Stock Markets April 17, 2026 08:17 AM

Mizuho Sees Upside in Broadcom on Growing Custom AI Chip Pipeline

Broker maintains Outperform after executive meeting, citing multi-gigawatt deals with Anthropic and Meta and strengthening networking exposure

By Hana Yamamoto AVGO
Mizuho Sees Upside in Broadcom on Growing Custom AI Chip Pipeline
AVGO

Mizuho kept an Outperform rating on Broadcom following a discussion with the company's senior leadership. The broker highlighted an expanding roster of bespoke AI chip engagements - including a 3.5-gigawatt agreement tied to Anthropic’s TPU deployments and a multiyear buildout with Meta - and raised near- to medium-term AI revenue expectations. Networking advantages and VMware's high-margin software business were also cited as stabilizing elements.

Key Points

  • Mizuho reaffirmed an Outperform rating on Broadcom after meeting CEO Hock Tan, CFO Kirsten Spears, and Head of IR Ji Yoo.
  • A 3.5-gigawatt deal tied to Anthropic's TPU deployments is expected to begin in 2027 and currently appears to cover TPU v8 only, with upside possible from later TPU generations.
  • Meta's MTIA expansion through 2029 and a shift to hybrid copper-optical networking architectures support higher AI revenue projections; VMware software provides a high-margin stability pillar.

Mizuho reiterated its Outperform recommendation on Broadcom after a meeting with the chipmaker's top executives, citing an accelerating pipeline of bespoke AI chip deals as a primary takeaway.

Analysts at the firm hosted Broadcom CEO Hock Tan, CFO Kirsten Spears, and Head of Investor Relations Ji Yoo for an investor call. Following that discussion, the brokerage said it left with greater conviction in Broadcom's AI revenue runway through 2027 and beyond.

Key commercial developments highlighted by Mizuho include a 3.5-gigawatt agreement connected to Anthropic's tensor processing unit, with deployments expected to begin in 2027. The analysts noted the understanding appears to cover only TPU v8 initially, with potential upside if subsequent TPU generations are adopted and trigger follow-on contracts.

Mizuho also flagged Broadcom's collaboration with Meta Platforms. The firm said Meta's expansion of its MTIA chip development and deployments extends through 2029, covers multiple chip generations and contemplates multi-gigawatt capacity additions. Mizuho estimated that Broadcom could see a benefit on the order of roughly $25 billion per gigawatt from these types of arrangements.

On the networking front, the brokerage emphasized a shift toward hybrid copper-optical architectures as next-generation AI racks scale. The analysts pointed out Broadcom is deploying 400G-800G per lane SerDes technology, allowing copper to handle short-reach rack connections while optical links scale for longer distances. That said, Mizuho warned that laser component supply remains a constraint and described the supply backdrop as staying "very tight."

Aggregating these developments, Mizuho reported that consensus AI revenue expectations for 2027 have risen. The analysts said consensus has climbed from about $100 billion in early 2026 to roughly $120 billion currently - a near 62% year-over-year increase from the earlier baseline.

The firm's own forecasts put AI-related revenues at $101 billion for fiscal 2027 and $132 billion for fiscal 2028, which Mizuho calculated as an 87% three-year compound annual growth rate.

Beyond the AI chip and networking businesses, Mizuho cited Broadcom's VMware infrastructure software segment as a complementary source of stability. The brokerage described VMware as a high-single-digit to low-double-digit long-term grower that operates at approximately 80% operating margins.

The analysis also referenced valuation tools that can be used to assess whether AVGO shares present an attractive entry point, noting the use of multiple industry valuation models to derive fair value estimates.

Risks

  • Laser component supply remains constrained and is expected to stay very tight, which could limit networking buildouts - impacting the networking and data center hardware sectors.
  • Anthropic deal coverage appears limited to TPU v8 initially; revenue upside depends on subsequent TPU generations and follow-on agreements - impacting AI chip revenue forecasts.
  • Consensus and firm AI revenue projections have risen materially; if deployments or multi-gigawatt buildouts do not materialize as anticipated, AI revenue estimates for Broadcom could come under pressure - affecting semiconductor and enterprise infrastructure markets.

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