Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) stock recently got hit with a major pullback. The company posted its fourth-quarter results on Jan. 22 and delivered sales and earnings that came in ahead of the market's expectations. The semiconductor player posted non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) adjusted earnings of $0.15 per share on sales of $13.7 billion, beating the average analyst forecast for per-share earnings of $0.08 on sales of $13.4 billion. On the other hand, the company's forward guidance came in be ...

Key Takeaways TSM's 2025 revenues rose 35.9% to $122.42B as EPS climbed 51.3% to $10.65.TSM's growth was driven by higher 3nm and 5nm chip orders for AI servers and high-performance computing.TSM is expanding fabs globally to meet AI demand and target 2026 growth.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) , also known as TSMC, continues to benefit from the global surge in demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips. In 2025, the company’s revenues jumped 35.9% year over year to $122.42 billion, whil ...

Core Viewpoint - Intel's shares have experienced a significant uptrend, and a KeyBanc analyst believes further growth is possible due to advancements in the foundry business, projecting a price target of $60, indicating a potential upside of 30% [1][2]. Group 1: Analyst Insights - John Vinh from KeyBanc raised Intel's rating to "Overweight," suggesting that the stock has not fully priced in its positive developments despite a 150% gain since last August [2]. - The partnership with Apple as an 18A-P customer is seen as a major milestone for Intel, with potential future applications in low-end iPhone chips [3]. Group 2: Product Developments - Intel recently launched its first chips built on the 18A process, claiming performance improvements of 60% in multithreaded workloads and 77% in gaming compared to previous models [4]. - The stock has shown a bullish trend, breaking above its 20-day moving average, indicating strong market control [4]. Group 3: Market Demand and Strategic Importance - The demand for Intel's CPUs is being driven by the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, with the company reportedly "almost sold out for the year" [5]. - Significant investments from major firms like SoftBank and Nvidia, along with endorsements from political figures, highlight Intel's strategic importance in the tech landscape [5][6].

Core Insights - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is maintaining strong profitability while expanding its manufacturing capabilities internationally, including new fabs in the United States, Japan, and Germany [1][2]. Financial Performance - TSMC's revenues increased by 40.8% year over year to $33.1 billion in Q3 2025, with expectations of continued growth driven by global expansion and rising demand for AI and advanced computing chips [5]. - The company's gross margin rose 170 basis points year over year to 59.5% in Q3 2025, despite anticipated near-term margin dilution of around 2% due to higher operational costs at overseas fabs [3][9]. - For Q4 2025, TSMC expects a gross margin between 59% and 61%, indicating a year-over-year improvement of 100 basis points at the midpoint of the guidance range [4][9]. Market Position and Competitors - TSMC's competitors, including Intel and GlobalFoundries, are also expanding in the AI chip manufacturing space, with Intel focusing on advanced chips and GlobalFoundries targeting mature nodes and edge computing [6][7]. - TSMC's share price has increased approximately 54.1% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Computer and Technology sector's gain of 28.9% [8]. Valuation and Earnings Estimates - TSMC trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 25.06, which is lower than the sector average of 29.03 [10]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TSMC's earnings indicates a year-over-year increase of 43.9% for 2025 and 20.2% for 2026, although estimates have been revised downward in the past 30 days [11].

Core Insights - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expanding into 2nm nodes to meet the growing demand for efficient AI chips [1][3] - The company is investing in multiple phases to expand its 2nm fabrication facilities in Hsinchu, Kaohsiung, and Arizona [1][8] - Initial production costs for 2nm chips are high, leading to a temporary gross margin drop, estimated at around 2% and potentially expanding to 3-4% until production scales [2][4][8] Company Strategy - TSMC aims to achieve economies of scale and significant energy efficiency as it scales its 2nm production, which is expected to enhance its technology lead in the long run [3][4] - The company is relying on scale, automation, and government incentives to close the cost gap associated with initial production [4][8] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Intel and GlobalFoundries are also expanding in AI chip manufacturing, with Intel focusing on its 18A process for 1.8nm chips [5] - GlobalFoundries is targeting mature nodes but is seeing some demand in AI-related applications, particularly in edge computing [6] Financial Performance - TSMC's shares have increased approximately 54.5% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Computer and Technology sector's gain of 30.9% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 25.57, which is lower than the sector average of 30.75 [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a year-over-year earnings increase of 44.9% for 2025 and 20.4% for 2026, with upward revisions in estimates over the past 30 days [10]

Core Insights - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) has reported significant financial growth driven by the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, with High-Performance Computing (HPC) revenues increasing 14% sequentially and accounting for 60% of total sales in Q2 2025 [1][8] - Year-over-year, TSM's revenues and earnings per share (EPS) surged 44% and 67%, respectively, primarily due to the strong adoption of advanced 3nm and 5nm chips used in AI applications [2][8] - The company anticipates continued growth in the AI sector, projecting a full-year revenue increase of approximately 30% year over year [2] Financial Performance - TSM's Q2 2025 revenues reached $118.18 billion, reflecting a 31.1% increase from 2024, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate indicating strong future earnings growth of 37.5% and 13.1% for 2025 and 2026, respectively [4][11] - The company's share price has increased by about 22.9% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Computer and Technology sector's gain of 10.2% [7] Market Position and Strategy - TSM's leadership in process technology and its expanding manufacturing presence across the U.S., Europe, and Asia enhance its competitive position in the market [4] - The company is investing aggressively in advanced nodes like N2 and A16 to capture the growing demand for leading-edge chips driven by rising AI workloads and on-device computing [3][4] - TSM's close relationships with cloud and chip companies further position it to benefit from the ongoing AI boom [3] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Intel and GlobalFoundries are also increasing their focus on AI chip manufacturing, with Intel investing in its foundry business and developing advanced 1.8nm chips [5] - GlobalFoundries is targeting mature nodes while expanding capacity in the U.S. and Europe to meet AI-related demand, particularly in edge computing [6]