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NVDA vs. TSM: Which Semiconductor Stock Is the Better AI Investment?
ZACKSยท 2025-07-18 13:25
Core Insights - NVIDIA and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) are pivotal in the global AI chip supply chain, with NVIDIA focusing on GPU design and TSMC on chip manufacturing [1][2] NVIDIA Analysis - NVIDIA's data center revenues surged 73% year-over-year to $39.1 billion in Q1 FY2026, driven by strong demand from cloud providers and enterprises [3] - The adoption of NVIDIA's Hopper 200 and Blackwell GPU platforms is accelerating, with expectations for higher performance from upcoming versions [4] - However, NVIDIA faces challenges from U.S. export restrictions, resulting in an estimated loss of $2.5 billion in H20 chip sales to China in Q1 and an anticipated $8 billion in Q2 [5][6] Taiwan Semiconductor Analysis - TSMC manufactures chips for major tech companies and has advanced to 3nm production, with plans for 2nm soon, positioning itself well to meet rising AI chip demand [7] - TSMC reported a 39% revenue increase and a 61% profit jump in Q2 2025, with AI-related revenues tripling in 2024 and expected to double in 2025 [8][11] - The company raised its FY2025 revenue growth guidance to 30% and plans to invest up to $42 billion in advanced manufacturing [9][10] Financial Performance Comparison - NVIDIA's EPS is projected to grow 42.1% in FY2026 and 32.1% in FY2027, with recent upward revisions indicating strong confidence [12] - TSMC's EPS is expected to grow 34.7% in 2025 and 15.2% in 2026, with upward trends in estimates over the past month [15] - Year-to-date, NVIDIA shares have increased by 28.9%, while TSMC shares have risen by 24.1% [18] Valuation Insights - TSMC's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 23.93X, significantly lower than NVIDIA's 35.57X, suggesting TSMC offers better value relative to its growth potential [20] - Given NVIDIA's short-term hurdles and higher valuation, TSMC is viewed as a more attractive investment option with a favorable risk-reward balance [22][23]