Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides complementary metal oxide silicon wafer fabrication processes to manufacture logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, and embedded memory semiconductors. The company also offers customer support and engineering services, as well as manufactures masks. Its products are used in high performance computing, smartphone, Internet of things, automotive, and digital consumer electronics. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company TSM, also known as TSMC, is currently focusing on its ambitious global expansion strategy to build a diversified semiconductor supply chain. The strategy will also help the company meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced computing chips.
In the United States alone, Taiwan Semiconductor is investing $165 billion to build five new state-of-the-art fabrication facilities and two advanced packaging facilities in Arizona. These facilities will boost the U.S. semiconductor supply chain for chips used in AI and high-performance computing.
In Japan, TSMC is building its second fabrication facility in Kumamoto. In Europe, the company is building a specialty fabrication facility targeting the automotive sector in Dresden, Germany. TSM is also expanding its domestic capacity with a plan to build 11 new wafer fabs and four advanced packaging facilities.
This global expansion reflects Taiwan Semiconductor’s response to customer demand for geographic flexibility and government incentives. By locating capacity closer to key clients and end markets, the company strengthens its role as a critical supplier in the semiconductor supply chain.
Nonetheless, these overseas fabs come with higher operating costs, raising questions about profitability. New fabs in the United States, Japan and Germany are vital for geopolitical risk mitigation, but they come with higher costs. These facilities are expected to drag down gross margins by 2-3 percentage points annually over the next three to five years due to higher labor and energy costs, along with lower utilization rates in the early stages.
How Are TSMC’s Rivals Working on Global Expansion?
Taiwan Semiconductor’s competitors, Intel Corporation INTC and GlobalFoundries Inc. GFS, are also expanding their global presence to compete in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
Intel is heavily focusing on expanding its fabrication capacity in the United States, where it plans to invest more than $100 billion. The investment plan includes expanding manufacturing capacity across Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Ohio. Intel’s significant U.S.-focused investment is supported by up to $7.86 billion in grants and other incentives from the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act.
GlobalFoundries, while not competing directly at the most advanced nodes, is focusing on specialty and mature processes. GlobalFoundries has planned to invest $16 billion in the United States to expand its manufacturing and advanced packaging capabilities.
TSM’s Share Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor have risen around 27.1% year to date compared with the Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s gain of 16.8%.
Taiwan Semiconductor YTD Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, TSM trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 23.63, lower than the sector’s average of 28.27.
Taiwan Semiconductor Forward 12-Month P/E Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Taiwan Semiconductor’s 2025 and 2026 earnings implies a year-over-year increase of 39.6% and 11.6%, respectively. Estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been revised downward in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Taiwan Semiconductor currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
See our %%CTA_TEXT%% report – free today!
7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

TSM Expands Global Footprint: Growth Engine or Margin Headwind?

Below is Validea's guru fundamental report for TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MFG. CO. LTD. (ADR) (TSM). Of the 22 guru strategies we follow, TSM rates highest using our Patient Investor model based on the published strategy of Warren Buffett. This strategy seeks out firms with long-term, predictable profitability and low debt that trade at reasonable valuations.
TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MFG. CO. LTD. (ADR) (TSM) is a large-cap growth stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating using this strategy is 100% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MFG. CO. LTD. (ADR)
More Information on Warren Buffett
About Warren Buffett: Warren Buffett is considered by many to be the greatest investor of all time. As the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 for decades, and in the process has become one of the world's richest men. (Forbes puts his net worth at $37 billion.) Despite his fortune, Buffett is known for living a modest lifestyle, by billionaire standards. His primary residence remains the gray stucco Nebraska home he purchased for $31,500 nearly 50 years ago, according to Forbes, and his folksy Midwestern manner and penchant for simple pleasures -- a cherry Coke, a good burger, and a good book are all near the top of the list -- have been well-documented.
Additional Research Links
High Insider Ownership Stocks
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

TSM Factor-Based Stock Analysis - Warren Buffett

Key Points
AI stocks span from speculative microcaps to established megacaps across the $286 billion AI data center chip market opportunity.
Lesser-known plays like Serve Robotics and Oklo offer high-risk, high-reward exposure to AI's next frontiers.
Infrastructure providers CoreWeave and Snowflake are building the critical backbone for enterprise AI adoption.
Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks continue dominating market headlines as companies race to capitalize on the $286 billion AI data center chip market projected by 2030. While megacaps like Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) grab attention, savvy investors are hunting for the next wave of AI winners across robotics, cloud infrastructure, and the critical supply chain powering this revolution.
From autonomous delivery robots navigating city sidewalks to nuclear reactors powering tomorrow's data centers, here are 10 AI stocks positioned to ride the next wave of technological disruption -- ranging from speculative bets to established giants.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
1. The last-mile AI revolution
Serve Robotics (NASDAQ: SERV) develops AI-powered sidewalk delivery robots designed for the last mile. The company is rolling out fleets through partnerships with businesses such as Uber Eats and is targeting thousands of units on city streets by the end of 2025. Still early stage and unprofitable, Serve offers investors highly speculative exposure to autonomous robotics as labor costs rise and demand for automated delivery grows.
2. Powering the AI energy crisis
Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) is developing compact, fast nuclear microreactors--known as Aurora--to deliver clean, round-the-clock power to AI data centers and remote or high-demand facilities. In March, Oklo boosted the Aurora capacity to 75 MW to better align with large-scale AI energy needs. In July, it partnered with Vertiv to co-design integrated power and cooling solutions for future deployments. Commercial operation is targeted for late 2027 to early 2028, though widespread scale-up remains a few years away.
3. The photonic computing wildcard
Poet Technologies (NASDAQ: POET) develops photonic chips that could dramatically reduce AI processing power requirements. This is an early-stage investment with high technological risk. Optical computing promises to solve AI bottlenecks, but commercialization remains unproven.
4. The custom chip kingmaker
Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) is emerging as the custom chip kingmaker, supplying application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) designed to handle AI workloads more efficiently than general purpose graphics processing units (GPUs). In its fiscal third-quarter 2025 results, Broadcom reported AI revenue up 63% year over year to $5.2 billion, alongside a $10 billion custom chip order widely believed to come from OpenAI. As hyperscalers seek alternatives to Nvidia, Broadcom's tailored silicon is becoming a preferred option for scaling AI infrastructure.
5. The efficiency enabler
Navitas Semiconductor (NASDAQ: NVTS) makes gallium nitride chips delivering three-times better power efficiency for data centers -- critical as AI facilities approach city-sized energy consumption. With each new cluster consuming megawatts, Navitas's power management solutions are essential for sustainable AI scaling.
6. The GPU cloud disruptor
CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) is a specialized cloud provider built for GPU-intensive AI workloads. In March 2025, it struck a five-year agreement worth up to $11.9 billion to supply infrastructure to OpenAI, followed by a $4 billion expansion announced in May. Alongside its acquisition of Weights & Biases, these moves cement CoreWeave's role as a lower-cost alternative to the hyperscalers for companies scaling AI.
7. The data backbone
Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW) is positioning itself as the AI Data Cloud, helping enterprises unlock siloed data for training and inference. Its Arctic LLM and Cortex AI tools strengthen its role in enterprise AI, but the challenge will be proving it can turn rapid product rollouts into durable revenue growth.
8. The enterprise AI accelerator
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) is gaining traction with its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), which helps enterprises deploy AI through hands-on boot camps that drive rapid adoption. U.S. commercial revenue grew by a staggering 93% year over year in the most recent quarter, showing momentum beyond government contracts, though the stock trades at a premium valuation that already reflects high expectations.
9. The chip manufacturing monopoly
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) is the world's dominant chip foundry, producing nearly every cutting-edge AI processor from Nvidia, AMD, and Apple. Its 3-nanometer (NM) process gives it about a two-year lead over rivals, ensuring pricing power as AI demand soars, though geopolitical risk around Taiwan remains an overhang.
10. The ultimate bottleneck
ASML Holding (NASDAQ: ASML) owns the only extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines capable of manufacturing cutting-edge AI chips. With each machine costing $380 million and multiyear wait times, ASML controls the AI industry's most critical chokepoint.
Size your positions accordingly
This list spans from speculative microcaps to blue chip giants. Investors should size positions according to risk tolerance and growth goals. Established players like TSM and ASML provide stability, while names such as Serve and Poet offer lottery-ticket upside.
Should you invest $1,000 in Serve Robotics right now?
