Key Takeaways TSM posted 62.3% Q4 gross margin, up 330 bps year over year despite higher overseas costs.TSM sees 63%-65% Q1 margin, even as new U.S., Japan and Europe fabs dilute margins by 2%-4%.TSM's revenues rose 25.5% to $33.73B in Q4, driven by strong AI and advanced node demand.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) , also known as TSMC, has consistently delivered strong gross margins, supported by robust demand for advanced nodes and high factory utilization. To capitalize on the growing de ...

A short rebound in stocks fizzled after Monday's drop, as worries about the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence continued to unsettle markets which digested yesterday’s AI scare, and await today’s Claude / Anthropic presentation, while preparing for tonight’s State of the Union address (“SOTU”). Some have suggested that Trump may attack power generation risks during SOTU as he deals with affordability.As of 8:00am ET, S&P 500 futures traded unchanged, erasing an earlier 0.3% gain. The benchmark fel ...

We recently published 10 Stocks Jim Cramer Talked About.  Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer talked about. Chip manufacturing giant Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s shares are up by 79% over the past year and by 10% year-to-date. Over this time period, the firm has managed to secure stability after struggling with manufacturing and sales. The shares have performed well since CEO Lip-Bu Tan took over. Cramer has been a believer in Tan since his appointment. Soon after the new ...

Core Viewpoint - Nvidia's upcoming quarterly earnings report is critical for assessing the sustainability of its profits amid increasing competition and potential risks to its market dominance in the AI chip sector [1][5]. Group 1: Earnings Expectations - Analysts expect Nvidia's profit for the quarter ending in January to surge over 62%, a slowdown from 65.3% growth in the previous quarter [5]. - Revenue is projected to jump more than 68% to $66.16 billion, with first-quarter revenue forecasted to grow another 64.4% to $72.46 billion [6]. - Nvidia has surpassed sales expectations for the past 13 quarters, although the growth delta has been shrinking [6]. Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Nvidia faces competition from companies like Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Google, which are developing their own AI chips [3][4]. - Google has entered into a deal with Anthropic to provide its in-house chips, and is reportedly in talks to supply Meta, a significant Nvidia customer [3]. - To maintain its market position, Nvidia has licensed chip technology from Groq in a deal reportedly worth $20 billion [4]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - Concerns are rising about the sustainability of AI spending, with Nvidia potentially reducing its commitment to OpenAI from $100 billion to $30 billion [5]. - Analysts predict Nvidia will forecast revenue for the April quarter at least 3% above estimates, with some expecting it to exceed estimates by over 13% [7]. - Demand for Nvidia's chips, which are essential for processing large AI workloads, is expected to remain strong, supported by Big Tech's capital spending [8]. Group 4: Supply Chain and Production - Supply chain bottlenecks may limit Nvidia's growth, particularly regarding chip shipments as it competes for capacity with TSMC's 3-nanometer assembly lines [9]. - Nvidia's executives hinted at ongoing discussions for data center orders for the next year, suggesting an update to its $500 billion order backlog figure [9]. - The potential return of Nvidia's AI chip sales to China could positively impact sales, as the company seeks to finalize licensing for its H200 AI chip [10]. Group 5: Financial Metrics - Nvidia is expected to record an adjusted gross margin of 75% in the fourth quarter, an increase of over one percentage point from the previous year [11]. - Analysts believe Nvidia's pricing power and secured high-bandwidth memory allocations will mitigate the impact of rising memory prices [12].

The new apple of Laffont's eye holds a sustainable competitive advantage within the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure arena.There's nothing more valuable on Wall Street than data. One week ago, on Feb. 17, institutional investors with at least $100 million in assets under management filed Form 13F with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A 13F offers investors a snapshot of the stocks Wall Street's smartest money managers purchased and sold in the latest quarter.Investors often pay close atten ...

Core Viewpoint - Taiwan Semiconductor is positioned to benefit significantly from the ongoing AI spending, particularly with major AI hyperscalers projected to spend around $650 billion on data center capital expenditures by 2026 [1]. Group 1: Company Overview - Taiwan Semiconductor is favored as a primary investment choice due to its competitive edge in the semiconductor industry, making it a strong buy [2]. - The company is one of the few chip foundries capable of competing at a high level, with Intel struggling and Samsung lacking the capacity to match Taiwan Semiconductor [4]. - Taiwan Semiconductor's client list includes major players like Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom, indicating its central role in the semiconductor supply chain [6]. Group 2: Market Position and Financials - The company has a market capitalization of $1.9 trillion and a gross margin of 59.02%, with a current stock price of $370.04 [5][6]. - The stock is trading at 26 times forward earnings, which is relatively close to the S&P 500's valuation of 22 times forward earnings, suggesting it is not overly expensive [10]. Group 3: Growth Potential - Taiwan Semiconductor's management anticipates a nearly 60% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in AI chip revenue from 2024 to 2029, highlighting the substantial growth potential in the AI sector [7]. - The ongoing AI buildout is expected to continue for some time, providing a favorable environment for Taiwan Semiconductor's growth [7].

