Global chipmakers have largely benefited from the growing artificial intelligence boom, with their stocks climbing to record levels. One of the frontrunners in this trend has been Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
In the first half of 2026, the stock surged 57%. However, investor concerns over the sustainability of the AI trade have weighed on its performance in the second half, dragging it down 15% so far. Despite the recent correction, the stock remains up 33% in 2026 and is on track to post its fifth consecutive year of gains.
What lies ahead for TSMC as AI chip demand continues to grow?
With the AI boom expected to continue in the coming years, demand for advanced chips is projected to surge, potentially supporting further growth for semiconductor companies.
Investors are now assessing the outlook for TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker by a wide margin. The company is also uniquely positioned, given its technology and expertise in manufacturing the cutting-edge chips required to power products such as Nvidia’s GPUs and Apple’s smartphones.
According to news agency Motley Fool, management’s earlier long-term forecast of 50% compound annual growth has been supported by several years of particularly strong growth in sales of high-performance computing chips. Looking ahead, the agency’s analysis suggests that a 35% growth rate for TSMC through 2030 may be a more reasonable assumption. For reference, analysts expect the company to deliver 38% growth in 2027.
Taiwan Semiconductor has also achieved a 51% profit margin over the past few quarters. The report’s author said the margin could expand as demand remains tight but has assumed a 50% margin for the estimates to maintain some conservatism.
If Taiwan Semiconductor can grow its revenue at a 35% pace from now until 2030, that would increase its revenue to $518 billion. At a 50% profit margin, that would translate into about $259 billion in profits.
The report further noted that the market currently values the stock at about 28 times earnings. Assuming its valuation slips to 25 times earnings by 2030, which would still be fairly cheap compared with its historical levels, TSMC could command a market capitalisation of $6.5 trillion.
Currently, Taiwan Semiconductor has a $2.2 trillion market capitalisation. Based on these estimates, TSMC’s stock could nearly triple in the next four years, turning a $5,000 investment into about $15,000. The report added that if the AI build-out continues at the expected pace, Taiwan Semiconductor could be one of the best stocks to own during that time frame.
TSMC posts sixth straight quarterly profit
The world’s largest contract chipmaker posted a record net profit for the sixth consecutive quarter. It reported revenue of NT$1.49 trillion ($46.36 billion), compared with the estimated NT$1.47 trillion. Net income stood at NT$763.1 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of NT$746.34 billion.
This was the record net profit delivered by the company for the sixth consecutive quarter. The company said demand for AI chips remains strong, driven by the growing adoption of agentic AI and open-source AI models, which are expected to make AI more accessible and fuel demand for advanced semiconductors.
The chipmaker also pointed to rising demand for AI accelerators and processors used in agentic AI applications and networking, adding that semiconductors are set to play an increasingly important role in the global AI supply chain.
TSMC is also reportedly considering expanding beyond Arizona and evaluating a potential investment in Texas as it looks to further strengthen its US manufacturing presence.
Looking ahead, the company forecast fourth-quarter revenue of between $52.3 billion and $54.3 billion, representing a 14% sequential increase and a 58% jump from a year earlier at the midpoint of its guidance range, according to the company’s earnings call.
The chipmaker expects its capital expenditure between 2026 and 2028 to be significantly higher than in the previous three years as it continues to ramp up investments to support growing customer demand.
Disclaimer: We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
