Goldman Sachs: 4 Must-Buy Chip Stocks, And A Few You Should Forget

Zinger Key PointsNvidia and Broadcom expected to benefit most from sustained AI infrastructure spending, says Goldman SachsCadence and Synopsys gain from rising chip design complexity in the AI eraGet daily-updated rankings across momentum, growth, value, trends, and quality to spot the strongest stocks in any market.With over $350 billion already funneled into artificial intelligence infrastructure, Goldman Sachs says the next phase of chip investing hinges on performance, cost-efficiency, and software breadth, setting the stage for new market leadersand fresh laggards.Goldman Sachs analystJames Schneider sees the AI investment cycle transitioning from blind spending to early monetization, driving both opportunities and shakeouts across the semiconductor space.In a new note shared Friday, Goldman rated seven top semiconductor stocks and introduced a “barbell” investing strategy: buy two types of companies. First, the performance leaders with strong software ecosystems. Second, the low-cost chipmakers helping companies run AI at scale."Although monetization has been elusive, we see early signs of incremental revenue and much clearer evidence of cost takeout to justify these investments," Schneider said.Four stocks earned a Buy rating:Nvidia Corp.NVDA,Broadcom Inc.AVGO,Cadence Design Systems Inc.CDNSandSynopsys Inc.SNPS. Goldman is Neutral onAdvanced Micro Devices Inc.AMD,Arm Holdings PLCARMandMarvell Technology Inc.MRVL.Nvidia And Broadcom Are Still The Big AI BetsGoldman seesNvidiaas the primary beneficiary of the ongoing AI buildout. Despite talk of “peak AI” and rising competition from custom chips, Nvidia's strong product lineup, broad customer base and early signs of AI revenue give it the edge. Goldman set a $185 price target on the stock, or 12% above current market prices.Broadcomis also a top pick. Goldman expects AI-related revenue to make up more than 40% of its total by 2026. Its strength in custom silicon for cloud giants and a solid software business make it one of the most reliable names in the space. Price target: $315, implying a 15% surge from current levels."We believe the company will leverage its leadership in enterprise networking silicon to drive outsized share in custom silicon for hyperscalers," Schneider said about Broadcom.The Quiet Power Of Cadence And SynopsysChip design is getting more complex, and that's where software firms likeCadenceandSynopsyscome in.Cadence, with a $380 price target, is gaining from the rise in custom chip development. More companies are designing their own AI chips, and Cadence provides the tools they need.Synopsys, targeted at $620, is a key player in physical chip design. Its customer base is growing fast, and Goldman sees big upside—especially if its acquisition of Ansys goes through as planned.AMD, Arm, Marvell: Neutral For NowGoldman is cautious on AMD, Arm and Marvell. While all three are involved in AI, they don't offer the same upside potential right now.“Our ratings reflect a more negative risk/reward skew on these companies' shares from current levels, or areas where we see additional downside risk to fundamentals," Schneider said.AMDis in the AI race but faces tough competition from Nvidia and others.Armhas potential, but its growth depends on how widely its chip architecture spreads outside of smartphones.Marvellhas AI exposure, but Goldman doesn't see enough upside right now to recommend buying.AI Is Already Saving Money—and That's Just the StartGoldman says the first wave of AI tools is already helping companies cut costs—especially by reducing headcount. The firm estimates these tools could save Fortune 500 companies about $935 billion by 2030. That cash could then fuel more investment in AI that actually drives revenue.Right now, real monetization is limited. Most AI tools still aren’t making serious money. But social media platforms are showing more engagement and better ad conversions. E-commerce is improving through smarter recommendation engines. That's the start of what could be a major return cycle.Key AI Trends To WatchGoldman laid out five major themes for the chip sector in the next 12 to 24 months:AI spending is shifting from hype to real returnsInventory cycles and demand mismatches will matter moreGeopolitical risks could reshape supply chainsThe battle between chip architectures—x86, ARM, RISC-V—is heating upCompanies must decide between standard chips or building custom onesLoading...Loading...Read Next:Why IonQ Is My Top Stock Pick For 2025Photo: ShutterstockAMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc$144.12-0.03%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it?Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock – anytime.Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum29.40Growth96.92Quality81.05Value13.57Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewARMARM Holdings PLC$149.990.97%AVGOBroadcom Inc$273.27-0.77%CDNSCadence Design Systems Inc$322.05-0.19%MRVLMarvell Technology Inc$72.65-0.97%NVDANVIDIA Corp$167.041.79%SNPSSynopsys Inc$571.290.90%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs© 2025 Benzinga.com. . .EarningsAnalyst RatingsOptionsDividendsIPOsdate▲▼ticker▲▼name▲▼Price Target▲▼Upside/Downside▲▼Recommendation▲▼Firm▲▼Click to see moreAnalyst RatingsupdatesAnalyst CalendarJoin Benzinga Edge and unlock all the major upgrades, downgrades, and changes to the market's most accurate analysts.Click to JoinPosted In:Analyst ColorEquitiesLarge CapTop StoriesAnalyst RatingsTech