Before you buy stock in Serve Robotics, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Serve Robotics wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $671,288!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,031,659!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,056% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 8, 2025
George Budwell has positions in Apple, Navitas Semiconductor, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, Serve Robotics, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ASML, Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, Serve Robotics, Snowflake, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

10 Top AI Stocks to Buy Now

Key Points
Companies can't get enough AI chips, and that spells more growth for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.
Apple has competitive advantages that could make it a sleeper AI stock to buy right now.
The artificial intelligence (AI) market is expected to add trillions to the global economy, and investors looking for rewarding buy-and-hold investments in the field don't need to take high risks. Investing in companies that are supplying the computing hardware to power AI technology, as well as those that could benefit from growing adoption of AI-powered consumer products, could earn satisfactory returns. Here are two stocks to consider buying for the long term.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
1. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
AI doesn't work without the right chips to train computers to think for themselves. While Nvidia and Broadcom report strong growth, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) is the one making the chips for these semiconductor companies. TSMC controls over 65% of the chip foundry market, according to Counterpoint, making it the default chip factory for smartphones, computers, and AI.
TSMC manufactures chips that are used in several other markets, including automotive and smart devices. This means that when one market is weak, such as automotive, strength from another (high-performance computing and AI, for example) can pick up the slack.
TSMC's manufacturing capacity is immense. It can make 17 million 12-inch equivalent silicon wafers every year.
Its massive scale and expertise at making the most advanced chips in the world put it in a lucrative position. Over the last year, it earned $45 billion in net income on $106 billion of revenue. It has delivered double-digit annualized revenue growth over the last few decades, and management expects this growth to continue.
In the second quarter, revenue grew 44% year over year. This growth has pushed the stock up 51% over the past year. Management expects AI chip revenue to grow at an annualized rate in the mid-40s range over the next five years, which is a catalyst for long-term investors.
With Wall Street analysts expecting the company's earnings per share to grow at an annualized rate of 21% in the coming years, the stock should continue to hit new highs, as it still trades at a reasonable forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 24.
2. Apple
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) hasn't made a huge splash in AI yet. Apple Intelligence brought some useful features to its devices, such as AI summaries and image creation, but it's not as robust as customers were expecting. However, investors shouldn't count the most valuable consumer brand out just yet. Apple has a large installed base of active devices, and millions of customers trust Apple with their personal data, which could put it in a strong position to benefit from AI over the long term.
Apple previously partnered with OpenAI for ChatGPT integration across its products, but with OpenAI now positioning itself as a competitor after bringing in Apple's former product designer Jony Ive, Apple is rumored to be exploring a partnership with Alphabet's Google's Gemini to power its Siri voice assistant.
Apple appears to be a sleeping giant in AI. Millions of people are walking around with a device that Apple can turn into a super-intelligent assistant with a single software update. Its large installed base of over 2.35 billion active devices is a major advantage that shouldn't be underestimated.
But Apple has another important advantage that other tech companies can't match: consumer trust. Apple has built its brand around protecting user privacy, whereas Alphabet's Google and Meta Platforms have profited off their users' data to grow their advertising revenue. A partnership with Google for AI would not comprise Apple's position on user privacy, since Google would need to provide a custom model that runs on Apple's private cloud.
For these reasons, Apple is well-positioned to be a leader in AI, making its stock a solid buy-and-hold investment. It says a lot about its growth potential that analysts still expect earnings to grow 10% per year despite the fact that the company is lagging behind in AI. The stock's forward P/E of 32 is on the high side, but that also reflects investor optimism about its long-term prospects.
Should you invest $1,000 in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing right now?
Before you buy stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $671,288!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,031,659!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,056% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 8, 2025
John Ballard has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Buy Now and Hold Forever: 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Leaders

Analog Devices ADI shares have climbed 17.2% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the Zacks Semiconductor - Analog and Mixed industry’s growth of 12.4%. This outperformance raises the question: Should investors accumulate ADI shares or book profits and exit the investment?
ADI YTD Performance Chart
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ADI Benefits From Diversified Growth Across End Markets
Analog Devices is experiencing growth across all of its end markets, including Industrial, Communications, Consumer and Automotive. The Industrial segment is recovering on the back of accelerated growth in subsegments like instrumentation, automation, health care, aerospace and defense and energy management, as mentioned in their earnings call.
