stock is considered inexpensive given the critical role of its GPUs, while Broadcom's stock may also be undervalued if the XPU market grows as anticipated [14]. - A long-term investment perspective is recommended for these companies, with potential short-term volatility expected [15].

Core Viewpoint - The recent market sell-off, with the Nasdaq Composite down over 13% from its all-time highs, presents potential long-term buying opportunities in the technology sector. Group 1: Nvidia - Nvidia is the leader in AI infrastructure, with its GPUs providing essential processing power for AI model training and inference [2][3] - The company's revenue has more than doubled in both fiscal years 2024 and 2025 [2] - Nvidia holds approximately 90% market share in the GPU space, supported by its CUDA software platform, and is currently down nearly 22% from its all-time highs [4] Group 2: Broadcom - Broadcom is focusing on custom AI chips, providing an alternative to Nvidia's high-priced offerings [5] - The company has three main AI chip customers with a combined serviceable addressable market of $60 billion to $90 billion for fiscal 2027 [6] - Broadcom's stock is down about 23% from its all-time highs set in December 2024, presenting a buying opportunity [7] Group 3: Alphabet - Alphabet is a leader in digital advertising and cloud computing, with significant growth in its cloud unit, which saw a 30% revenue increase last quarter [8][10] - The company is well-positioned to leverage AI for new ad formats, potentially tapping into a large new market [9] - Alphabet's stock is down about 21% from highs set early last month, making it an attractive long-term investment [10] Group 4: Salesforce - Salesforce aims to lead in agentic AI, which automates tasks with minimal human supervision, offering significant business applications [11] - The launch of Agentforce has attracted 5,000 customers, including 3,000 paying customers, since its introduction [12][13] - The stock is down nearly 26% since December 2024, providing a good entry point for investors [13] Group 5: GitLab - GitLab is a fast-growing DevSecOps platform, with a high-margin subscription model benefiting from AI integration [14] - The company has seen a 29% increase in revenue last quarter, marking its sixth consecutive quarter of growth between 29% to 33% [16] - GitLab's stock is down about 31% from early February highs, presenting a strong buying opportunity [14][17]

Core Viewpoint - The artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor sector has faced challenges in 2025, but Broadcom has outperformed expectations, showcasing strong results and potential for growth in AI-related revenue [1][2]. Company Performance - Broadcom's fiscal 2025 first-quarter results exceeded Wall Street's expectations, leading to an 8% increase in stock price the following day [2]. - Despite being down 20% year-to-date, Broadcom's stock is considered attractively valued for potential investors [2]. AI Market Demand - The demand for Broadcom's application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) has surged due to the increasing need for AI training and inference, offering cost and performance advantages over traditional GPUs [3]. - Broadcom's revenue from AI chips and networking solutions reached $4.1 billion last quarter, marking a 77% increase year-over-year, driven by strong demand from cloud customers [4][5]. Strategic Partnerships - Broadcom is collaborating with three hyperscale cloud customers to develop custom AI processors, with a projected serviceable revenue opportunity of $60 billion to $90 billion over the next three years [7]. - The company has also engaged with two additional hyperscalers to create customized AI accelerators, expanding its customer base and revenue potential [8]. Revenue Growth and Margins - AI-related revenue currently accounts for over 27% of Broadcom's total revenue, with expectations for this figure to rise as the market expands [9]. - The gross margin from Broadcom's semiconductor business increased by 70 basis points year-over-year, indicating improved profitability due to the growing AI segment [10]. Future Outlook - Analysts anticipate accelerated earnings growth for Broadcom, supported by the expanding AI business and its positive impact on margins [11]. - With a current trading multiple of 30 times forward earnings, Broadcom's stock price could potentially reach $274, representing a 48% increase from current levels [12][13].

