Global Research UBS Global I/O Semiconductors ab 10 February 2026 APAC Focus: Rise of Google TPUs – identifying winners in the supply chain Google's custom AI accelerator, the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), is gaining traction as a credible alternative to Nvidia's GPUs in cloud-based AI computing. We see the competitive dynamics as constructive for both TPUs and GPUs in 2026-27, with TPUs expanding more rapidly from a smaller base. TPUs have a compelling efficiency edge, offering competitive performance per ...

Core Insights - Celestica, Inc. (CLS) reported strong fourth-quarter 2025 results with adjusted earnings and revenues exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates, driven by significant growth in the Connectivity & Cloud Solutions (CCS) segment [1][9] Financial Performance - Total revenues in the CCS segment increased by 64% year over year to $2.86 billion, with the Enterprise business revenues rising by 33% and the Communications end market achieving 79% growth [2] - Celestica generated $250.6 million in cash from operations, up from $143.4 million in the previous year, and free cash flow increased by 62.7% year over year to $155.9 million, indicating strong capital management [4] - The company's inventory balance rose to $2.19 billion, an increase of $427 million compared to the prior year, while cash cycle days improved by 8 days to 61 days, reflecting efficient inventory management [5] Strategic Partnerships and Market Position - Celestica is collaborating closely with Google on complex data center hardware, serving as the preferred manufacturing partner for Google's Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), and is expanding its capacity to support the adoption of these systems [3] - The company has outperformed its peers, with its stock increasing by 125.4% over the past year, compared to 74.4% growth in the Electronics - Manufacturing Services industry [10][11] Challenges and Risks - Growth is heavily reliant on AI data center spending by hyperscalers, with significant customer concentration risk as the top three customers account for approximately 63% of total revenues [6] - The Advanced Technology Solutions segment experienced a 1% decline in revenues year over year, and the company faces challenges from foreign exchange fluctuations and geopolitical volatility [7][6] Valuation Metrics - Celestica's shares are currently trading at a premium with a price/earnings ratio of 34.42 for forward 12-month earnings, compared to 23.59 for the industry [13]

The U.S. government made headlines last year when it invested $8.9 billion into Intel and the announcement caused Intel's shares to grow through the last four months of 2025. But did the government bet on the wrong horse in the artificial intelligence (AI) hardware race? Lots of people piled into Intel when the government announced its investment, but I don't think Intel is the best American semiconductor play, even after an almost $9 billion lifeline from Washington. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our ...

Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) is one of the best Nancy Pelosi stocks to buy in 2026. On January 28, Counterpoint Research reiterated that Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO) leads the competition and is expected to remain the top AI server compute ASIC design partner. The research firm expects the company’s market share in the segment to rise to 60% by 2027 despite emerging competition from the Google-MediaTek alliance. Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) Strengthens AI and Semiconductor Leadership with Analyst Upgrades and Market ...

Core Viewpoint - Broadcom is emerging as a competitor to Nvidia in the AI sector by offering custom AI chips, potentially capturing some of Nvidia's market share, although Nvidia remains the dominant player in the market [1][2][3][7]. Group 1: Company Overview - Broadcom's revenue growth is projected to match Nvidia's at 52% for their respective upcoming fiscal years [7]. - Nvidia's market cap is approximately $4.5 trillion, while Broadcom's is around $1.6 trillion, indicating a significant size difference [6][8]. - Broadcom specializes in custom AI chips known as ASICs, which are tailored to specific client needs, contrasting with Nvidia's broad-purpose GPUs [4][6]. Group 2: Market Position and Strategy - Nvidia's GPUs are widely used in AI but come at a premium price, leading some hyperscalers to seek alternatives like Broadcom's ASICs [1][2][3]. - Broadcom has partnered with major clients, including Google for its Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), which has been pivotal in AI advancements [6]. - The market is optimistic about Broadcom's growth prospects, with custom chips expected to roll out in the coming years [6][10]. Group 3: Financial Metrics - Broadcom's stock trades at 32.4 times forward earnings, while Nvidia trades at 24.6 times FY 2027 earnings, indicating a premium for Broadcom [12]. - Analysts expect Nvidia's revenue to reach $323 billion and Broadcom's to total $133 billion in their respective fiscal years [9].

Counterpoint Research says the race to build custom AI silicon is accelerating, with hyperscalers scaling internal chips to meet surging demand. • Broadcom stock is showing upward movement. What’s driving AVGO shares up?Hyperscalers Ramp Custom AI ChipsLeading cloud and AI providers, including Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google; Amazon.com, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) Amazon Web Services; Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) ; OpenAI; ByteDance and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) , are rapidly expanding deployments of AI serve ...