Other segments like Communications are growing on the back of robust traction in wireline, data center, and wireless infrastructure supporting AI demand, while the Consumer segment is capitalizing on growing demand for handsets, gaming, hearables, and wearables. The Automotive segment is banking its growth on the Advanced Driver Assistance System, the Electric Vehicle division and in-vehicle infotainment content.
Emerging opportunities, including Industrial automation, which crossed more than $1 billion in business, are now experiencing double-digit growth. Moreover, growing adoption of robotics in logistics, agriculture, and healthcare is also a driving factor for Analog Devices. These factors have helped Analog Devices to deliver a solid performance in its third quarter of fiscal 2025, with revenues reaching $2.88 billion and 25% year-over-year growth.
Analog Devices’ hybrid manufacturing strategy provides a significant competitive advantage by balancing internal production capacity with external partnerships. This approach enhances supply-chain flexibility and reduces geopolitical risk, ensuring consistent product availability for customers. Based on these factors, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ADI’s fiscal 2025 revenues is pegged at $10.8 billion, indicating 14.8% year-over-year growth.
Analog Devices Benefits From Strong Partnerships
Analog Devices has a solid partner base, which not only enables it to outsource when needed but also acts as a catalyst for technological leadership. Analog Devices is partnered with Teradyne TER, Honeywell International HON and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company TSM.
Analog Devices is focusing on reducing supply chain risks while enabling itself to scale production quickly. The company has partnered with TSMC’s subsidiary JASM, which will ensure wafer supply for advanced manufacturing needs, such as wireless BMS and Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link applications.
Analog Devices and Honeywell have signed a memorandum of understanding to digitize commercial buildings without replacing existing wiring, reducing costs and waste while increasing network uptime. Analog Devices will deploy ADI’s single-pair Ethernet (T1L) and software-configurable I/O into Honeywell’s building management systems.
Analog Devices has also partnered with Teradyne to advance its footprint in the robotics market. ADI’s positioning and dynamic motion control systems are enabling Teradyne to develop high-performing cobots and autonomous mobile robots for the logistics industry. These factors will stabilize ADI’s top line and strengthen its earnings. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ADI’s fiscal 2025 and 2026 earnings is expected to grow 20.5% and 20%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Analog Devices Trades at a Premium Valuation
From a valuation standpoint, CYBR trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 10.28X, above the industry’s 7.7X.
ADI Forward 12 Month (P/S) Valuation Chart
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion: Buy ADI Stock Now
Although ADI stock trades at a premium valuation, its robust fundamentals, solid revenue growth prospects and strong partner base justify its current valuation. Considering all these factors, we suggest that investors should buy ADI stock right now. ADI flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Quantum Computing Stocks Set To Soar
Artificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.
Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.
Access the Report Free Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Should You Buy, Sell or Hold ADI Stock After a 17.2% YTD Rise?

Key Points
Investing in the companies powering artificial intelligence (AI) models is a smart move.
AI hyperscalers are spending billions on data centers, but are also recouping some of that investment by renting out computing power.
Artificial intelligence (AI) investing remains a primary driver in the market, fueled by massive capital expenditures in data centers by AI hyperscalers. There are numerous AI stocks that investors can consider right now, and this list can serve as a starting point for further research on which AI stocks appear to be great buys.
I've got 10 on my short list for top AI stocks to buy now, but there are likely many more beyond this.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »
1. Nvidia
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has been a leader in AI investing since its inception, primarily due to its industry-leading graphics processing units (GPUs), which have been widely utilized to train and run AI models. The company projects monster growth for its GPUs over the next five years, as it expects data center capital expenditures to rise from $600 billion this year to $3 trillion to $4 trillion by 2030.
We'll see if this projection pans out, but there's still massive computing demand for AI, and Nvidia is the top provider in this segment.
2. Broadcom
Another company heavily involved in this sector is Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO). Broadcom has two major products being used in AI data centers: its connectivity switches and its custom AI accelerators. The biggest growth story for Broadcom is these custom AI accelerators, which are alternatives to Nvidia's GPUs that are designed in conjunction with the end user.
This could be a huge market for Broadcom, and makes me bullish on the stock.