Financial Performance - Total net revenue for the fiscal quarter ended February 2, 2025, was $14,916 million, a 25% increase from $11,961 million for the fiscal quarter ended February 4, 2024[96]. - Semiconductor solutions segment revenue increased by 11% to $8,212 million, while infrastructure software segment revenue surged by 47% to $6,704 million compared to the prior year[100]. - Total operating income reached $6,260 million, a significant increase of 201% compared to $2,083 million in the previous fiscal quarter[110]. Profitability Metrics - Gross margin for the fiscal quarter ended February 2, 2025, was $10,145 million, representing 68% of net revenue, up from 62% in the prior year[101][102]. - Operating income for the semiconductor solutions segment increased to $4,706 million, a 14% increase from $4,116 million in the prior year[110]. - Infrastructure software segment operating income rose to $5,122 million, an 89% increase from $2,715 million year-over-year[110]. Expenses and Cost Management - Research and development expenses decreased by $55 million, or 2%, to $2,253 million due to lower compensation and headcount reductions[103]. - Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $623 million, or 40%, to $949 million, primarily due to lower compensation and reduced acquisition-related costs[104]. - Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets decreased by $281 million, or 35%, to $511 million, attributed to the full amortization of previous software acquisitions[105]. - Restructuring and other charges decreased by $448 million, or 72%, to $172 million, mainly due to lower employee termination costs related to the VMware integration[106]. Cash Flow and Liquidity - Cash generated from operations was $6,113 million, with $2,774 million paid in cash dividends during the quarter[95]. - Cash and cash equivalents totaled $9,307 million as of February 2, 2025, providing strong liquidity for operations[116]. - Net cash provided by operating activities was $6,113 million, an increase of $1,298 million compared to $4,815 million in the prior year[125]. Customer Concentration and Risks - A single distributor accounted for 29% of net revenue for the fiscal quarter ended February 2, 2025, highlighting significant customer concentration risks[97]. Debt and Interest - Interest expense decreased to $873 million from $926 million, attributed to reduced outstanding debt balances and lower effective interest rates[112]. - Other income, net, fell to $103 million from $185 million, mainly due to lower interest income from a reduced invested balance[113]. Shareholder Returns - Cash dividends declared increased to $2,774 million, up from $2,435 million, with dividends per share rising to $0.590 from $0.525[123]. Working Capital - Working capital decreased significantly to $80 million from $2,898 million, driven by increased short-term debt and other current liabilities[121].

Nvidia, Broadcom, and Taiwan Semiconductor are all reliable long-term plays on the AI market.The artificial intelligence (AI) market has grown rapidly over the past decade, with the development of more powerful chips and more advanced algorithms. New generative AI platforms such as OpenAI's ChatGPT also introduced AI to mainstream users.That AI boom isn't over yet. According to Grand View Research, the global AI market could expand at a compound annual growth rate of 36.6% from 2024 to 2030 as more industri ...

