As the artificial intelligence sector runs wild on the US stock markets, Wall Street investors are becoming privy to new opportunities outside of Nvidia (NVDA). Several AI stocks and chip stocks have seen significant gains in the last year, some even competing with the Santa Clara-based AI powerhouse. Two of these options, Broadcom (AVGO) and Qualcomm (QCOM) are both up over 22% in the last six months, representing solid returns. If you had to hold one of these chip stocks for the remainder of 2026, which is the better buy?

The Case for Broadcom (AVGO)

Broadcom (AVGO) is one of the top stocks to consider buying in the current power trend that’s largely been led by tech names. Shares recently formed a 19-week cup base, and the stock currently trades within a buy zone. The stock’s 3% dip today fuels the present buy opportunity, as most analysts rate AVGO a buy for the remainder of 2026.

In addition. Broadcom has seen strong benefits from infrastructure buildout thanks to its custom chips and switches to hyperscalers. Broadcom (AVGO) posted Q1 FY2026 revenue of $19.3B, up 29.47% year-over-year, with AI semiconductor revenue surging 106% to $8.4B, driven by custom AI accelerators and networking, while CEO Hock Tan guided Q2 AI revenue to $10.7B.

Also Read: AMD Stock Surges But Headwinds May Pose Challenges: Why?

The Case for Qualcomm (QCOM)

Qualcomm (QCOM), on the other hand, is a bit more divisive of an investment option according to stock analysts. While bulls believe that the company is moving past smartphones and could become a more important player in AI, custom silicon, and data centers, bears argue that the stock has already priced in too much optimism. As a result, there isn’t a consensus buy rating for QCOM like AVGO.

Also Read: Is Amazon Stock a Buy or Sell After Its Strong 2026 Rally?

The semiconductor rally slowed this week, with Qualcomm shares plunging more than 11% on May 12 and another 6% on May 14 amid broader risk-off sentiment sweeping through semiconductor stocks. Therefore, QCOM may be seen as a riskier play compared to Broadcom (AVGO).