3. Taiwan Semiconductor
Neither Nvidia nor Broadcom can produce chips themselves, so they outsource the fabrication work of their designs to Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM). TSMC is the world's largest chip foundry and has established a reputation for continuous innovation and delivering best-in-class product yields.
It's slated to capitalize on the massive AI arms race spending, regardless of which companies are using computing devices, making it an excellent AI investment on the chip side of AI.
4. ASML
ASML (NASDAQ: ASML) is a key equipment supplier to chip foundries, such as Taiwan Semiconductor, as it holds a technological monopoly with its primary product: the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine. This allows chip manufacturers to lay down microscopic electrical traces. Without ASML, none of the cutting-edge chip technology we know today would be possible.
With the stock down about 30% from its all-time high (at the time of this writing), it appears to be a tremendous opportunity to scoop up while it's on sale.
5. Alphabet
Moving to the AI hyperscaler side, Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) looks like a strong investment. Although many assumed that Alphabet had fallen too far behind in the AI arms race to be a worthy competitor, it has emerged as one of the top players. Its generative AI model, Gemini, is one of the best available, and with Alphabet integrating it into its Google Search engine, it's easily one of the most used.
Alphabet still trades at a discount to its big tech peers despite its recent success, and that could be a prime opportunity to make a profit over the next five years.
6. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is also heavily investing in AI. It's spent a ton of money hiring the best AI talent possible, and now it has reached a point where it's focusing that all-star lineup on various AI goals.
Time will tell whether this is a winning strategy, but Meta is giving itself the best chance to succeed by equipping itself with the brightest minds to lead its various AI initiatives.
7. Amazon
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) may not be the first company you think of when you hear AI, but its cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services (AWS), is a huge part of the AI build-out trend. Most companies can't afford to build out a massive data center specifically for AI, so they rent it from a cloud computing provider like AWS.
AWS is a significant contributor to Amazon's profitability, generating 53% of Amazon's operating profits in Q2, despite accounting for only 18% of revenue. Cloud computing has a massive tailwind blowing in its favor, and investing in companies with this business is a genius idea.
8. Microsoft
AWS is the largest cloud computing provider, but Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Azure is quickly gaining ground. Azure has grown rapidly over the past few years, with its Q4 FY 2025 growth rate (ending June 30) coming in at 39%. That's far quicker than AWS's 17% growth rate, making Microsoft an interesting stock to watch in this space.
9. SoundHound AI
SoundHound AI (NASDAQ: SOUN) is quite a bit smaller than nearly every company on this list, but it's growing at a rapid pace. SoundHound AI's technology combines AI with audio recognition, which can be used to automate millions of jobs. In Q2, its revenue grew at a jaw-dropping 217% year-over-year pace, providing an incredibly bullish outlook for the future.
Management believes they can deliver 50% organic growth for the foreseeable future, which would lead to an incredible stock performance.
10. The Trade Desk
Last on this list is The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD), which has struggled lately. The stock is down over 60% from its all-time high because it's experiencing issues transitioning users from its old platform to its new AI-first platform, Kokai.
However, The Trade Desk is well-positioned to capitalize on the digital ad market. Once it gets the transition on track, it will become a leading competitor in a rapidly growing space.
Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?
Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nvidia wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $670,781!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,023,752!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,052% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 8, 2025
Keithen Drury has positions in ASML, Alphabet, Amazon, Broadcom, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ASML, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

What Are the 10 Top Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Buy Right Now?