THIS IS "THE CLOSE." ROMAINE: STOCKS GETTING SOME OF THEIR MOJO BACK. I'M ROMAINE BOSTICK. >> I'M KATIE GREIFELD.WE ARE KICKING OFF TO THE CLOSING BELL. SOME MOJO. THAT IS HIGHER THAN WHERE WE FINISH THE DAY.CONSIDER WE WERE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER SO IT LITTLE BIT OF AN ENTHUSIASM DRAIN, LEADING THE WAY. IT IS HIGHER BY ABOUT TWO BASIS POINTS. IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE HAWKISH THAN SOMEWHERE EXPECTING.AND BITCOIN BITCOIN DOWN ABOUT 2%. ROMAINE: WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHY WE ARE SEEING WEAKNESS IN STOCKS. A MAJOR DR ...

Core Insights - Micron Technology and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company are pivotal in the AI semiconductor ecosystem, driven by increasing demand for data centers and AI computing [1][2] Micron Technology - Micron is positioned for long-term growth due to its involvement in AI, high-performance data centers, autonomous vehicles, and industrial IoT [3] - The company has shifted focus from volatile consumer electronics to more stable sectors like automotive and enterprise IT, enhancing revenue stability [4] - In Q1 FY26, Micron's revenues increased by 57% year-over-year to $13.64 billion, with non-GAAP EPS rising 167% to $4.78, exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates [5] - Micron's HBM3E products are in high demand for AI workloads, with supply for 2026 already sold out [6] - The company is a key supplier for NVIDIA's GPUs, indicating strong integration within the AI supply chain [7] Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company - TSMC leads the global chip foundry market, serving major companies like NVIDIA and Broadcom, with revenues in 2025 reaching $122.42 billion, a 36% increase year-over-year [8] - AI-related chip sales are a significant revenue driver, with HPC revenues accounting for 58% of total revenues in 2025, up from 51% in 2024 [9] - TSMC plans to invest between $52 billion and $56 billion in capital expenditures in 2026 to maintain its competitive edge in advanced manufacturing [11] - The company faces near-term challenges due to geopolitical tensions and a global expansion strategy that may pressure margins [12][13] Comparative Analysis - Micron's growth outlook appears stronger, with projected revenue growth of 99.7% and EPS growth of 307.5% for FY26, compared to TSMC's 29.2% revenue growth and 32.5% EPS increase [14] - Over the past year, Micron's stock has surged by 283.1%, outperforming TSMC's 81.2% gain [18] - TSMC trades at a higher forward P/E ratio of 25.00 compared to Micron's 10.09, indicating a premium for TSMC despite lower growth projections [19] Conclusion - Micron Technology is currently viewed as a more attractive investment option due to its higher growth projections and lower valuation compared to Taiwan Semiconductor [20]

Core Insights - Major technology stocks have experienced significant declines in market value due to concerns over the return on investment from heavy AI spending, leading to a shift in investor sentiment from long-term ambitions to a demand for near-term earnings visibility [1] Company Performance - Microsoft shares have decreased by approximately 17% year-to-date, resulting in a market value loss of about $613 billion, bringing its valuation to around $2.98 trillion [1] - Amazon's stock has fallen by about 13.85%, erasing roughly $343 billion in market value, leaving it valued at approximately $2.13 trillion; the company anticipates a capital spending increase of over 50% this year [1] - Nvidia, Apple, and Alphabet have also seen declines in market value, with losses of $89.67 billion, $256.44 billion, and $87.96 billion, respectively, resulting in valuations of $4.44 trillion, $3.76 trillion, and $3.7 trillion [1] Market Trends - The decline in major tech stocks indicates a broader market shift, as investors are moving away from speculative enthusiasm for AI towards a focus on immediate financial performance [1] - In contrast, companies like TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and Walmart have gained market value, adding $293.89 billion, $272.88 billion, and $179.17 billion, respectively, with valuations reaching $1.58 trillion, $817 billion, and $1.07 trillion [1]

Core Insights - The company is positioned as a leading foundry partner for AI chip designers, enabling it to benefit from the ongoing AI revolution [1] - AI software stocks have faced sell-offs, while hardware-oriented AI companies, particularly in semiconductors, continue to attract investor interest, as evidenced by a 14% increase in the PHLX Semiconductor Sector index in 2026 [2] - Semiconductors are crucial for AI development, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) being a key player in this sector [3] Company Performance - TSMC is recognized as the primary manufacturer of chips for next-generation AI applications, with a significant market share in AI server compute and custom AI processors at 99% [6] - The company reported a 36% revenue increase in 2025, reaching $122.4 billion, and a 51% increase in earnings per share, with a strong start in 2026 showing nearly 37% revenue growth in January compared to the same month in 2025 [8][9] - TSMC is expected to exceed its 2026 revenue growth target of 30%, supported by higher prices for advanced chip nodes [9] Market Opportunity - The long-term potential for AI chips is substantial, with RBC Capital Markets projecting sales to rise from $220 billion last year to over $550 billion by 2028 [10] - TSMC's status as the preferred foundry for AI chip design positions it well to capitalize on this lucrative market opportunity [10] - The company's forward earnings multiple of 26 aligns closely with the Nasdaq-100 index, indicating strong growth potential compared to the broader market [11]