Semiconductor sales are expected to climb roughly 30% in 2026, according to some estimates, potentially pushing the industry’s revenue close to $1 trillion for the first time.
The U.S. semiconductor sector is dominated by a small group of companies whose technologies power everything from artificial intelligence to mobile connectivity. NVIDIA, Broadcom, AMD, Micron Technology, and Qualcomm sit atop the market by valuation, each in a different position within the chip ecosystem, yet all benefiting from long-term demand for advanced computing.
Semiconductor sales are expected to climb roughly 30% in 2026, according to some estimates, potentially pushing the industry’s revenue close to $1 trillion for the first time.
Stocktwits takes a closer look at the top 5 semiconductor US companies by market value.
NVIDIA
Market Cap: $4.23 Trillion
YTD Returns: 17%
Founded in 1993, NVIDIA is the undisputed leader of the sector. While it initially focused on developing GPUs for video games, the company has seen its valuation soar in recent years as generative AI and broader AI adoption have risen.
The company refers to itself on its official website as an AI computing platform provider rather than a chipmaker, emphasizing its ability to deliver accelerated computing, data center infrastructure, and full-stack AI solutions across hardware, software, and networking.
NVIDIA is seen as the driver of semiconductor market moves, and its shares regularly dictate broader chip-sector sentiment. Retail and institutional investors alike continue to see the company as the foremost beneficiary of global AI investment.
However, there have been concerns about an AI bubble, with several commentators, including Michael Burry, hinting that chipmakers are overvalued. Yet a blockbuster third-quarter earnings report in November 2025, where NVIDIA delivered another beat-and-raise, prompted most Wall Street analysts, including Wedbush’s Dan Ives, to say that ‘fears of an AI Bubble are way overstated.’
Broadcom
Market Cap: $1.54 Trillion
YTD Returns: 50%
Founded in 1991, Broadcom plays a different but no less important role in the technology ecosystem. The company's corporate materials indicate that it specializes in "enabling connectivity across data centers, enterprise networks, broadband, and wireless communications," while also making customized silicon products for large customers.
AMD
Market Cap: $322 Billion
YTD Returns: 44%
Advanced Micro Devices, founded in the summer of 1969, has built its reputation around high-performance computing. In fact, official messaging on the company's website points out that its CPUs, GPUs, and accelerators power data centers, PCs, gaming, and embedded systems.
As AMD remains one of the key competitors in the AI and server markets, investors look for every word out of product launches and outlook updates from the company. Despite intense competition, AMD remains among the top U.S. semiconductor names at the moment, thanks to its expanding presence in enterprise and data-center workloads.
Micron Technology
Market Cap: $254 Billion
YTD Returns: 130%
As the memory backbone of the industry, Micron Technology prominently highlights its website as a leading provider of memory and storage solutions, offering DRAM and NAND products for AI, cloud computing, and high-performance applications. The company has stated that AI-driven demand is driving interest in high-bandwidth memory and cementing its strategic position, even amid the memory market's cyclicality.
Qualcomm
Market Cap: $184 Billion
YTD Returns: 3%
Rounding out the group is Qualcomm, long known for dominance in mobile and wireless technology. Officially, Qualcomm positions itself as an intelligent computing company, extending from smartphones into automotive, industrial, and edge-AI applications. The company is increasingly diversifying its revenue streams, including moves into AI accelerators and next-generation connectivity solutions, as investors reassess its longer-term growth potential.
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