The following are the top rated Information Technology stocks according to Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
FORTINET INC (FTNT) is a large-cap growth stock in the Software & Programming industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Fortinet, Inc. is engaged in cybersecurity, driving the convergence of networking and security. The Companys integrated platform, Fortinet Security Fabric, spans secure networking, unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven security operations (SecOps). Its products and services include FortiOS, FortiASIC, FortiCloud, FortiAI, FortiEndpoint, and OT Security. The FortiGuard Labs is a cybersecurity threat intelligence and research organization comprised of experienced threat hunters, researchers, analysts, engineers and data scientists who develop and utilize machine learning and AI technologies. FortiGuard and Other Security Services are a suite of AI-powered security capabilities that are integrated as part of the Fortinet Security Fabric to deliver coordinated detection and enforcement across the entire attack surface. FortiCare Technical Support Service is a per-device technical support service. It also operates Fortinet Training Institute.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of FORTINET INC
UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP (ADR) (UMC) is a large-cap value stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: United Microelectronics Corp is a global semiconductor foundry. The Company provides integrated circuit (IC) production for applications spanning every sector of the electronics industry. The Company operates through two segments. The Wafer Fabrication segment is mainly engaged in the manufacture of chips to the design specifications of its customers by using its own processes and techniques. The New Business segment is engaged in the research, development, manufacture and provision of solar energy. The Company is engaged in the maintenance of a customer base across various industries, including communication, consumer electronics, computer, memory, new generation light-emitting diode (LED) and others, while focusing on manufacturing for applications, including networking, telecommunications, Internet, multimedia, personal computers (PCs) and graphics.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP (ADR)
QUALCOMM INC (QCOM) is a large-cap growth stock in the Communications Equipment industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Qualcomm Incorporated is engaged in the development and commercialization of foundational technologies for the wireless industry, including third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G) and fifth generation (5G) wireless connectivity, and high-performance and low-power computing, including on-device artificial intelligence. Its segments include Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT), Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL) and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives. QCT develops and supplies integrated circuits and system software based on 3G/4G/5G and other technologies, including radio frequency front-end, digital cockpit and advanced driver assistance and automated driving, Internet of things including consumer electronic devices, industrial devices and edge networking products. QTL grants licenses or otherwise provides rights to use portions of its intellectual property portfolio that includes certain patent rights essential to and/or useful in the manufacture and sale of certain wireless products.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of QUALCOMM INC
APPLIED MATERIALS INC (AMAT) is a large-cap growth stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Applied Materials, Inc. is a materials engineering solution company. The Company provides equipment, services and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. It operates in three segments: Semiconductor Systems, Applied Global Services (AGS), and Display. The Semiconductor systems segment designs, develops, manufactures and sells a range of primarily 300 mm equipment used to fabricate semiconductor chips, also referred to as integrated circuits (ICs). The AGS segment provides services, spares and factory automation software to customer fabrication plants globally. The AGS segment also manufactures and sells 200mm and other equipment. The Display segment is comprised primarily of products for manufacturing liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and other display technologies for televisions, monitors, laptops, personal computers (PCs), tablets, smartphones, and other consumer-oriented devices.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of APPLIED MATERIALS INC
TAIWAN SEMICNDCTR MNUFCTRNG CO LTD (ADR) (TSM) is a large-cap growth stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 87% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd is a Taiwan-based company mainly engaged in the provision of integrated circuit manufacturing services. The integrated circuit manufacturing services include process technology, special process technology, design ecosystem support, mask technology, 3DFabricTM advanced packaging and silicon stacking technology services. The Company has completed the transfer and mass production of 5nm technology, and is engaged in the research and development of 3nm process technology and 2nm process technology. The product application range covers the entire electronic application industry, including personal computers and peripheral products, information application products, wired and wireless communication system products, servers and data centers.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of TAIWAN SEMICNDCTR MNUFCTRNG CO LTD (ADR)
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Validea's Top Information Technology Stocks Based On Peter Lynch - 9/8/2025

Key Points
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is preparing to start producing chips using its new 2-nanometer manufacturing process.
The foundry giant is seeing huge preorder demand for its 2nm production capacity.
Nvidia recently made an incredibly bullish projection about the outlook for AI infrastructure spending.
There are currently only three companies with market caps above $3 trillion: Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple. However, that list could easily expand over the next five years. One that I think could join this club by 2030 is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM).
Currently, Taiwan Semiconductor has a $1.2 trillion market cap, so a $3 trillion valuation would require the stock to rise by 150%. That would be a significant shift for a megacap company in just five years, but considering the massive tailwinds Taiwan Semiconductor has been experiencing, I think it's a no-brainer prediction.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »
Taiwan Semiconductor is a key supplier in the AI realm
Taiwan Semiconductor is the world's largest chip foundry. It handles chip production for some of the most dominant names in tech, including Nvidia and Apple. Neither of those two has the capabilities to produce chips in-house; they design their chips internally, then outsource the fabrication to Taiwan Semiconductor.
Many times, Taiwan Semiconductor produces chips for companies that are direct competitors with each other, such as GPUs for both AMD and Nvidia, or the chips that power both Apple's iPhones and Google's Pixel phones. But because it isn't trying to market competing chips of its own designs, it can stay neutral.
