New York, Jan 26, 2026, 15:37 EST — Regular session
- Marvell (MRVL) gained roughly 1.5% in afternoon trading, bouncing back after a volatile session
- Investors are gearing up for the Fed’s announcement on Wednesday alongside a slew of mega-cap tech earnings
- Attention remains fixed on AI-driven data-center investments and expansion of connectivity infrastructure
Shares of Marvell Technology Inc climbed Monday, buoyed by strength in segments of the tech sector. As of 3:24 p.m. EST, the stock gained 1.5% to $81.44, swinging between $79.47 and $83.01 during the session. Roughly 9.2 million shares traded hands.
The move came during a busy week for rates and big tech. By mid-afternoon, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq had both climbed around 0.7%, led by Apple, Meta, Alphabet, and Broadcom, each gaining over 2%. Investors were gearing up for key mega-cap earnings and the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement, Reuters reported. “You’re seeing communications and technology are trading well today in advance of the earnings,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management. 1
Marvell’s position is crucial here, given it supplies networking and custom chips used in cloud and AI data centers. Right now, investors view the stock as a barometer for whether top spenders will continue expanding or start pulling back.
Chip stocks didn’t act in unison. The iShares Semiconductor ETF slipped roughly 0.5% for the session, while Marvell held up better than most in the sector.
Marvell has been stepping up its acquisition game in data-center infrastructure. On Jan. 6, it announced a deal to acquire XConn Technologies for around $540 million, paying about 60% in cash and the rest in stock. The move brings in PCI Express and CXL switch chips, key for moving data between server components. CEO Matt Murphy called the acquisition “a compelling switching platform” for future AI systems. Marvell expects XConn’s products to start generating revenue in the second half of fiscal 2027, growing to roughly $100 million by fiscal 2028. 2
In December, Marvell unveiled a $3.25 billion deal to acquire Celestial AI, highlighting the target’s photonic “fabric” as a solution for scaling AI clusters beyond a single rack using optical links. Murphy described the purchase as “a transformative step,” while Amazon Web Services’ Dave Brown noted that “optical interconnects will play an important role in the future of AI infrastructure,” according to Marvell’s release. The company expects Celestial AI to start delivering meaningful revenue in the second half of fiscal 2028. 3
Yet the stock’s leverage is a double-edged sword. Should tech execs dial back on the AI spending narrative soon, suppliers could quickly adjust their valuations. Meanwhile, Marvell still faces regulatory hurdles and must integrate two deals it touts as key to its upcoming product cycle.
MRVL often moves with the broader “AI trade,” even when there’s no new company news. It reacts to macro shifts, capex signals, and subtle changes in investor sentiment around growth and multiples.
The next major event is the Fed’s two-day meeting on Jan. 27-28. The policy announcement and press briefing will come down Wednesday, Jan. 28. 4
