Retail Investors Show Strong Preference for ETFs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 01 2026
0mins
Should l Buy TSM?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Retail Investment Trend: According to BlackRock, retail ownership of U.S. stocks has surged to nearly 20% of average daily trading activity, a significant increase from the low single digits prior to the pandemic, highlighting the growing importance of retail investors in the market.
- Popularity of ETFs: ETFs like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust are favored on the Robinhood platform for their low costs and convenience, serving as primary vehicles for gaining exposure to large-cap U.S. stocks, reflecting confidence in overall economic performance.
- Attraction of Bond ETFs: The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF offers high-quality investment-grade bonds with an average coupon of 3.8%, making it suitable for medium- to long-term investors seeking reliable income, underscoring the importance of bonds in a 60-40 investment portfolio.
- International Market Investment Opportunities: The Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF provide investors access to international stocks, and while emerging markets carry higher risks, their long-term growth potential attracts investors looking for diversified investment options.
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Analyst Views on TSM
Wall Street analysts forecast TSM stock price to fall
8 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 341.490
Low
63.24
Averages
313.46
High
390.00
Current: 341.490
Low
63.24
Averages
313.46
High
390.00
About TSM
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd is a Taiwan-based integrated circuit foundry service provider. The Company is primarily engaged in integrated circuit manufacturing services. It offers advanced process technologies, specialised process solutions, advanced photomask and silicon stacking, and packaging-related technologies, while supporting a comprehensive design ecosystem. The Company's products serve diverse electronic sectors including artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, wired and wireless communications, automotive and industrial equipment, personal computing, information applications, consumer electronics, smart internet of things, and wearable devices.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
TSMC to Begin Mass Production of 3nm Chips in Japan by 2028
- Advanced Process Expansion: TSMC plans to start mass production of 3nm chips at its Kumamoto facility in Japan by 2028, targeting a monthly capacity of 15,000 12-inch wafers, marking Japan's first domestic production of 3nm chips and enhancing its competitiveness in high-performance computing and AI.
- Significant Investment: The investment for the second fab plant has reached $17 billion, primarily supported by substantial Japanese government subsidies, reflecting TSMC's commitment to the Japanese market and its strategy to diversify production amid geopolitical risks.
- Notable Technology Upgrade: The upgrade from the initially planned 6-12nm processes to the advanced 3nm technology significantly expands semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, addressing the surging demand for AI chips and laying the groundwork for future electronic products.
- Deepening Strategic Cooperation: The project's advancement is bolstered by the trust between Taiwan and Japan, with TSMC CEO CC Wei announcing the initiative during talks with Japan's PM Sanae Takaichi in 2026, further solidifying bilateral cooperation in the semiconductor sector.
See More
Investment Opportunities in the Great Rotation
- AI Infrastructure Growth: Broadcom forecasts its AI ASIC revenue will soar to over $100 billion next fiscal year, which is 1.5 times its total revenue from fiscal 2025, highlighting its critical role in AI infrastructure development and driving sustained growth for years to come.
- Data Center Networking Demand: With AI chip cluster sizes expected to exceed 1 million chips, Broadcom's leadership in the data center networking market will enable it to benefit by ensuring chips work efficiently together, thereby enhancing investment returns.
- Semiconductor Manufacturing Advantage: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) holds a near-monopoly in advanced chip manufacturing, benefiting from both GPUs and AI ASICs, positioning itself at the forefront of every major chip trend over the next decade, driving continuous growth.
- High-Quality Growth Stocks: During market rotations, investors should focus on high-quality growth stocks like Broadcom and TSMC; while value and small-cap stocks gain traction, revenue and earnings growth remain the primary drivers of stock prices over the long term.
See More
AI Infrastructure Trends Favor Broadcom and TSMC
- Market Trends Favorable: With the rapid growth in AI infrastructure demand, Broadcom and TSMC are positioned to benefit significantly as core players, especially as market funds shift from large-cap tech stocks to value stocks, creating a buying opportunity amid stock price pullbacks.
- Chip Cluster Expansion: Broadcom anticipates AI chip clusters will exceed 1 million chips, which will greatly enhance the importance of data center networking; as a market leader, Broadcom will ensure efficient chip collaboration through its networking components, thereby maximizing client investment utilization.
- Surge in Custom Chip Demand: Broadcom leads in ASIC technology, forecasting its AI ASIC revenue to soar to over $100 billion next fiscal year, which is 1.5 times its total revenue for fiscal 2025, indicating strong market demand for custom AI chips.
- TSMC's Monopoly Advantage: As a near-monopoly in advanced chip manufacturing, TSMC is at the forefront of every major chip trend, particularly with the growing demand for AI workloads and high-performance CPUs, making its production capabilities crucial in the autonomous vehicle and robotaxi revolution.