Taiwan Semiconductor rose to the top of the chip foundry industry by continuously innovating and delivering excellent production yields. Currently, it is capable of producing 3-nanometer (nm) chips -- the most powerful, cutting-edge, and feature-dense chips being made commercially anywhere. However, in general, corporate customers aren't looking for increased computing speed right now. They're primarily concerned with power consumption, especially clients in the AI realm, where the electricity required to run massive data centers could become a limiting factor.
Later this year, Taiwan Semiconductor will start producing chips using its 2nm process node. Those chips will consume 25% to 30% less power when configured to run at the same speeds as 3nm chips. Beyond that, it is developing 1.6nm and 1.4nm chip nodes, which it anticipates will improve upon the 2nm chip node's power consumption by similar amounts.
The demand for 2nm chips looks to be staggering and could provide another growth boost to Taiwan Semiconductor. Considering its latest results, I'm also unsure whether it needs this boost, which could lead to even greater shareholder returns.
Growing data center capital expenditures will give TSMC a huge boost
In Q2, Taiwan Semiconductor's revenue rose 44% year over year in U.S. dollars. For Q3, management forecasts revenue of approximately $32.4 billion at the midpoint of its guidance range, which would be a 38% increase. That's an incredibly successful business, and its growth rate doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.
In the quarter, 60% of Taiwan Semiconductor's revenue came from its high-powered computing segment, indicating a massive demand for chips that go into products like Nvidia's GPUs, which are providing much of the key computing power that underpins the AI revolution. We've already seen announcements from the AI hyperscalers that they will set new records for data center spending in 2026. Furthermore, Nvidia told investors that it expects data center capital expenditures to reach $3 trillion to $4 trillion annually by the end of the decade, up from the $600 billion it expects in 2025.
That implies a 38% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between now and 2030. Given that Taiwan Semiconductor is the primary manufacturer of nearly every high-powered computing chip that goes into an AI data center, it's not unrealistic to expect it to achieve that kind of growth rate.
If Taiwan Semiconductor did deliver a 38% CAGR in revenues over the next five years, and its shares followed suit, it would grow from a $1.2 trillion business to a $6 trillion one. A far more conservative estimate for a compound annual growth rate of around 25% would still allow the company to be worth $3 trillion by 2030.
Taiwan Semiconductor is one of the key players in the AI sector, and there is still immense upside for its stock, making it a top buy now.
Should you invest $1,000 in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing right now?
Before you buy stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $670,781!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,023,752!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,052% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025
Keithen Drury has positions in Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Prediction: This Unstoppable Stock Could Be the Next $3 Trillion Titan (Hint: It's Not Tesla)

Key Points
Nvidia and TSMC are well-positioned to benefit from massive AI spending.
Alphabet trades at a relatively low valuation despite its success.
The Trade Desk is going through a rough patch, but should recover.
As we enter September, investors are beginning to shift their mindsets, reviewing their portfolios' performance so far in 2025 and considering what 2026 may hold. However, there are still some bargains available in the stock market, so investors need to be mindful that they're not leaving potential returns on the table by ignoring the current market conditions.
I've identified four stocks that I believe could deliver excellent returns throughout the remainder of 2025 and into 2026, and are worth buying now.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Nvidia
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has long been listed as a best buy due to its role in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Its graphics processing units (GPUs) provide the key computing muscle that powers these models, and their use has spiked over the past few years.
During its fiscal 2026 second-quarter conference call, Nvidia made it clear that the spending on AI infrastructure isn't slowing down. In fact, CEO Jensen Huang said he expects the total capital expenditures of the four major AI hyperscalers to exceed $600 billion in 2025. Moreover, over the next five years, he anticipates $3 trillion to $4 trillion in total AI infrastructure spending.
Although that may be an optimistic projection, Nvidia stands to benefit even if its market opportunity is only half that much. As a result, Nvidia stock still appears to be a great one to buy and hold throughout the AI arms race.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) has a bullish outlook for many of the same reasons that Nvidia does, but it's a less aggressive investment pick. Taiwan Semiconductor is the leading third-party contract chipmaker worldwide, fabricating chips for companies such as Nvidia, Apple, Broadcom, and Advanced Micro Devices.
