NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 09:49 ET — Market closed
- Broadcom (AVGO) rose 0.44% on Friday to close at $347.62. 1
- U.S. chip stocks rallied, with the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index up 4% in the first session of 2026. 2
- Strategists flagged valuation sensitivity in AI-linked shares as investors look to next week’s U.S. labor data. 2
Broadcom Inc. shares rose 0.44% on Friday to close at $347.62, lagging a broad chip-sector rebound in the first U.S. trading session of 2026. 1
U.S. markets are closed on Saturday, leaving investors to weigh whether Friday’s semiconductor surge marks a durable turn after late-December volatility. The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index, a widely watched gauge of U.S. chipmakers, jumped 4% on Friday. 2
That backdrop matters for Broadcom because the stock has become a bellwether for infrastructure spending tied to artificial intelligence, where investor enthusiasm can swing quickly with rates and valuation concerns. Joe Mazzola, head of trading & derivatives strategist at Charles Schwab, said investors are becoming “more conscious” of valuations for some AI plays, even as buyers step in on pullbacks. 2
The Dow and S&P 500 ended higher on Friday, while the Nasdaq finished slightly lower, Reuters reported, as chip stocks helped snap a four-day losing streak for the blue-chip index. The Dow rose 0.66%, the S&P 500 gained 0.19% and the Nasdaq slipped 0.03%, according to Reuters. 2
Peers outperformed Broadcom on the day. Advanced Micro Devices rose 4.35% and Nvidia gained 1.26% in Friday’s session, while Broadcom’s advance was modest by comparison. 1
Broadcom traded between $345.61 and $360.56 on Friday, ending near the lower half of that range. The stock’s muted move versus the chip index’s 4% jump suggested investors were selective in adding exposure to the more richly valued AI-linked names. 2
Broadcom sells networking chips used in data centers and develops custom processors for large customers, and it also owns enterprise software assets including VMware. Those businesses tie its outlook to both hardware demand for AI buildouts and software spending by large companies.
In December, Broadcom’s shares fell sharply after the company warned that a higher mix of lower-margin AI products would pressure profitability, even as it forecast strong demand. “Gross margin” is the share of revenue left after the cost of making products; Broadcom had said margins would fall by about 100 basis points — one percentage point — sequentially, Reuters reported at the time. 3
The stock closed about 16% below its 52-week high of $414.61, according to market data, underscoring how investors have been recalibrating expectations for AI infrastructure winners after last year’s strong run.
Before Monday’s session, investors are likely to keep a close eye on interest-rate expectations and upcoming U.S. economic releases, particularly labor-market data that could reset the path for Federal Reserve policy. Reuters flagged next week’s jobs figures as a key January focus after recent debate about the timing and pace of rate cuts. 2
Company-specific catalysts are thinner in the near term, but traders will watch for any updates to Broadcom’s AI revenue trajectory and margin outlook into fiscal 2026. Broadcom has not confirmed its next earnings publication date, though MarketBeat estimates the next report for March 5, based on prior schedules. 4
Technically, investors will watch whether the stock holds above Friday’s low near $345 and whether it can push back through the $360 area that capped gains during the session. A decisive move either way could shape positioning into next week’s macro data and the next set of earnings updates across the semiconductor sector.
