Is It Too Late to Buy Broadcom Stock?
📉 Broadcom stock fell nearly 15% at the start of 2026 but has since rallied to be up nearly 30% year-to-date.
📈 Looking back from 2025, the stock is up approximately 90%, leading investors to question if they missed the boat.
💰 Valuation metrics show Broadcom trading at 86 times trailing earnings and 39 times forward earnings, which are considered expensive.
🤖 The market's bullishness stems from custom AI chips that offer cost-effective alternatives to broad-purpose GPUs for hyperscalers.
🏢 Alphabet's Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) partnership with Broadcom has proven successful as a major hit for the company.
🚀 Several other AI hyperscalers are expected to launch custom chip designs in production throughout 2026 and 2027.
💵 CEO Hock Tan projects that by the end of 2027, custom AI chips will generate over $100 billion in revenue for Broadcom.
📊 The AI semiconductor division generated $8.4 billion in Q1 fiscal year 2026, ending February 1st.
📉 Revenue is expected to grow from about $64 billion in fiscal year 2025 to $159 billion by the end of 2027.
🔮 Analysts believe current expensive valuations are justified by this massive projected growth trajectory.
⚠️ If custom AI chip business exceeds projections, stock could have significant upside; if it fails, the stock is in a precarious spot.
📉 Much of the anticipated growth has already been priced into the current stock price.
🏆 The Motley Fool Stock Advisor team recently identified 10 best stocks to buy now, and Broadcom was not included on that list.
📈 Historical examples show Netflix and Nvidia were recommended by Stock Advisor in 2004 and 2005 respectively with massive subsequent returns.
📊 Stock Advisor's total average return is reported at 993%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 207% return.
⚖️ Keithen Drury has disclosed positions in both Alphabet and Broadcom, and The Motley Fool holds positions in these companies.
- Broadcom stock is up nearly 30% year to date and around 90% since the start of 2025, demonstrating strong recent performance.
- Custom AI chips are becoming more popular as cost-effective alternatives to GPUs, with major AI hyperscalers like Alphabet already deploying successful designs such as the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU).
- Several other AI hyperscalers have custom chip designs entering production throughout 2026 and 2027, which is expected to significantly boost Broadcom's business.
- Broadcom CEO Hock Tan projects that by the end of 2027, custom AI chips will generate more than $100 billion in revenue for the company.
- The AI semiconductor division generated $8.4 billion in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, showing major revenue growth compared to the $64 billion total revenue in fiscal year 2025.
- Wall Street analysts expect Broadcom's revenue to reach $159 billion by the end of 2027, justifying its current valuation and suggesting potential upside if projections are exceeded.
- Broadcom trades for 24 times 2027 earnings, which is considered a more reasonable price tag based on next year's growth projections.
- Broadcom trades at 86 times trailing earnings and 39 times forward earnings, which are described as 'incredibly expensive' measures.