Nvidia is likely its fastest-growing customer, but if another company emerges and overtakes Nvidia by offering better hardware for AI training and inference, chances are that Taiwan Semiconductor will still manufacture those chips. This makes TSMC an excellent stock to buy and hold, and it's also trading at a reasonable valuation.
At 23.7 times forward earnings, Taiwan Semiconductor is actually slightly cheaper than the broader market (as measured by the S&P 500 index), which trades now at 24 times forward earnings. With Taiwan Semiconductor growing its top line at a 44% pace in the second quarter, it makes for an excellent stock pick.
Alphabet
If Taiwan Semiconductor looks reasonably valued, then Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) looks downright cheap at 21.4 times its expected forward earnings.
That's a significant discount to the broader market, yet Alphabet, the parent company of Google and other brands, is doing quite well. In Q2, its revenue rose 14% year over year, and diluted earnings per share (EPS) rose 22%. It appears to be in a strong position, though many investors feared that the rising use of generative AI would sap its Google Search revenues.
Alphabet has proven itself to be a worthy competitor in the AI revolution, and the predictions of its downfall seem to be proving unfounded.
The Trade Desk
Lastly, there is The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD), an advertising technology platform. The Trade Desk has faced some challenges in migrating clients to its AI-first platform, Kokai. This has caused some issues for the business along the way, and in Q2, The Trade Desk posted growth of 19% -- its slowest growth rate ever outside of one quarter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To make matters worse, its Q3 growth rate is expected to be just 14%. This downbeat outlook led investors to sell the stock off heavily. It's now down by about 60% from its all-time high.
However, there are still significant tailwinds blowing in the ad tech space, and The Trade Desk remains a leader in it. I'm confident the company will be able to turn things around over the long term, which would make purchasing the stock at today's lower price a smart move.
Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?
Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nvidia wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $678,148!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,052,193!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,065% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 186% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025
Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet, Broadcom, Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Apple, Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and The Trade Desk. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

4 Brilliant Stocks to Buy in September

Astera Labs: An Emerging AI Leader
Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock Astera Labs (ALAB) is a fabless semiconductor company that develops “purpose-built connectivity solutions for rack-scale AI and cloud infrastructure. In other words, they build the “nervous system” that allows powerful components in an AI server, like GPUs, CPUs, and memory, to communicate with each other effectively. ALAB operates a fabless business model, which means they focus on the design of the chip and software but outsource manufacturing to third-party chip makers like Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM).
ALAB: Providing A Solution to AI Scalability
As investors have learned over the past few years, the demand for AI models and the components that ‘train them’ has grown exponentially. AI capital expenditure (CAPEX) spending among major tech companies like Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), Meta Platforms (META), and Alphabet (GOOGL) is expected to be in the $400 billion range for full-year 2025 as big tech juggernauts race to keep up with soaring demand for AI compute power. However, as data center size and complexity have exploded, these companies must move beyond single-server architecture. This is where ALAB comes in. Astera Labs technology is the new industry standard. The technology allows “rack-scale” AI, where multiple servers can act in concert, alleviating data transfer bottlenecks and producing rapid, efficient, and reliable connectivity.
ALAB Earnings are Exploding
The aforementioned growing speed requirements and system complexities of AI and cloud infrastructure bode well for Astera Labs. ALAB’s recent earnings history illustrates that the company has already emerged as a leader in next-generation data center connectivity. In fact, ALAB has beat Zacks Consensus EPS Estimates for four straight quarters, with a juicy beat margin of 32.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Meanwhile, Wall Street analysts believe that ALAB’s products will continue to be in high demand well into the future. Several analysts tracked by Zacks Investment Research have upped estimates over the past two months, and these analysts expect the company to grow full-year EPS by a robust 88.10% in 2025 and 24.14% in 2026.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ALAB Technical View: Post-EPS Drift Potential
ALAB’s price and volume action are jiving with its robust fundamental picture. ALAB shares bolted ~29% in early August after the company smashed Wall Street expectations. Additionally, volume increased 220% for the session, signaling heavy demand. Since then, ALAB shares have held gains, signaling that bulls are unwilling to part with shares.
Image Source: TradingView
Bottom Line
Astera Labs is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the explosive growth of AI infrastructure. With its groundbreaking technology, the company is addressing critical data bottlenecks inherent in next-generation data centers.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.
See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.