Core Insights - Broadcom (AVGO) reported first-quarter fiscal 2025 non-GAAP earnings of $1.60 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.67% and marking a 45.5% year-over-year increase [1] - The company achieved net revenues of $14.9 billion, a 25% year-over-year increase, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.03% [2] - AVGO shares rose over 12.82% in after-hours trading to $202.45 following positive second-quarter fiscal 2025 guidance [3] Revenue Breakdown - Semiconductor solutions revenues, accounting for 55% of net revenues, reached $8.2 billion, an 11% year-over-year increase, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.56% [4] - AI-related revenues surged 77% year over year to $4.1 billion, significantly contributing to overall revenue growth driven by increased shipments to hyperscalers for AI applications [4] - Infrastructure software revenues, making up 45% of net revenues, rose 47% year over year to $6.7 billion, supported by the VMware acquisition and strong demand for infrastructure solutions [6] Operating Performance - Non-GAAP gross margin expanded to 79.1%, a 370 basis points increase year over year [7] - Adjusted EBITDA increased 40.9% year over year to $10.1 billion, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 67.6%, up 780 basis points [7] - Non-GAAP operating margin grew 880 basis points year over year to 65.9% [7] Balance Sheet and Cash Flow - As of February 2, 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $9.31 billion, slightly down from $9.35 billion as of November 3, 2024 [8] - Total debt was $66.58 billion, down from $67.57 billion as of November 3, 2024 [9] - The company generated $6.11 billion in cash flow from operations, compared to $5.60 billion in the previous quarter, with free cash flow at $6.01 billion [9] Future Guidance - For the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Broadcom expects revenues of $14.9 billion, indicating a 19% increase year over year [10] - AI semiconductor revenues are projected to grow 44% year over year to $4.4 billion, while non-AI semiconductor revenues are expected to reach $4 billion [10] - Infrastructure software revenues are anticipated to grow 23% year over year to $6.5 billion [10]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q1 2025 was a record $14.9 billion, up 25% year on year [7][26] - Consolidated adjusted EBITDA reached a record $10.1 billion, up 41% year on year [7] - Gross margin was 79.1% of revenue, better than guidance due to higher infrastructure software revenue and a favorable semiconductor revenue mix [27] - Operating income was $9.8 billion, up 44% year on year, with an operating margin of 66% [27] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Semiconductor revenue was $8.2 billion, representing 55% of total revenue, up 11% year on year [28] - AI revenue within the semiconductor segment was $4.1 billion, up 77% year on year, with expectations for Q2 AI revenue to grow to $4.4 billion, up 44% year on year [7][16] - Infrastructure software revenue was $6.7 billion, up 47% year on year, driven by VMware integration [20][30] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Non-AI semiconductor revenue was $4.1 billion, down 9% sequentially due to seasonal declines in wireless [16] - Broadband showed a double-digit sequential recovery, while server storage was down single digits but expected to rise in Q2 [17] - Enterprise networking remained flat, and wireless was flat year on year, with expectations for Q2 to remain the same [18] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is increasing R&D investments in AI technologies, focusing on next-generation accelerators and networking solutions [8][37] - Broadcom aims to support hyperscale customers in developing AI clusters, with a serviceable addressable market estimated between $60 billion to $90 billion by fiscal 2027 [11][12] - The strategy includes transitioning from perpetual licenses to full subscription models in software, with a focus on VMware's VCF [21][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the AI market, noting strong demand from hyperscalers and ongoing investments in AI infrastructure [8][63] - Concerns about geopolitical tensions and tariffs were acknowledged, but management indicated no immediate impact on current design wins or shipments [62][86] - The company expects total semiconductor revenue to grow 2% sequentially and 17% year on year in Q2, with infrastructure software revenue expected to be approximately $6.5 billion, up 23% year on year [19][24] Other Important Information - Free cash flow for Q1 was $6 billion, representing 40% of revenue [32] - The company ended Q1 with $9.3 billion in cash and $68.8 billion in gross principal debt, having reduced debt by a net $1.1 billion during the quarter [34] - The company paid $2.8 billion in cash dividends and repurchased $2 billion worth of shares [35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the trend you're seeing with new customers? - Management noted that the four new engagements are not yet defined as customers, as they are still in the development phase [41][46] Question: Can you provide insights on the second half AI profile? - Management refrained from speculation but indicated that improved networking shipments are encouraging for Q2 [52][56] Question: Are you seeing disruption from tariffs and other dynamics? - Management acknowledged concerns but emphasized that the current disruption is positive, driven by generative AI advancements [62][63] Question: How do you view design wins and deployments? - Management clarified that design wins are only counted when products are in production at scale, emphasizing a selective approach to partnerships [78][81] Question: Are there concerns about new regulations impacting shipments? - Management expressed no current concerns regarding regulations affecting existing design wins [86] Question: How do you see the importance of networking in AI deployments? - Management highlighted that performance is the primary driver for hyperscalers when selecting networking solutions [98][100] Question: Will the new customer engagements impact the projected unit growth? - Management confirmed that the new engagements are not included in the current market estimates, as they are still in the partner phase [108]