Broadcom sees dip in quarterly margins due to AI, shares fall

Core Viewpoint - Broadcom projected first-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates but indicated that margins would decline due to a higher mix of AI revenue, leading to a 5% drop in shares during extended trading [1]. Group 1: Financial Projections - Broadcom anticipates first-quarter revenue of approximately $19.1 billion, exceeding analysts' average estimate of $18.27 billion [7]. - The company reported fourth-quarter revenue of $18.02 billion, surpassing estimates of $17.49 billion [7]. - AI semiconductor revenue is expected to double to $8.2 billion in the fiscal first quarter [7]. Group 2: Margin Concerns - The consolidated gross margin is expected to decline by approximately 100 basis points sequentially, primarily due to a higher mix of AI revenue [3]. - Profit margins may be affected throughout the year by the revenue mix of infrastructure, software, and semiconductors [3]. - The backlog of $73 billion is concentrated among only five customers, with system sales expected to carry lower gross margins [4]. Group 3: Industry Context - U.S. cloud providers are projected to spend over $400 billion on AI this year to enhance data centers for services like ChatGPT and Copilot [6]. - Concerns about an AI bubble are rising due to increasing spending, limited evidence of productivity gains, and high valuations [6]. - Broadcom's AI chip business is seen as a key alternative to Nvidia's graphics processing units, with partnerships with major cloud providers like Google and Meta Platforms [5].