Core Viewpoint - Broadcom's stock experienced significant growth in 2025, increasing by 49.3%, and investors are encouraged to evaluate future investment opportunities as the company undergoes substantial changes in 2026 [1] Group 1: Business Focus and Growth - Broadcom is shifting its focus towards custom artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator chips, which are gaining popularity and may challenge Nvidia's dominance in AI computing by 2026 [2] - The company is transitioning from a diverse product line, including mainframe hardware, cybersecurity, and networking equipment, to concentrate on its AI accelerator chip business [4] - Broadcom is becoming a key partner for AI hyperscalers, designing application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) that provide better performance at lower costs compared to traditional GPUs [5][6] Group 2: Financial Performance - In Q4 of fiscal year 2025, Broadcom's AI semiconductor revenue surged by 74% year over year to $6.5 billion, contributing to a total revenue of $18 billion for the quarter [7] - The company anticipates $8.2 billion in AI semiconductor revenue for Q1, representing a 100% year-over-year increase, with total projected revenue of $19.1 billion for the same quarter [7] - Custom AI accelerator revenue is expected to double in Q1, indicating strong growth potential for Broadcom's AI-focused business [8]

Core Viewpoint - A fresh analysis of global semiconductor supply chains indicates that hyperscaler demand is increasing, leading to tighter memory supply and reshaping the competitive landscape in the industry. Group 1: Hyperscaler Demand and Memory Pricing - Hyperscalers are securing Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) and NAND capacity in anticipation of a 50% growth in data center bits by 2026, resulting in higher contract prices [2] - DRAM contract prices are expected to rise by approximately 25% in Q1 2026 and 10%-12% in Q2 2026, while NAND prices are projected to increase by about 20% in Q1 2026 and 10%-15% in Q2 2026 [2] Group 2: Company Performance and Upgrades - Intel and AMD are highlighted as leading companies, with both upgraded to Overweight due to being largely sold out of 2026 server CPU capacity, with potential price increases of 10%-15% in Q1 2026 [4] - Micron Technology's price forecast has been raised to $450 from $325, reflecting positive views on AI compute and infrastructure demand [5] Group 3: Custom Silicon and Market Dynamics - Custom silicon is identified as a key battleground for hyperscalers, with Broadcom's Chip on Wafer on Substrate (CoWoS) supply for 2026 revised upward by 30% to 250K units, a significant increase compared to 2025 [6] - OpenAI's custom ASIC timeline has shifted to Q1 2027, with an expected lifetime unit opportunity of 1.5 million to 2 million, potentially adding $8 billion to $10 billion to Broadcom's AI backlog [7] Group 4: Challenges and Market Outlook - Higher memory prices and shortages are negatively impacting handset demand and margins, leading to lowered estimates for Qualcomm and highlighting Arm Holdings as a potential headwind due to anticipated smartphone market contraction in 2026 [9] - Memory constraints and price increases may affect PCs, smartphones, and automotive sectors, despite strong demand in AI and data center markets [9]

Core Viewpoint - Nvidia has experienced significant growth in recent years, particularly in the AI sector, and continues to show strong potential for future performance as it heads into 2026 [1][2]. Group 1: Market Position and Competitive Advantage - Nvidia holds a dominant position in the data center GPU market with a 92% market share, making it difficult for competitors to catch up [5]. - The company has established a competitive moat through its Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA), which is widely recognized as the gold standard for GPU programming and is utilized by over 4.5 million developers [10][11]. - CEO Jensen Huang has strategically positioned Nvidia to capitalize on the AI adoption wave since 2013, contributing to its current strength [4]. Group 2: Competition Landscape - Competitors such as Amazon, Alphabet's Google, and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are developing their own AI processors, with notable advancements in performance and efficiency [7][8][9]. - Amazon's Trainium 3 chip claims to be four times faster and 40% more energy-efficient than its predecessor, while Google's latest TPU offers peak performance improvements [7][8]. - AMD's MI350 processors provide four times better performance than previous versions, with upcoming MI400 series expected to be highly competitive [9]. Group 3: Valuation and Growth Prospects - Nvidia's stock is currently trading at 46 times earnings, which some investors consider high, but the company's growth trajectory justifies this premium [12][13]. - Over the past three years, Nvidia's stock has risen 1,200%, indicating strong growth that supports a higher valuation [13]. - For fiscal 2026, Nvidia is projected to increase revenue by 63% and earnings per share (EPS) by 59%, with expectations of 50% revenue growth in fiscal 2027 [14].

Industry Overview - Quantum computing is a challenging investment area, akin to early-stage biotechs, with promising results but no clear indicators of future success [1] - The industry is characterized by significant hype, leading to volatility in stocks of pure-play companies like IonQ and Rigetti Computing [2] - Many investors may avoid this sector due to its volatility and lack of a clear leader [3] Company Analysis: Alphabet - Alphabet, primarily centered around the Google ecosystem, stands to benefit significantly from developing quantum computing technology [5] - The company operates a cloud computing business, Google Cloud, which currently relies on expensive GPUs from Nvidia for computing capacity [6] - Alphabet has developed its own Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) in collaboration with Broadcom, moving closer to building its own computing hardware [7] - By developing quantum computing hardware in-house, Alphabet could enhance its cloud computing business if successful [7] - Winning the race to create the first commercially viable quantum computer could attract clients to Google Cloud, leading to increased usage of its generative AI model, Gemini [8] - Quantum computing is expected to lower the costs associated with AI training and inference, potentially making Gemini the preferred model if Alphabet achieves a quantum advantage [8] - The company has real-world applications for its technology, indicating a strong potential for growth in this area [9]