See More
Semiconductor Stocks Lead AI Investment Surge
- Surging Market Demand: Taiwan Semiconductor expects the AI chip market to grow at a mid-to-high 50% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, planning to invest between $52 billion and $56 billion in capital expenditures in 2023 to meet rising demand, thereby solidifying its leadership in the AI sector.
- Memory Chip Outlook: Micron Technology anticipates the high-bandwidth memory market will expand from $35 billion to $100 billion between 2025 and 2028; despite price cooling due to Google's TurboQuant algorithm, the sustained demand for memory chips highlights its long-term investment value.
- Custom Chip Innovation: Broadcom focuses on designing custom AI chips, which are expected to generate over $100 billion in annual revenue by 2027, benefiting from the increasing demand for specific workloads in the AI industry, showcasing significant growth potential.
- GPU Market Leadership: Nvidia is projected to see a 71% revenue increase this year and 30% next year, with its stock trading at a forward P/E of only 20.2, close to the S&P 500's 20.4, indicating a rare investment opportunity that investors should not overlook.
See More
Semiconductor Sector Seizes Growth Opportunities Amid AI Demand
- Surging Market Demand: Taiwan Semiconductor expects the AI chip market to grow at a mid- to high-50% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, planning to invest $52 billion to $56 billion in capital expenditures in 2023, thereby solidifying its leadership position in the AI competition.
- Memory Chip Demand: Micron Technology anticipates the high-bandwidth memory market will expand from $35 billion to $100 billion between 2025 and 2028, and despite price cooling due to Google's TurboQuant algorithm, the strong demand for memory indicates significant investment potential in the coming years.
- Custom Chip Innovation: Broadcom is set to benefit from the skyrocketing demand for custom AI chips, with projections indicating these chips could generate over $100 billion annually by the end of 2027, highlighting Broadcom's substantial growth potential with its $68 billion annual revenue.
- GPU Market Dominance: Nvidia's revenue is projected to rise by 71% this year and 30% next year, with its stock trading at a forward P/E of only 20.2, close to the S&P 500's 20.4, indicating a rare investment opportunity that investors should not overlook.
See More
Semiconductor Stocks Face Supply and Geopolitical Risks
- Supply Chain Bottleneck: TSMC, holding a 72% share of the global semiconductor foundry market, faces limitations in AI chip supply due to energy disruptions and helium shortages, potentially hindering its ability to meet rising market demand and impacting its competitive position.
- Revenue Growth and Seasonal Fluctuations: In January 2026, TSMC's revenue surged 37% year-over-year, while February saw a 22% increase; however, February's revenue dropped 21% sequentially from January, primarily due to seasonal factors, indicating strong underlying AI demand.
- Rising Geopolitical Risks: The ongoing Iran conflict has disrupted global energy flows, with the Strait of Hormuz handling 20% of global oil and LNG shipments, posing a potential threat to TSMC's production as Taiwan relies on 95% energy imports.
- Future Outlook: TSMC is set to report March 2026 sales on April 10, and if it demonstrates the ability to meet global AI demand despite tightening supply conditions, it could positively influence investor confidence.
See More
TSMC to Begin Mass Production of 3nm Chips in Japan by 2028
- Advanced Process Expansion: TSMC plans to start mass production of 3nm chips at its Kumamoto facility in Japan by 2028, targeting a monthly capacity of 15,000 12-inch wafers, marking Japan's first domestic production of 3nm chips and enhancing its competitiveness in high-performance computing and AI.
- Significant Investment: The investment for the second fab plant has reached $17 billion, primarily supported by substantial Japanese government subsidies, reflecting TSMC's commitment to the Japanese market and its strategy to diversify production amid geopolitical risks.
- Notable Technology Upgrade: The upgrade from the initially planned 6-12nm processes to the advanced 3nm technology significantly expands semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, addressing the surging demand for AI chips and laying the groundwork for future electronic products.
- Deepening Strategic Cooperation: The project's advancement is bolstered by the trust between Taiwan and Japan, with TSMC CEO CC Wei announcing the initiative during talks with Japan's PM Sanae Takaichi in 2026, further solidifying bilateral cooperation in the semiconductor sector.
See More
Investment Opportunities in the Great Rotation
- AI Infrastructure Growth: Broadcom forecasts its AI ASIC revenue will soar to over $100 billion next fiscal year, which is 1.5 times its total revenue from fiscal 2025, highlighting its critical role in AI infrastructure development and driving sustained growth for years to come.
- Data Center Networking Demand: With AI chip cluster sizes expected to exceed 1 million chips, Broadcom's leadership in the data center networking market will enable it to benefit by ensuring chips work efficiently together, thereby enhancing investment returns.
- Semiconductor Manufacturing Advantage: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) holds a near-monopoly in advanced chip manufacturing, benefiting from both GPUs and AI ASICs, positioning itself at the forefront of every major chip trend over the next decade, driving continuous growth.
- High-Quality Growth Stocks: During market rotations, investors should focus on high-quality growth stocks like Broadcom and TSMC; while value and small-cap stocks gain traction, revenue and earnings growth remain the primary drivers of stock prices over the long term.
See More
AI Infrastructure Trends Favor Broadcom and TSMC
- Market Trends Favorable: With the rapid growth in AI infrastructure demand, Broadcom and TSMC are positioned to benefit significantly as core players, especially as market funds shift from large-cap tech stocks to value stocks, creating a buying opportunity amid stock price pullbacks.
- Chip Cluster Expansion: Broadcom anticipates AI chip clusters will exceed 1 million chips, which will greatly enhance the importance of data center networking; as a market leader, Broadcom will ensure efficient chip collaboration through its networking components, thereby maximizing client investment utilization.
- Surge in Custom Chip Demand: Broadcom leads in ASIC technology, forecasting its AI ASIC revenue to soar to over $100 billion next fiscal year, which is 1.5 times its total revenue for fiscal 2025, indicating strong market demand for custom AI chips.
- TSMC's Monopoly Advantage: As a near-monopoly in advanced chip manufacturing, TSMC is at the forefront of every major chip trend, particularly with the growing demand for AI workloads and high-performance CPUs, making its production capabilities crucial in the autonomous vehicle and robotaxi revolution.
See More
Semiconductor Stocks Lead AI Investment Surge
- Surging Market Demand: Taiwan Semiconductor expects the AI chip market to grow at a mid-to-high 50% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, planning to invest between $52 billion and $56 billion in capital expenditures in 2023 to meet rising demand, thereby solidifying its leadership in the AI sector.
- Memory Chip Outlook: Micron Technology anticipates the high-bandwidth memory market will expand from $35 billion to $100 billion between 2025 and 2028; despite price cooling due to Google's TurboQuant algorithm, the sustained demand for memory chips highlights its long-term investment value.
- Custom Chip Innovation: Broadcom focuses on designing custom AI chips, which are expected to generate over $100 billion in annual revenue by 2027, benefiting from the increasing demand for specific workloads in the AI industry, showcasing significant growth potential.
- GPU Market Leadership: Nvidia is projected to see a 71% revenue increase this year and 30% next year, with its stock trading at a forward P/E of only 20.2, close to the S&P 500's 20.4, indicating a rare investment opportunity that investors should not overlook.
See More
Semiconductor Sector Seizes Growth Opportunities Amid AI Demand
- Surging Market Demand: Taiwan Semiconductor expects the AI chip market to grow at a mid- to high-50% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, planning to invest $52 billion to $56 billion in capital expenditures in 2023, thereby solidifying its leadership position in the AI competition.
- Memory Chip Demand: Micron Technology anticipates the high-bandwidth memory market will expand from $35 billion to $100 billion between 2025 and 2028, and despite price cooling due to Google's TurboQuant algorithm, the strong demand for memory indicates significant investment potential in the coming years.
- Custom Chip Innovation: Broadcom is set to benefit from the skyrocketing demand for custom AI chips, with projections indicating these chips could generate over $100 billion annually by the end of 2027, highlighting Broadcom's substantial growth potential with its $68 billion annual revenue.
- GPU Market Dominance: Nvidia's revenue is projected to rise by 71% this year and 30% next year, with its stock trading at a forward P/E of only 20.2, close to the S&P 500's 20.4, indicating a rare investment opportunity that investors should not overlook.
See More
Semiconductor Stocks Face Supply and Geopolitical Risks
- Supply Chain Bottleneck: TSMC, holding a 72% share of the global semiconductor foundry market, faces limitations in AI chip supply due to energy disruptions and helium shortages, potentially hindering its ability to meet rising market demand and impacting its competitive position.
- Revenue Growth and Seasonal Fluctuations: In January 2026, TSMC's revenue surged 37% year-over-year, while February saw a 22% increase; however, February's revenue dropped 21% sequentially from January, primarily due to seasonal factors, indicating strong underlying AI demand.
- Rising Geopolitical Risks: The ongoing Iran conflict has disrupted global energy flows, with the Strait of Hormuz handling 20% of global oil and LNG shipments, posing a potential threat to TSMC's production as Taiwan relies on 95% energy imports.
- Future Outlook: TSMC is set to report March 2026 sales on April 10, and if it demonstrates the ability to meet global AI demand despite tightening supply conditions, it could positively influence investor confidence.
See More
